MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Over the past few years, WVU offensive line coach Matt Moore has been able to do something that seems rare in the new era of college athletics: keep his position group intact.

This will be the third consecutive season Moore returns his core group and that includes six different players with starting experience. Three of them are West Virginia natives.

Center Zach Frazier and left tackle Wyatt Milum began their careers at WVU while right tackle Doug Nester transferred from Virginia Tech ahead of the 2021 season. Frazier is a Fairmont Senior High School product while Milum and Nestor graduated from Spring Valley.

Offensive line coach Matt Moore believes the trio of homegrown Mountaineers leading the charge up front is one of the main reasons his group has seen limited turnover in the past few years.

“Having three guys from West Virginia is big. Three really, really good players who love the state and love the people of the state, and aren’t just looking to jump on the next bus or the highest bidder,” Moore said. “It’s nice to have those guys. They are a tight-knit group. They care for each other.”

Frazier has the most starts of anyone at the position with 34 total and 25 consecutive at center. Nester is at 24 nods while Milum’s number is 20. They are a key factor in the offensive line being WVU’s most experienced position group.

All three players earned Preseason All-Big 12 honors from multiple publications ahead of this year. Frazier was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List and Wuerffel Trophy Watch List his summer. He and Milum also have Freshman All-American accolades on their resume.

“They have a brotherhood. You build that and they hold each other accountable so it’s not quite as easy to jump on the next train or the next offer they got because I’m sure, with the way it is now, I’m sure they all got calls in the offseason and offers and things like that,” Moore said.