Michael Miller is the Site Manager of The Smoking Musket, covering the West Virginia Mountaineers since 2015.
West Virginia enters the 2025 season with a completely rebuilt offensive line after losing all five starters from last year’s unit. Center Landen Livingston is the only returner with meaningful experience, and new line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. has spent camp sorting through a group heavy on transfers to find a reliable rotation. The focus has been on two things: getting steady play at center and generating more push in short-yardage. Both remain works in progress, but the staff believes the talent is in place — now it’s about getting it ready for next Saturday’s opener vs. Robert Morris.
Redshirt sophomore Nick Krahe is working with the first team at left tackle and has the edge going into the season. He’s one of the few returners from last year’s roster and has been viewed as a young piece with upside after appearing in 13 games, mostly on special teams. The new staff has kept him at tackle, and his athleticism makes him a fit for Rich Rodriguez’s tempo-heavy offense.
The main competition comes from Texas transfer Malik Agbo, who played in every game for the Longhorns last season and filled the “swing” role as both a reserve lineman and extra tight end in jumbo sets. That experience in high-level games makes him one of the more proven options on the roster, and he could also slide to guard if he doesn’t win the job at tackle.
Tulsa transfer Walter Young Bear has locked down the job at left guard and is one of the most steady pieces on the line. He started 13 games over the last two seasons for the Golden Hurricane and earned Third
Team All-AAC honors in 2024. His experience in a tempo offense makes him a natural fit for Rich Rodriguez’s system, and his leadership has stood out during camp. Young Bear has also worked some at right guard and tackle, but all signs point to him being the anchor on the left side.
Behind him, Donovan Haslam provides depth as a swing option. While he’s listed at tackle in the rotation, his 346-pound frame and starting experience at Austin Peay make him flexible enough to kick inside if needed. Another name to watch is redshirt freshman Robby Martin, a Huntington native who transferred in from NC State. He’s viewed as a developmental player and possible center of the future, but for now he’s providing depth on the interior.
Redshirt junior Landen Livingston is set to start at center after filling in for Brandon Yates last season. He’s the only returning lineman with meaningful game experience at WVU, and his athleticism makes him a good fit for the tempo demands of Rodriguez’s offense. Livingston was even selected to represent the team at Big 12 Media Days, a clear sign of the staff’s confidence in him.
Behind him, veteran transfer Carson Lee brings over 30 games of experience from Colorado and Eastern Michigan. He adds versatility as someone who has played all three interior spots, but his role in Morgantown will be as reliable depth. Redshirt sophomore Cooper Young has also worked at center and provides additional insurance if needed, while redshirt freshman Josh Aisosa has practiced there but projects more as a guard.
Right Guard
LSU transfer Kimo Makane’ole has worked with the first team at right guard through camp. He spent last season on the defensive line in Baton Rouge but previously played offensive line for the Tigers and has returned to that spot at WVU.
A former four-star recruit, Makane’ole brings athleticism and versatility, and he’s said the tempo of Rich Rodriguez’s offense fits his game. He looks to have the inside track on the starting role.
The depth chart also includes redshirt freshman Josh Aisosa, a transfer from Oklahoma. At 6’3”, 325 pounds, he’s shown potential to contribute early and has been cross-trained at both guard and center.
While he’s still young, he’s considered one of the more promising long-term pieces in the room and could see rotational snaps this fall. Carson Lee adds another option here if needed, though his main competition remains at center.
Arkansas transfer Ty’Kieast Crawford is projected to start at right tackle. He played in 33 games across three seasons in the SEC, giving him some of the most high-level experience in the room. After redshirting last fall, Crawford has stepped into a larger role in Morgantown and now has the chance to anchor one side of the line.
Behind him, redshirt junior Xavier Bausley brings system familiarity from his time with Rich Rodriguez at Jacksonville State, where he was a freshman All-American in 2023. He battled through injury last spring but has been part of the two-deep rotation in camp. Another depth option is Mickel Clay, a transfer from North Alabama who was one of the first linemen added through the portal. Clay has the frame to play both tackle spots and is likely to serve as a swing tackle this season.
The offensive line is almost unrecognizable from a year ago, with all five starters gone and a new rotation built mostly through the portal. The mix includes veterans from the SEC, a steady presence in Walter Young Bear, and one key returner in Landen Livingston. That combination has given Jack Bicknell Jr. options, but the challenge now is turning a shuffled roster into a reliable unit.
The staff wants nine players ready to contribute, and the depth chart shows signs of that with competition at every spot. At center, Livingston is locked in as the starter, while veteran Carson Lee gives them valuable insurance and flexibility on the interior.
On the edges, young returner Nick Krahe and SEC transfer Ty’Kieast Crawford are being asked to hold down the tackle spots in a system that demands tempo and physicality. What’s missing so far is consistent push in short-yardage, something Rich Rod has been quick to point out.
If this group finds its footing, it changes the outlook for the entire offense. The question is whether the new faces can gel quickly enough to handle Big 12 competition.
Is Nick Krahe ready to handle left tackle full-time after limited action last year?
Can Ty’Kieast Crawford translate SEC experience into consistent play as WVU’s right tackle anchor?
Will Landen Livingston give WVU the consistency it needs at center, and can Carson Lee provide steady depth behind him?
Can this group create the short-yardage push Rodriguez says has been missing in camp?
How quickly can a rebuilt unit with so many transfers build the chemistry needed to function as one line?
The Bottom Line
The offensive line is the biggest unknown on the roster — a brand-new group asked to drive a tempo-heavy offense from day one.
If Krahe and Crawford can settle the tackle spots, Livingston holds steady at center, and the interior rotation finds its push, WVU will have enough to make Rodriguez’s system go. If not, it could be a long year up front.
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