The 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University as a member of the Big East Conference during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Bill Stewart, the Mountaineers compiled an overall record of 9âÂÂ4 with a mark of 5âÂÂ2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for second in the Big East. West Virginia was invited the Meineke Car Care Bowl, where the Mountaineers defeated North Carolina. The team played home games at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Stewart took over as the interim head coach at the end of the 2007 season after the departure of head coach Rich Rodriguez to the University of Michigan.
The Gold & Blue Spring Game was held on Saturday, April 19, 2008, at Mountaineer Field. A record crowd of over 25,000 fans attended as the Gold defeated the Blue 59âÂÂ15. Kicker Pat McAfee was four-for-four on field goals with a long of 47 yards, and starting quarterback Pat White and backup Jarrett Brown both had touchdown passes. Brown also had a four-yard touchdown run and two backup kickers hit a field goal each. The defense recorded six sacks in total, and walk-on defensive back Darnell Christian led all corners with three passes deflected. Sophomore linebacker Pat Lazear had the only interception on the game off of a White pass. Backup running back led all ballcarriers with 54 yards on 17 carries while sophomore Brandon Hogan led all receivers with 49 yards on six catches.
Head coach Bill Stewart was the Mountaineers 32nd head coach in school history. He returned defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel and defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich. His new hirings were associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, fullback, and tight ends coach Doc Holliday, assistant head coach and safeties coach Steve Dunlap, running backs coach Chris Beatty, offensive line coach Dave Johnson, and cornerbacks coach David Lockwood. Jeff Mullen, former quarterbacks coach at Wake Forest, was announced as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The receivers coach was named on January 29, Lonnie Galloway, the receivers coach from Appalachian State.