Welcome to the Friday Feedback on the eve of what I believe to be the Big East championship game. Last week I figured the WVU-UConn winner was in good position, but not necessarily champion, whereas the loser was done. I think we can agree that’s the case.

Should the Mountaineers win — and they’re favored by a touchdown to do so — they’re up two games and hold tie-breakers against two of the two-loss teams. The only other one loss team, Pitt, plays host to Louisville at noon. WVU could take the field knowing a win creates a two-game lead on its closest pursuer with three games to go.

Should the Bearcats win, watch out. They’ve already played USF and UConn and follow WVU with games at Louisville and at home against Pitt before finishing conference play at Syracuse. (U.C. also plays at Hawaii in a rare 13th game Dec. 6). 

Translation? Tomorrow’s a day in which someone makes a definitive statement in a still wide-open Big East. Does WVU remain the class of the conference or does Cincinnati move to the head of the class?

Other questions to answer:

– Do you need to set your alarm for a 7 p.m. kick?
– Does Ellis Lankster know the fair catch was not outlawed?
– Will Dorrell Jalloh get 10 touches?
– Can the Mountaineers successfully execute a reverse?
– Why can’t first-time QBs solve the 3-3-5?

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, remember people are watching!

Gordo said:

Let’s all join in!! Mustaches all around. Mike, you in?

You obviously don’t know me.  

Karl said:

I realize UConn fans have to be in agony today, but that team’s future is pretty bright. They remind me a lot of Rutgers the year just before they put it all together and went 11-2. I see a lot of Ray Rice in Donald Brown. If he comes back, I think UConn could be the team to beat in the Big East next year.

Brown’s an animal — when he’s on the field. Remember Andre Dixon? That guy can’t even get in the game because Brown has it locked down. As for the future, I just don’t know. For some reason, Edsall isn’t all too popular there and UConn isn’t a haven for young athletes. It seems to me to be a place that’ll be good every few years as young players grow into mature and experienced players. Their QB situation kills them this year because Lorenzen had been playing at a pretty high level. Typically, teams that go to the third string have trouble. The Huskies also have it in their head they can’t beat WVU. That 66-21 thing last year will last a looooooong time. You could sense the game changed and that they knew it when they missed that deep pass at the start of the second half.

StraightOuttaNorthCentral said:

The dude’s certainly got weird timing. Jumps off the WVU wagon just before an offensive mini-renaissance, then jumps on the UT wagon simultaneous with reports that Fulmer will not be back (never mind Tennessee’s offensive woes).

Somewhat akin the notion that you can get a sense for what kind of President a candidate will be based on their VP pick (not trying to get political here), it seems like you can get a feeling for what kind of player this guy might be based on his recruiting escapade. The answer? High maintenace? Fickle? Indecisive? Overly decisive? Who knows, but it definitely points to something outside the norm. I mean, yeah, I remember Pat White going back and forth on things, with his commitment to LSU, his baseball career, etc. But it always seemed like a sincere desire to make the right decision for himself, to be comfortable. Maybe this series of TBA’s are just a more high-profile version of that, but it doesn’t feel like that.

Good analogy in relation to the grab-her-with-two-hands-and-throw-her-under-the-bus VP thing going on now. I’m not sure who or what Tajh Boyd is except a teenager really struggling with a really important decision and both are intensified by things he can’t control — coaching changes, coaching rants, etc. The difference between Boyd and Pat is Pat wanted to play quarterback when others were saying he couldn’t play for them. No one says Boyd can’t play quarterback, but Boyd is saying he won’t play for them.  

jmbwvu said:

i think wvu came out ahead in this transaction. i agree with every single thing that has been said so far. you have to recruit charcter, not characters. anybody who knows anything about college football knows that wvu is in a significantly better position right now than the tennessee program. my middle finger gesture has changed to a simple pageant wave goodbye.

Glad to hear that. Let’s not overlook the desire to play in the SEC. That matters to kids. Same goes for the desire to be the man who turns things around. Tennessee needs that right now. Two years from now, how big would a redshirt freshman or sophomore QB be on an 8-0 Volunteers team?

JP said:

Maybe he wants to wear a uniform the same color as a creamsicle

And there’s that, too. 

Alli said:

I don’t think Stewart would twist anything around. I like Stewart. I’ve supported him all year, you know that. But how often is Stewart clear about anything in his press conferences? Did he specifically say what Tajh or his father said to them? No.

Think about it. Let’s say Boyd and his father called to decommitt because Tajh didn’t like the offense they were running. Even though Tajh or his father aren’t telling Stewart what specific plays to call at what times, I can see Stewart, or any coach for that matter, interpretting those words and telling the media, in a nutshell, “our offense is our offense, if you don’t like it, you can go.” Isn’t that what Stewart was saying? “This is our offense.” Wasn’t that the point?

I think some people are calling Tajh a prima donna because they think he and his father literally told Stewart or Beatty or Mullen or whoever to run the offense a certain way, and there just isn’t any proof of it. We have NO PROOF that his father called and told the coaches how to do their job. Could it have happened? Yes. Could they have told the coaches they wished we threw the ball more? Yes. Would that make him high maintenance? No, not in my mind, because I think EVERYONE who has posted here has said the same thing at least once.

I’m suggesting that I think the kid is impulsive and emotional. I am suggesting that is why he is making the choices he is making, not because he’s some high maintenance brat. I’m arguing that he is a KID and he should be allowed to make poor or irrational decisions without a bunch of anonymous adults assuming he and his dad are control freaks until Stewart clarifies his comments, which he never will. I am Not saying Stewart is a liar or that he is twisting people’s words. I am saying some fans are reading too much into what Stewart said.

There is a great unknown out there regarding what preceded or triggered the TBA. Stewart seemed to indicate his side of the story will be told on signing day. The unfortunate, though inevitable part of this is how parties from both sides are hurt. Boyd is seen as a selfish kid, his dad as a meddling mentor. Jeff Mullen is a scapegoat because it’s his offense that failed to impress the quarterback and Stewart is the guy who couldn’t hold it together and responds with a cryptic explanation of the events. Is any of that accurate? Maybe, but it’s just as likely it’s all inaccurate.

Kneeb0ne said:

Bill Stewart’s quote of tomorrow . . . now that he has this mind game thing under control:

“We don’t want Tajh Boyd back, not even if Fulmer leaves Tennessee . . . oh, really? . . . he did?!?! Doesn’t matter, we still don’t want Boyd back, not even if he called me right now on my cell phone at 304-555-5555. I wouldn’t talk to him . . . would even offer to give his scholarship back. We wouldn’t even offer him the starting job next year, nope, would not do.”  

Do not underestimate the rapscallion! 

X-Rayted said:

No offense to Will Johnson, but wouldn’t this really help the 3rd and short problems. I’m pretty sure Jock or Noel could get 1 or 2 yards following a Scooter Berry Block. This would all make too much sense though.

Scooter’s got bad knees. It’s a wonder he’s playing this well on the defensive line.

Erinn said:

So is this another way to price Joe Mountaineer Fan out of his season tickets? While I’m happy for you and your colleagues to have such plush surroundings from which to cover the game, I won’t be as jolly when you are there and I’m sitting on our couch across the street in front of the TV b/c cable is a much more budget friendly option than the season tickets and required “donation” to the MAC. I will miss my upper deck seats, *sniff, sniff*.

I really believe we’re this close to seeing a Starbucks in the men’s room.

Mack said:

Mike, do you enjoy the power that comes with being able to write your own headlines?

Immensely, but not as much as I enjoy the perks.

Birch said:

It is my understanding Stew was calling in his personal blood-letter as well as the Jolo Snake Handlers in order to rectify the situation.  

Phlebitis is funny! 

thacker said:

Somewhat off topic, but deal with it. It does have to do with Brian Kelly and coaches in general.

Is there a single collegiate coach who has enough respect for the game, an opponent and enough courage to tell ESPN during an interview in a broadcast of a ballgame to “shut up and I will not talk over nor interfere with focus that should be allocated and given to the field of play”?

Bob Huggins, that includes yourself.

I’m with you. And I can’t be alone in thinking nothing good can come from those sideline interviews. The questions, despite who is asking them, are inane and generic and the coaches seem completely lost, carefree or furious. The only one that even stands out to me is Wannstedt’s “run faster” observation that was silly, but actually pretty true. Point is, there was no need for it. Everyone knew the problem — WVU was way too fast for Pitt — and Wannstedt looked goofy explaining it.

JP said:

What was ridiculous was Erin Andrews interviewing the kid. “What was going through your mind? How did it feel?” Good grief, he’s 8.  

There’s the sole purpose of the sideline reporter — quirky stuff at the game that doesn’t interfere with the game. And this may be unpopular — or a blatant and unapologetic bias … or jealousy — but I blame the interview on the kid. He was clearly out of his element.

Josh24601 said:

I will ask whether the fan’s OK; Coach Mullen will ask whether the fan’s OK; no fan or no fan’s daddy will determine whether the fan is OK.

Outstanding! Enjoy the weekend.