(Computer issues. Nothing is easy today.) 

Details are still trickling in, but it appears WVU did not cancel classes today even though Casey Mitchell has indeed committed.

Mitchell, of course, is the coveted junior college guard at top-ranked Chipola (Fla.) College. A 6-foot-5 shooting guard, he fills an immediate need in the backcourt, which, in all fairness, is a big deal. Through no fault of his own, though, he comes with the immediate juco disclaimer in that he could be a 30-minute-per-game offensive player and a five-minute-per-game defensive player. Does he catch onto the effort, intensity and intelligence needed to play offensively and defensively at WVU? You never know.

That said, it could be a very big deal.

Right away, you don’t need to run Dalton Pepper into the starting lineup as a freshman. Perhaps Mitchell doesn’t start — nothing wrong with Mazzulla and Truck together in the starting five — but he’s got two years of successful college-level competition to his name and he’s 215 pounds. Physically, that’s just a better fit. No offense to Pepper, who’s actually about the same size.

In fact, you now allow all the freshmen to come off the bench now, which is probably a preferred situation. They’re all touted, but neither Pepper, Danny Jennings nor Deniz Kilicli is on the Ebanks level.

Additionally — and this could be big — Mazzulla has a little more time to come around and he doesn’t have to hit the floor running. He doesn’t have to start. He’s set to resume physical activity in a few weeks here, but physical activity is a little different than games … and remember, he only played in seven of them this year. If Mitchell can start or play minutes right away, the load on Mazzulla’s shoulder(s) is lighter, which is good.

Some prospective lineups?

PG: Truck or Mazzulla
SG: Mitchell
SF: Butler
PF:Ebanks
C: Smith
Bench: G-Mazzulla or Truck, West, Pepper, Thomas; F-Jones, Flowers, Thoroughman, Jennings; F/C-Kilicli; C-Proby.

(Yes, that’s 15. No, you can’t have more than 13 on scholarship. I’m not getting into that here.)

PG: Mazzulla
SG: Truck
SF: Butler
PF:Ebanks
C: Smith
Bench: G-Mitchell, West, Pepper, Thomas; F-Jones, Flowers, Thoroughman, Jennings; F/C-Kilicli; C-Proby.

PG: Mazzulla or Truck
SG: Butler
SF: Smith
PF:Ebanks
C: Jennings
Bench: G-Mazzulla or Truck, Mitchell, West, Pepper, Thomas; F-Jones, Flowers, Thoroughman; F/C-Kilicli; C-Proby.

PG: Mazzulla or Truck
SG: Butler
SF: Smith
PF:Ebanks
C: Jones
Bench: G-Mazzulla or Truck, Mitchell, West, Pepper, Thomas; F-, Flowers, Thoroughman, Jennings; F/C-Kilicli; C-Proby.

It goes on and on. Feel free to add your combinations.

As you can see, the options are there now to be a pretty versatile, flexible team. This at least looks like a team that could go with three or four guards or three or four — or five! — forwards. That Mitchell is a bigger body certainly adds to the possibilities.