Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which has all its luggage, thanks to a kind and anonymous couple from Charleston, S.C., I think. I rarely ever check my bags anymore because my luck was once so obviously bad I learned not to. There was a string of maybe four or five flights in a row when my bag just never showed up.

I was young in the game back then and didn’t realize how easier my life could have been with a carry-on and how I could still pack all the stuff I needed. So combine that with the cost now required to check a bag and it seemed smarter to take all my luggage on the plane. Wouldn’t you know it, I haven’t lost a bag since the O’Reilly All-College Classic back in 2005 … and I only checked one then because I was headed to a family function the day after the game and needed some more clothing than usual.

So I’m in Atlanta Sunday and admittedly cloudy because Jarrett Brown slept more than I did Saturday night. I’m on the concourse shuttle at 2 p.m. for my 3:50 flight. We stop at concourses A, B, C, and D. I’m leaving from Gates D21 and when we arrive at the D stop I go to grab my bag … which is not there. That triggered a frantic recovery effort which was improbably complicated because lost and found at the country’s busiest airport is closed on Sunday.

I had to go to all six concourses — T, A, B, C, D and E — and fill out reports in case the white courtesy phone called. Never happened even though I was in Atlanta until 6:20 p.m. We were supposed to leave Charlotte at 7:50 and got there just in time … to see it was delayed two hours. We left at 9:55 p.m., which was about an hour after I was supposed to be in Morgantown, and landed around 11:30. I’m usually worn down by traveling by January. This is unprecedented. The only positive was Atlanta calling me Monday morning and saying a couple had turned my bag in with a note I never got explaining how they accidentally took my bag … as well as theirs. I can live with that.

Speaking of, when was the last time WVU’s first loss of the season was met with such, ummm, indifference? Is it 2005? Maybe 2003? The Mountaineers have been national title contenders, or at the least hopefuls, for several seasons in a row and that first loss was just devastating because it seemed to ruin everything. This year? Not so much. Why, I even think fans have been pretty rational. Wasn’t a great outcome or a bad effort and people realize things could and maybe should be better. Sometimes you just have to be water.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, be careful how you ask for sugar.

Jim said:

I’m curious to know why Jared Brown was throwing off his back foot so much during the Auburn game? Could that have been the reason for so many picks? He has to use his body & not just his arm. On another note, at one point in the game, after taking a hit he was shown shaking his head like he got his bell rung. Then after getting in the huddle, he was shown once again shaking his head. Knocked goofy or a concussion? Maybe there were things at work during the second half that we didn’t know about and maybe the coaches/trainers didn’t notice either. can you follow up on this?

Honest opinion? He makes those throws because he can. I thought he got hit pretty good during one of Auburn’s interception returns and then again in the third quarter. I noted he looked a little weird on the sideline, but I never noticed it in the game. Yesterday he told us Auburn threw a new defense at him in the third quarter that he wasn’t expecting to see. Maybe that was the confusion?

Bill said:

I can’t decide if I am glad that Grothe is out for the season or not. Is he going to be able to take a medical redshirt and play next year? I was really sick of hearing about him (OVER RATED!!) and I just don’t want to hear about him all of next year. And during the off season.

Like a steam locomotive rolling down the track, he’s gone, gone, nothing’s gonna bring him back. He’s gone. 

Mack said:

Had Grothe’s ACL happened on game earlier, Pat White would’ve hung onto whatever record it is that Pat White had.

Big East’s all-time leader in total offense. I’m sure Pat is upset.

Casto said:

The people on BGN kill me. Someone threw out the fact that Stewart has a higher winning percentage than P-Rod and it was laughed at. His 2-0 bowl record? You’d think we win them 90% of the time, rather than the big 0-fer I got to see in my 5 years in Morgantown.
I’m going to say one thing: We have a VERY dangerous team. When we’re clicking (first two drives against AU), we’re nearly unstoppable, because you can’t just say “I’m going to stop the run.” or “I’m just going to stop the pass.” WVU has the players, and when they execute, look out.

Mack – All-time Big East Yardage leader. In 10 years, who do you think people will remember? Mongo Grothe or Pat White?

Casto…Casto…over here. Look at me! That’s better. Believe it or not, yours is the majority opinion. The Mountaineers have a lot of offensive talent, but also a lot of ways to incorporate the parts. If that causes a defense problems, think of what it does to an offense that has 55-60 snaps per game to make the most of the weapons. I think the focus will narrow just enough that it won’t hinder the offense’s potential. If they can just get out of their own way and stop giving away possessions …

Birch said:

Mongo only pawn… in game of life.

I agree with Casto, its one game. In the grand scheme of things if we can get the turnover issue somewhat corrected we should be fine. Face it, we weren’t going to win a NC this year and that is probably the only thing that losing that game eliminates from our platter of goals. A trip back to the BCS is just as alive as it was at 8:00 PM Saturday night. Plenty of blame to go around, sure, but hopefully it becomes a teaching moment for all involved and we’re better for it down the road. Thank goodness for a bye week although it would be nice to have a chance to get the sour taste out of our mouths sooner rather than later. I honestly think that we’re the only team that can beat us the rest of the way.

BGN is a sewer.

See! That’s the spirit! Really, what changed Saturday night? The loss column and I think just about everyone realistically thought that’s happen eventually … if not already. I will say this about the turnovers, even though I do think it’s fair to downplay the issue. If WVU runs the ball on the fumble and the first three interceptions, WVU wins that game without question. The offense either punts or kicks a field goal or maybe even scores later in the drive. They’re just not losing fumbles on running plays like they do interceptions on passing plays. That, though, is the risk involved and I can’t find a good reason to change course now.

Dave said:

Not only was Saturday a learning experience for the team, and Brown, but I can’t imagine an offensive recruit not wanting to be a part of that type of offense.

I think a potential running back might have watched closely.

Sam said:

Mullen isn’t the problem. In fact, there isn’t a problem. The team didn’t game plan for a 21-point-lead and seized up when they had it, something that WVU teams have a long history of. Yes, we lost, and that was a bummer, but did anybody have this team pencilled in for an undefeated season? Of course not.

Let’s see how this offense is clicking again in a couple of weeks. There’s a genuine possibility that it becomes a frightening unit, especially if the offensive line starts to gel.

Take the last four games, which begins with the month of prep before the Car Care Bowl when Mullen had ample time to look at what he had and evaluate how he could use it. Most effective offensive game of the year. He spends the spring and summer polishing, adding, subtracting and tinkering and, despite the record, you’d have to say the offense has been good at everything but scoring touchdowns. One wonders if that’s a problem or a hiccup. That’s also a pretty good observation about game-planning for the lead because no matter how optimistic you may be entering a game, I highly doubt you assume and prepare for that sort of situation. When that situation arrives, the game changes. It just does.

oklahoma mountaineer said:

I’m not going to throw him under the bus @ this point, but you have to ask a questiono on the play calling……you are up 21-10 with a pick in their end of the field. You have gashed them badly with Devine for a long TD run; another TD and the game may be over. Tony C. even talked about how quiet the crowd came after the 3rd score.

Time to pound the rock….use the I formation with Noel and Mark Rodgers following a FB and pound them. I think they fold their tent and go home if we get another TD at that point. Instead, old Mo changes uniforms and Auburn slowly but surely climbs back into that game.

Spot on. That series was going to determine the game, no matter what. Holding WVU to a field goal would have been big for Auburn. Getting an INT was enormous. Here’s where the above point comes into play, though, and I think how you get up 21-10 should have a lot to do with how you go up 28-10. Not like Mullen could have expected the disconnect with JB and Lyons. You have to trust your players in that spot. That said, you can’t throw interceptions on handoffs and a physically poignant drive spent running the ball might have ended that game rather early.

umwaeer said:

Entertaining football, an offense that was unbelievably good and pathetic during this game. A defense that looked like the Steelers at times and like North Texas State at others. Both Jeff’s had a good tactical plans for winning the game, but what was obvious was there lack of a joint strategy agreed to with Bill and the collective coaching staff. Jeff M, I think, proved he knew how to attack Auburn to score. Likewise, Jeff C. had a few clues as how to derail Auburn’s offense. The thing that botherd me more than anything during the game was the lack of conciousness by our offense to our defenses dilemma. Not only were they tired because of dealing with Auburn, but our own offensive blunders compounding their dilemma. We did little in the way of trying to extend our offenses time on the field (being somewhat conservitive) to allow the defense to rest. This, knowing we were without the services of two of our best defenders. How to deal with adversity in the event of turnovers? How to approach defending that offense if we have the lead late? These are things I don’t believe our coaching staff included in their strategy. Their efforts late in the game were as if they had gone numb and what was happening was surreal, not really happening to us, and unable to cope. Unfortunately, our inexperienced QBs did little to help matters.

That was muttered in the press box Saturday night, but WVU still had the ball 32:45. The defense should have been rested. Credit Auburn for picking its spots, though. When WVU’s defense was a little winded late in the first, the Tigers went into warp speed on offense and had the Mountaineer wobbling. WVU had to call a timeout and still gave up a TD to make it 21-20 at the half. Also, Mullen said the plan was to go to a two-minute offense later in the second half because Auburn tends to run the ball really well and hold onto the ball near the end of the game, which meant the Mountaineers needed to get as much out of the little time they figured to get. Just saying…

Homer said:

He begins with a logical premise – that life experience helps provide valuable perspective for media and critics – but then he flies off the rails to crazy town yet again.

Dan Hawkins, ladies and gentlemen. We’re in for great press conferences next week.

Country Roads said:

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I said after the game I was/am disappointed but not disheartened, and you managed to articulate that feeling for me. As you pointed out, the way the turnovers happened don’t indicate that it’s time to panic, at least not unless they keep happening. Turnovers happen. Just watch Tony Romo or Brett Favre play for a couple quarters and you’ll quickly find that out. But I saw a lot of good on Saturday night, and I have a feeling that we’re thisclose to putting it all together.

I exchanged emails with a friend after the ECU game and said friend was wondering how Brown was playing. I explained a few things I later wrote about and said it was kind of Favre-esque the way he ran around and fired the ball all over the place. His email Sunday night? “You know Farve should be retired, right?” Touche.

thacker said:

Another couple of ballgames under the belt of Brown and the second screen pass never happens, — a less mature ballplayer and it would take a year. Gloss over all you want, the inarguable fact is that turnovers cost ballgames.

A trip to Auburn, — $1000
A chance to play lightning rod, —$0
Experience, —Priceless

I still wonder if that second screen should have happened in the sense it maybe shouldn’t have been called.

“We knew they were going to run a screen during that series,” said Auburn linebacker Craig Stevens, who returned the interception 15 yards for a touchdown. “I knew once I came off the blitz and I didn’t feel anyone pick me up that it was going to be a screen.”

Bill said:

Mike, you have once again spent a lot of time and thought through your points before making them. However, I’ll disagree that the punt return drops weren’t sloppy. That is sloppy. And JB’s sweaty hands is sloppy….he has a towel on his waist right? Use it.

After being at the game, I watched it last night on the DVR. I tell you what…another critical play was when Josh Taylor causes a fumble and actually jumps on it but it somehow squirts out and AU recovers. We would have had the ball on the 20 yard line. A TD there would have been HUGE.

Well, what I mean by sloppy is habitually careless — not securing the ball, forcing passes, bad handoffs, bobbling receptions, a pattern of muffed punts. I see your point … all turnovers are sloppy. Perhaps I should say careless. Per your example, though, Larry Ford literally flopped on the ball as you’re taught and it squirted out before he could secure it. A few plays later, Ovid Goulbourne made a really nice interception.

CA Ryan said:

Here’s to hoping Stew does not repeat Colorado’s performance. After 12 days off you would think he knows when to take a time out.

Oh, no. We’re not going there again, are we?

roopoo said:

If WVU needs clock management to beat the Buffalos…my TV may implode.

OK, OK, OK. Go there, if you must.

NotSoFastMyFriend said:

As most of you all know, excuses are like…noses: everyone has them. The facts are WVU was extremely fortunate to win the ECU game with 4 turnovers. If anyone out there watches football, please give me the percentage of times teams with +3 turnovers over their opponents actually wins.

5+1 insignificant turnovers absolutely killed WVU in this game. Turnovers by and large are slop. Period. To make excuses gets the team nowhere. Let’s just all hope that it’s corrected.

If they turn it over a bunch against Colorado — this after being fortunate to win against ECU and burned by repeated errors against Auburn — the Mountaineers deserve what they get, which will be a loss and all the needed criticism. I can’t see these screw-ups continuing, though I could be mistaken, for which I have plenty of ammunition prepared, I assure you.

p.i. reed said:

that gold on gold is a nightmare. it reminds me of the pitt loss.  

OK, but don’t you think they need to wear it soon just to exorcise that demon? 

philip said:

keep the gold where it belongs — in our pants.

I had to include it.

OB1 said:

To represent the state appropriately, we need a camo option.

(See above.)

Foul Shot said:

Agreed with Stew’s comment regarding throwing long, down the middle and also making the other team defend the field.
Sort of sounds like they are looking for a controlled, almost “West Coast” passing game.
As we have seen, when the offense becomes predictable, it makes it easier for the defense to defend us and we can’t seem to win the games we REALLY need to.
I did not see the Liberty or ECU games, but I did watch Auburn.
We just cannot make the mistakes that were made in the passing game at Auburn.
JB has to take better care of the ball and not just toss it up – would rather he tucked and ran (as you have shown he is doing) when nothing is there. Live to fight on another down rather than throwing into traffic or off the back foot hoping to force it in there.  

What’s weird to me is this passing game is a lot like a controlled passing game, a la West Coast, but it takes a ton of chances the West Coast offenses generally do not. And it really does stretch and test the defense vertically and horizontally. Heck, if you check the Starks-to-Sanders pass, that was diagonally. It’s like the Quad Coast offense. Can we call it that? Anyone?

rekterx said:

Look … I’m going to have fun watching this team. There are too many maladjusted Mountaineer fans whose personal sense of well-being is derived from the performance of the football team. Sure, I want them to win and even go to a national championship game. But win or lose, I am going to enjoy the teams that Stew, Mullen, and Casteel send out onto the field. It’s just football, right?

Easy, buddy. Don’t be so calm and grounded! 

Jeff in Akron said:

rekterx – Exactly.

Before the season I posted a comparison between this years WVU team ,and the Tenn. team that won the National Title. It was pre-season, a fans expectations should be elevated. In reality, WVU isn’t on that level yet.
They are a rather young team, with a lot of raw young talent.

If I may, I am a woodworker, I build furniture for my personal use. When you watch the half hour TV shows on the subject, they turn out heirloom projects in a weekend. Behind the scenes, there is an army of individuals helping to make that happen. In reality, it takes weeks, even months to complete the same projects in a home shop. Preparation takes nearly as much time, as actual project work. It’s all in the details.

Apply that analogy to WVU football. WVU will be fun, and interesting this year. Although, Oll Stew and Co. are still in the building phase. Last year was the preparation phase. By mid season, next year, the finish should be applied and curing. Oll Stew is building at WVU, within the time alloted by the NCAA.

Add to that, it’s JB’s only chance of being the starting QB. Oll Stew is showcasing his talent as an audition for Sunday play. This also assists Doc in recruiting. The ability to walk into a home and say, “Look what we’ve tried to do with so and so”, is invaluable.

Oll Stew and his staff have established a “Critical Path” to the football team.
A plan that is comprehensive in nature. Given time, and due diligence, I believe Oll Stew and Co. will take us to the pomised land. Our part, as fans, is to sit back and enjoy the ride.  

Well, chisel me impressed. A woodworking analogy in our little sports blog and it makes prefect freaking sense. Bravo, Jeff.   

Bill said:

I’ve posed this question over and over and no one seems to have any insight. MIKE CASAZZA – can you please give us some insight on Logan Heastie’s development and lack of playing time? I was hoping to see him some at this point since he went through spring and summer drills and its not like our current crop of WRs are so good that no one else should get a look.

Thanks

Bill, as best as I can tell he’s just not ready — and yes, I realize that’s a pretty broad explanation. Logan missed time with a bad finger at the end of camp and, from what I gather, isn’t as reliable blocking as the team would prefer. That’s the thing that takes the longest for a young receiver and WVU really, really emphasizes it. Watch Starks and Arnett and Sanders block. That’s one reason they don’t come off the field. My guess right now would be they try to keep the redshirt on him as long as they can.

OB1 said:

What about the greatest misuse of a talented RB ranking?

Enjoy the weekend!