Not pretty, but not bad. That was the general theme on a Thursday nightn when the offense did a little more than just enough and a defense did just a lot more than even what’s rapidly becoming expected of it.

I know it’s repetitive and redundant, but that defense is very good and able. The offense seems to be taking some odd sort of calmness and inspiration from that and knows it can be above average and still be very good. And if you look around the Big East and what’s happening here and there, that’s not necessarily a bad formula.

Last night’s texts followed the script — excited early, frustrated a while later, impressed with a trick play and then again frustrated while a little bemused by USF’s struggles. And that’s not necessarily a bad formula, either.

The blind stares of a million pairs of eyes looking hard but don’t realize they’ll never text me. My edits are in [brackets].

(12:52 PM):
It’s a Ferdinand Foch kind of a day!

(4:48 PM):
Stew wasn’t Foch-ing around with that quote Tuesday.

(5:55 PM):
Huggs just tried to pull in the blue lot in a black escalade. Charlie Daniels (the lot attendant) turned him away! Wtf?!

(7:25 PM):
In the stadium. Drunk. Packin’ airplane bottles of rum. Let’s [happily] GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

(7:42 PM):
Thanks for wearing white to the gold rush, stew!

(7:45 PM):
Jenn Brown…damn!

(7:53 PM):
Until we can fill these seats, we’re not top tier.

(7:54 PM):
So is Noel a decoy? We know he can run

(7:55 PM):
I really wish if they’re going to insist on occasionally busting out the all gold look it would at least be gold and not a sort of mustard yellow

(7:56 PM):
Ahhh yes…the [familiar] screen pass. I mean seriously….WTF!?

(7:57 PM):
Also, I looooathe the phrase “in space.”

(7:59 PM):
So who would’ve thought a Noel Devine run would be a momentum killer?

(8:01 PM):
USF’s unis looks like a [sinister] version of Marshall’s unis. This is a very odd looking game.

(8:05 PM):
Wvu sticking with the windows95 clip art for review calls

(8:14 PM):
Who the hell is “j.d. Woods”?

(8:15 PM):
Stizz arks!!!!!!!!!!

(8:15 PM):
Brad Starks…all he does is catch TDs

(8:16 PM):
Nice. Where`s all the Mullen haters?

(8:18 PM):
Lord…Special Teams…ugh…really?

(8:20 PM):
Even with a jutted jaw and bowed back, I bit on that playfake like a wolf on a pork chop\

(8:25 PM):
Brad Starks was so wide open on that play, his hair started to go grey. Oh wait…

(8:32 PM):
C’mon Tavon. Will Shakespeare would shake it off.

(8:44 PM):
Welp the bubble screen is back

(8:45 PM):
Want to explain to me why on 3rd and 5 we throw a pass to a receiver who’s 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage with his back to the downfield?

(8:55 PM):
And this is why Mullen haters exist.

(9:03 PM):
Bench Pugnetti. Worst WVU punter since West. The Fazz weeps.

(9:04 PM):
Who can? The Sandman can!

(9:04 PM):
SANDSSSSSSS!!!!!!:

(9:05 PM):
That was [VERY] SWEET!

(9:06 PM):
Gotta love the hook and ladder…jon voight would be [soilin’] his pants right now

(9:06 PM):
Love it! Good thing I put my money on the 9:1!

(9:06 PM): Jock’s ok when the second pass is backwards on the trick plays.

(9:07 PM):
The hook-and-Cotton Eye!

(9:08 PM):
We might loose, cotton eyed joe?

(9:09 PM):
Hey South Florida, if you’re scoring at home that was Miramar to St. Petersburg to Fort Myers.

(9:17 PM):
No [forget] that. I’m tired of her [stuff] and youd be a [blatant] idiot to go.

(9:34 PM):
Tonight’s coaching buzzword: leverage

(9:38 PM):
Stew’s gold rush attire: pale yellow Oxford under cream sweater vest

(9:53 PM):
We’re better than field goals

(9:54 PM):
I guess Bitancourt is getting his game back. Sigh…field goals.

(10:00 PM):
C`mon Nehlen!

(10:00 PM):
Its the big east opener on thurs nite espn. Why the eff didnt the crowd stay for [Pete’s] sake? Get a clue, people!!!

(10:02 PM):
If the [handsome] Bachelor knows we should throw downfield, throw the ball DOWNFIELD!\

(10:05 PM):
ESPN was talking about how quiet the crowd is, having no impact on the game. Now they’re like, oh, they’re saying Bruce!

(10:09 PM):
Keith Tandy…the Les Miles of defensive backs!

(10:09 PM):
Mountaineer D is lookin’ top notch!

(10:09 PM):
If we only had an O-line…sigh…one can dream.

(10:12 PM):
Why do I get the feeling we’re trying to milk the damn clock?

(10:14 PM):
Thats twice we’ve killed ourselves with [suspicious] 1st & 2nd down playcalls then they blitz on 3rd and sack Geno. Help a bruthuh out and lets avoid 3

(10:20 PM):
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream.

(10:26 PM):
Obviously stew doesn’t care about a style point.

(10:29 PM):
Pugnetti’s punts are so bad they turn out good.

(10:31 PM):
Game over.

(10:32 PM):
I`m pretty sure somebody behind me just cussed Mullen for that defensive stance.

(10:35 PM):
There’s a man across the aisle from me wearing a tie. That’s inappropriate attire for a Mountaineer! We are NOT UVA

(10:38 PM):
Rjb denied?!?! Are you kidding me?!

(10:38 PM):
Keith Tandy Five Star Player of the Game???

(10:42 PM):
Whoo! I guess their intestinal fortitude outstrained … eh, nevermind. I can’t make it work.

(11:10 PM):
Let`s just sit on it. 20-6 is a fine score for these young men.

(11:17 PM): [Someone] is crafting a lead with Mr. Sandman lyrics.

Long night, late night. F Double coming later in the day. I have real newspaper work to do, too, so I can have a weekend and remain married.