Had Cincinnati receiver D.J. Woods maintained his plaedge to WVU and signed with the football program in February 2008, then what he said Saturday would have been a true statement.

He was instead on the other side of the field and what he said ended up igniting an energy on defense. Why you’d anger WVU’s defense, I don’t know, but Woods did it.

Some WVU players were staring down their opponents around the middle of the field when Woods spoke.

“This is my house,” Woods said. “This is my field.”

Linebacker J.T. Thomas couldn’t maintain his stare. His eyes rolled back into his head.

“Oh, Lord,” he said. “This is all I need.”

Thomas did what might be expected of a senior captain.

“I’m probably the last person you want to do that to,” he said.

“J.T. lit a fire under the defense,” WVU cornerback Keith Tandy said.

Thomas told his teammates on his side of the ball what Woods said and made certain Tandy and fellow cornerback Brandon Hogan were completely clear about Woods’ words.

“J.T. asked for his head on a platter,” cornerback Keith Tandy said. “I tried, but I couldn’t quite get it.”

Third-and-2 in the first quarter: Zach Collaros throws a tunnel screen to the left and Tandy is seen bending, bending, bending Woods.