ORLANDO, Fla.

… we’re talking about practice. This seems to be in the running for the talking point heading into tomorrow’s game. Previously, William Stewart planned six practices on campus and then two in Orlando.

Last week, on the day Dana Holgorsen was introduced, Stewart had his team lift and watch film — a semi-practice — and then let them go for the day. A day later, WVU flew here and got off a plane and … well, that’s it. The next day (Dec. 24) was spent at Universal Orlando Resort.

The Mountaineers practiced Saturday and Sunday and have a walk-through today. That’s seven practices and a walk-through. That’s what a lot of people are asking Stewart about and that’s what he’s been hesitant to discuss.

“We practice just what we need to practice,” Stewart said. “It’s what we’ve always done.”

Stewart has tried to replicate a normal game week, which features three practices and a walk-through the day before the game. He likened Christmas day to a regular Wednesday, Sunday to a Thursday and today to a Friday.

However, the Mountaineers always practice on a Tuesday and the equivalent of that day here was spent at the Universal Orlando Resort.

“That was a treat for being at this bowl,” Stewart said.

I think it matters, though to what extent I’m not sure. Teams generally practice a lot before a bowl and coaches cherish the extended look they can give younger players. During the season, with the NCAA’s time constraints, such liberties are not available. Before a bowl, they usually get a lot of work and coaches start thinking a little bit about the spring.

The NCAA has no limits for bowl prep. The weekly limit of 20 hours per week is gone when exams are over and the notion of a 15-practice cap is actually a myth. A coach could work his team out every day if he wanted. So, in truth, Stewart isn’t leaving any practices in his pocket — that is, practicing seven times when he’s allowed 15 — and he’s been adamant about telling us this is a regular week and this is the way he’s always done it.

The trouble there is he had no “Tuesday” practice on site whereas N.C. State had its fun day and managed three practices and a walk-through in succession here.

What does it matter? We’ll see Tuesday, but remember this: Ask any coach what he fears in the season opener and “special teams meltdown” is among the first admissions.

You can’t really practice kickoff and punt returns or covering them in preseason practice and no one knows what will happen the first time everyone goes live.

Well, WVU practiced indoors back on campus where the ceiling and the short field make special teams work impossible. The team did some kicking Saturday before horrendous winds compromised Sunday’s practice. The last time the team really covered special teams was before and during the Rutgers game.

“We couldn’t get out on the field because of the snow and the cold,” Stewart said. “We were hoping we could get it in outside, but lo and behold (Sunday), we can’t.”

The weather was that bad.

“It’s like Morgantown with palm trees,” Casteel said.

A brutal wind not only dropped temperatures, but knocked down punts and field goals before practice. Stewart even brought videographers down off the lifts because the wind was too dangerous.

The Mountaineers kicked in Saturday’s practice, when the weather was far better and offered no obstacles, but admitted they’d have a hard time Sunday.

Stewart said he would not add kicking to the walkthrough schedule today.

“I’m not changing,” he said. “Nothing is going to change. Routine, routine, routine.”