WVU v. Marshall: So much for the under
September 4, 2011 by Mike Casazza
12:41: You are looking live at the scoreboard in the south end zone at Mountaineer Field. It projects exciting things for today’s season-opener. Just a reminder: Texts from Game Day is back in business. If you’re not familiar, get familiar.
12:50: WVU people are saying they expect the weather to hit around 6 p.m. We’ll definitely still be playing and you know Dana Holgorsen’s offense is going to extend the game longer than normal. Per the NCAA rules, if there’s lightning within eight miles, they stadium must be evacuated.
12:54: Game captains: Keith Tandy, Geno Smith, Najee Goode and Don Barclay. Shawne Alston and Trey Johnson are both out. Alston is still bothered by that neck injury and Johnson has been slowed recently by a left knee, I’ve heard. Brad Starks is good to go.
12:59: True freshmen in uniform: RB Vernard Roberts, RB Andrew Buie, QB Paul Millard, CB Avery Williams, RB Dustin Garrison, LB Jared Barber, S Nick Kwiatkoski, S Shaq Petteway, IR Connor Arlia, OL Cody Clay, DE Kyle Rose and DL Bem Tomasek.
1:17 pm: The Mountaineer Mantrip happened. As you can see, thousands of people lined up to watch. Lasted about 10 minutes.
1:30 pm: When the Mantrip part is over, the team continues its walk with more walking and walks down the stairs into the stadium and then walks to the middle of the field.
And now they party. Stadium speakers were blaring “I’m a Boss.” Jack Bogaczyk knew all the words, by the way.
1:37 pm: This was the best part. Dana Holgorsen arrived with eight state troopers. Eight! And the man wore a suit.
… though not for long.
1:39: Text from Colin Dunlap: “I do miss Simple Gifts before the game…that was my favorite part of gameday, to be honest.”
1:40: Observation from Bob Hertzel: If the stadium is evacuated and the fans are told to hold onto their ticket stub so they may be readmitted, doesn’t that fly in the face of the no pass-out policy?
1:51: Daily Mail city editor Lauren McGill could not convince the staffers to sell her a beer before the gates opened.
1:57: The people are restless.
2:07: Scary moment at the concession stand. A Marshall fan attending the game with her two sons was the first in line. A Marshall fan could have bought the first beer at Mountaineer Field. She did not and the honor went instead to Mountaineer fan David Woods. He came to the came from Fairmont with his wife, Sherry. Mr. Woods bought a Bud Light.
2:23: Late change in the uniform combinations. Rather than blue on white, which was decided on Wednesday, it’s gold on white.
2:24: Cotton Eye Joe will be played in the stadium today.
2:35: WVU is 8-2 all-time in gold jerseys and 6-2 in the current set of unis. Golds weren’t particularly popular last year. The Mountaineers wore them once, but defeated USF thanks to a hook-and-lateral. He was 2-1 against USF …
2:38: I contend Robert Woods was first, but Hertz has the better first beer story … Anthony Williams, father of freshman CB Avery Williams.
3:10: WVU knows almost nothing about Marshall’s freshman running back, Travon Van, but Travon Van just jumped up and down on the WV logo at midfield for about 30 seconds. The rest of the team was there in the middle of the field, huddling and hyping, but Van was losing his mind. Hope he’s got something left in the tank.
3:22: Not sure how much time I’ll be spending here during the game. We’re trying to wedge as much as we can into the early edition. Deadlines!
3:26: No inflatable helmet.
3:44: Remarkable that WVU did all of that special teams work in the preseason and has looked horrendous on coverage the first kickoff and punt of the season. Someone, play the song!
3:49: Second-longest punt return ever against WVU. Derrick Batson returned one 97 yards for ECU in 1992.
3:53: Dumb penalty. Marshall’s Rashad Jackson — son of Ricky Jackson — smacked Bailey in the face after an incomplete pass on third and one. First down WVU at the 7-yard line.
3:55: Big-time tackle by Marshall’s Trevor Black on that third down. If he doesn’t make the play, Buie probably scoots into the end zone. Couldn’t tell if the fans were chanting Buie’s name or booing the offense. It’s early, yes?
3:59: Bad special teams, anxious fans, Marshall on top early and now I see Brick Tamblin is back this season to again yell at fans and ask for loud noises. I’m afraid nothing has changed.
4:09: Two-man route with eight men blocking nets a six-yard pass from Eu to Stedman Bailey.
4:35: Brad Starks gets off the exercise bike and keeps a play alive for an 11-yard gain on third and 10. Willie Milhouse then converts a third and 15 with a 29-yard catch.
4:41: WVU has five negative plays — plus two penalties — and has avoided a few others, but is up 17-7 because of stunning success on third down. On that touchdown drive alone, Smith converted four third-and-longs — one with his legs and three with his arm. And, really, it was five third downs — WVU converted a third-and-20, only to see an illegal block bring it back to a third-and-10. Starks came in on the next play and moved the chains.
4:47: Eu has throws 20 passes … Marshall has 17 snaps. This is how Holgorsen does it. Thirty-nine snaps and 5.5 yards per play.
4:51: Tyler Bitancurt has two field goals today. He missed his last four last season. That 43-yarder matched his longest in 2010, when he was 2-for-7 from 40 yards and longer.
4:58: Wasn’t sure what Holgorsen would do at the end of the half with his timeouts. Would he, for example, try to get one more possession with 40 or so seconds to go? He did not and pockets a 20-10 lead at the half. WVU has 41 plays. Marshall has 26.
5:20: Here’s a crowd shot before the start of the second half — and it looks like they’ve taken to the re-entry policy quite nicely.
5:22: Show of hands: Who predicted an onside kick?
5:35: Curious time to give Vernard Roberts his first college carry. Young fella comes up short on a fourth-and-1 at the Marshall 48.
5:47: Tavon Austin strikes and then the game is suspended because of lightning. For what it’s worth, that’s the sixth 100-yard return in school history. And if you want to go this far, Austin tied a NCAA record with that return.
6:06: From the greatest hits album, the scene at Auburn in 2009. Wonderful shenanigans can be relived here and here.
6:11: Read online that Bill Stewart is at The Greenbrier, which, I guess, is appropriate since it has a bunker.
6:15: Email: “Confirmed Mikes Hard Lemonade being consumed in the concourse!!”
6:17: More form the concourse area. People being held there are being told another storm will roll through in 15 minutes.
6:55: We keep resetting the 30-minute clock here and it appears there’s a larger storm on the way. Rain is back, lightning hasn’t gone away at all. In case you’re wondering, the ADs and the game officials have to work together to make any type of decision.
7:58: We were set to re-start at 8:05. At 7:55 the players were pulled off the field again and the fans were sent for shelter again. Another mandatory 30-minute delay that begins after the last lightning streak in the area.
8:28: ADs and coaches are meeting and talking this thing over right now, with the obvious point being there is more rain and lightning coming and they need to convince Marshall and Doc Holiday to let this go, I would think. You don’t need this conference if you’re going to wait out the storms, right? No chance Marshall agrees to come back tomorrow morning. It’s a short week already and while WVU plays Norfolk State Saturday, Marshall plays Southern Miss. No way the Herd gives up another day. There’s no other date they couldplay this on in the future, either. And again, there is more weather coming. I think this is just about over.
8:31: Serious question: What if Tavon Austin got tackled on his kickoff return? How different is this discussion between the ADs and coaches?
8:37: Players are back on the field. Shooting for an 8:50 start. I’d have to think they parties said something like, “OK, one more shot and if we come off the field again, that’s it.”
8:42: Andrew Buie, who got lit up a couple of hours ago, is out for the rest of the game. His upper extremity was injured.
9:30: Clearly, Doc Holliday saw the Friday Night Lights episode when Eric Taylor begged out of the second half of his first game at East Dillon and nearly lost his locker room. In all seriousness, it’s a brutal decision to have to make.
9:46: The fact we’re still sitting here waiting on the weather leads me to believe we’re playing.
9:51: Some kid was just out on the field. Security got him, but let him stay because apparently no one is being made to go home tonight.
9:58: Apparently state police are saying someone was struck by lightning. This is news here. WVU can’t confirm anything, but had better get on top of that fast. If true — and, boy, if it happened during the second delay, or this one — then this needs to end. Now.
10:05: WVU is saying the report is not true and EMS hasn’t responded to or treated anyone for a lightning strike.
10:24: Ballgame.