You didn’t need a second viewing, 25 inches on the front page or two bylines in the sports section to tell the story Saturday. In fact, Dana Holgorsen offered a tidy synopsis fit for the 140-character restraints of Twitter: “Lost the turnover battle, couldn’t punt, couldn’t kick. Pretty easy to figure that one out.” Why, there were no issues even in the 160-character limit of Texts From Game Day, which saw the emotions dip early on and never resurrect themselves the rest of the way — a lot like the game.

These were brief, sharp expressions of mounting frustrations emanating from a season, a head coach’s first season, with a talented team that doesn’t seem to want it as much as others want it for them and sure not as much as others want to take it from them. If you’re keeping track of the adversity-o-meter, WVU did well against Rutgers. That entire day was adversity, from the weather to the first two quarters to the Rutgers fake field goal in the fourth and the WVU fourth down conversion to win the game.

Holgorsen thought he saw his team grow up that day, and it was easy to agree, but Saturday was a regressive performance against an aggressive team. I think the game swung not on the blocked field goal, but on Louisville’s first drive. The Cardinals answered a WVU touchdown with one of their own and you kind of sensed the Mountaineers were in for something serious. I’d also circle the 11-yard punt at the end of the first half that gave Louisville the short field it needed and made it a lot easier to tie the score 21-21 at halftime … but if WVU gets off the field on third-and-2 on the first drive, or doesn’t allow a 55-yard run there and instead makes the Cardinals march a little longer, it’s a different game.

Now the Mountaineers have longer and much more unlikely odds to win the Big East Championship, and you could argue the three toughest opponents are the next three games.

WVU has two home losses for the first time since 2003 and has allowed 30 in five of nine games. That last happened in 2002. In 2007-10, it happened five times total. The Mountaineers are even in the turnover battle and have only won it in a game twice. Bad signs … and those are only the ones on the stat sheet.

Nine games into Coach Dana Holgorsen’s debut season, there seems a lot of detachment among the Mountaineers. Even the body language, starting with Holgorsen, is not good.

When a safety (Darwin Cook) takes a bad angle and misses a tackle that turns a Louisville in-the-flat pass into 26 yards right before halftime, and the head coach, an “offensive guy,” walks as far away from the line of scrimmage as possible in the coaching box and just stands there, arms folded, don’t you think that kind of “I’m no part of this” reaction is bookmarked by the players?

The sense I have is that the WVU offense and defense remain two separate teams, not just different units. It has to affect special teams play, too.

The Mountaineers don’t play smart. They don’t exude that toughness, that blue-collar element that was a hallmark when former Coach Rich Rodriguez was building a program in Morgantown. They throw the ball all over the lot – and do it well – but what else?

Gets your blood boiling a little, but even Holgorsen concedes some points — namely his sideline is startlingly staid in games. Me? I’m like a skillet bubbling until it filters up. I’m about to kill it, I can feel it building up. Blow this building up, I’ve been sealed enough. My cup runneth over, I done filled it up. The phone explodes and busts, texts spill my guts. My edits are in [brackets].

11:52 am:
Just saw president hardesty. Alone. Grinning like a loon.

11:54:
I’m not kidding about this, I’ve been here since 9am and I’m yet to see a l’ville fan

12:14 pm:
Sad but I don’t think the students realize that week by week they are losing future seats

12:18:
That’s our D this year, break, don’t bend.

12:19:
I’m disgusted with the students. I couldn’t wait for Gameday when I was in school. And it was standing room only.

12:20:
Perlo Miller can’t get off his block

12:20:
Ville w/ less than 50 people here total including cheerleaders

12:28:
Nice coverage

12:30:
I keep looking for deputies to start serving papers

12:35:
Nice assist from pat miller on anderson’s spin move.

12:36:
Perhaps we need the 27 months to get ready?…

12:36:
Pourous.

12:37:
Or is that porous?  Ah, you know my meaning.

12:37:
Worst. Defense. Ever.

12:38:
Pat miller may be worst defensive player in the history of football.

12:40:
Did you see that message that said “poisoned? Not sure? Call the wv poison control center.” I think our defense has been poisoned. Somebody get them the number.

12:41:
Brandon Hogan is not walking through that door, unfortunately

12:44:
Another installment of the Jahmile Addai tackling school

12:50:
Fans around me questioning Big 12 sanitt

12:50:
Bruuuuuuuuuce

12:52:
Bruce irvin shoulda set his alarm a little earlier. There’s that fire i need.

12:57:
I hope Fox doesnt have this blurry internet TV coverage in the B12. I have to cross my eyes to watch. Or maybe I’m just draaaunk.

12:57:
2 foe UL defense is a player

1:00:
Geno practiced his streak pass! Dana was pushing the Tavon panic button. It worked.

1:11:
Rare drop by Steds.

1:17:
A drop and then a GREAT catch by Bailey!

1:21:
Is it bad that I just told a guy who is wearing a va tech sweatshirt and hat AT MOUNTAINEER field that he needs to be shot?

1:26:
Apparently Tavon is, in fact, capable of catching punts

1:30:
Brad Starks, astronaut. A man barely alive.  Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.  We have the technology….

1:32:
Man Holgs was pissed about that punt.

1:32:
Has any team fired two kickers in one year? We may set a record.

1:36:
I hate birds with teeth

1:36:
Somewhere, Chris Berman is aching to say Teddy Bridgeovertroubledwater.  Maybe someday medical science can fix that.

1:36:
Poor, poorer, porous.

1:36:
Good game but annoying

1:37:
Holgs’ anger justified with that touchdown. Started with that punt.

1:37:
Bend but don’t break defense is broken

2:06:
Wow steadman

2:06:
What happened to our defense? Weren’t they good last year?

2:09:
Very….bad….sequence

2:10:
Their feet must hurt … All the shooting they are doing to them.

2:10:
Worst. Kickers. Ever.

2:11:
It’s about time to consider every possession is 4 down territory

2:28:
I miss pat white.

2:32:
Dana’s call there was questionable

2:32:
I like going for it on 4and 1 but what was that play?

2:32:
Entering the uncomfortable zone…

2:33:
Um…where’s the reverse when we need it?

2:40:
What the [fog] are the refs watching?

2:40:
1-103 on streaks

2:40:
1-104 on streaks

2:41:
We present you  this break to debate 4th and short.  Kick the 3.  We’ll see….

2:42:
Looks like Bobble Buie made an appearance while I was cleaning my gutters.  Home ownership is work.

2:44:
Yackety [funk]

2:44:
You do realize there haven inordinate amount of special teams [fiascoes] since you first played that song years back, right?

2:44:
Glad they threw a flag on that [freshman].

2:44:
Sigh

2:45:
This text is offered without comment.

2:47:
I really don’t know who we are anymore. Sad. Big 12? Seriously?

2:49:
Can’t say we don’t have an identity.

2:49:
Seriously. What is the contingency plan for special teams? They are losing this for us.

2:51:
Merry [festive] Christmas from charlotte

2:52:
Well a UofL fleaflicker for a td and a punt that hits a WVU upback ought to be coming soon

2:53:
We don’t even try to block punts. Wtf?

2:54:
Special teams are anything but special

3:13:
Oh, Jesus!

3:18:
I am disgusted

3:19:
That UofL drive just defined two seasons

3:20:
An old man behind me just exclaimed “we want bill!” And was serious. Fans nearby not pleased with that. It’s nasty up here.

3:20:
Done with Casteel , and this  bend but don’t break [blasphemy]

3:22:
And WVUs Big East parting gift?  The St. Pete bowl

3:27:
Here is the time for the BE to finish this off

3:31:
Not sure about that spot…but shoulda been off the field on 3-and-7

3:32:
Guess UL gets its pound o’ flesh.

3:42:
Kind of intrigued by this Louisville team the next few years. Let’s not overlook they were good today.

3:45:
Good thing nine regular season wins counts for something around here now.

3:46:
You know: assuming we get there.

4:37:
Why is bob huggins in the bluelot signing autographs

4:37:
… For Louisville fans.

4:40:
… And carrying a bag of hamburger buns.