Welcome to the Friday Feedback, outfitted in fine Hawaiian prints and white A-shirts for 14 straight summers. WVU has released nothing official about this yet — and absolutely does not object to the guerrilla marketing going on during its silence — but there will be gray uniforms next season.

As I understand, there will be some sort of acknowledgment and … photo op? … next week. And people will eat that up, hence the “Ssshh! That’s a secret, please don’t talk about our secret. Here’s a picture!” strategy you’ve no doubt witnessed recently.

That’s a picture from the locker room. Those are the jerseys or arguably WVU’s best and most recognizable player. These are not coincidences. That’s as unofficially official as you can get and you can look around and find Instagram accounts belonging to wounded cornerbacks that show his gray uniform. That stuff could be made to disappear just as easily as it appeared. It’s instead coming and it can’t be a surprise.

Technically, I guess, we should note that WVU basketball has worn grays for years now. Bob Huggins sent the color spectrum spinning with the all blacks. Dana Holgorsen was at Oklahoma State for its grays.

And while I know, and understand why, this will slap traditionalists across the face, times and uniforms are changing. It’s not about history. It’s about appeal. New colors and new styles get people talking about and looking at you and that’s become a lucrative and sometimes laughable part of college sports.

WVU has, I think, three nice sets of uniforms and the colors and combinations are fairly distinguished. You don’t see a lot of gold and blue out there. Cal. Anyone else? But how many, say, green and whites are out there? Red and blacks? Apart from the Peeps look, WVU’s combinations are clean and sharp and look good on television, particularly with the very distinguished helmet/logo. But — think fast! — what’s the color combination most will talk about? The Peeps, I bet.

There’s a value in that, just as there was in the awesome Pro Combat look … and, while different, and gray, didn’t everyone love that idea? WVU was commonly considered to have one of the best sets, if not the best. And when that goes away, so does chatter and so do the glances. That matters more than we probably realize, so now you have gray uniforms and with a specific purpose.

“It’s a recruiting thing,” Holgorsen said. “If you look across the country, we’re behind on this. Everyone is going (Nike) Pro Combat. Everyone has three or four new uniforms. We’re far from that. It’s recruiting. Why is everyone doing it? Because the kids want it. It’s television and marketing and the kids get excited about what they can see.”

You don’t have to like it, but you had better get used to it. And, sorry, but you’re going to be asked to support it with jerseys and T-shirts and hoodies. White out, gold rush, gray gaze? Absolutely, and in the conveniently gray stadium, no less.

“It’s kind of like Boise State’s blue uniforms and blue turf,” Holgorsen said. “We’re looking for a home-field advantage.”

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, let it ride! 

overtheSEC said:

I like the way this staff operates, from Coach Roberts’ tweets, to their uniform leaks to their Martin & Lewis routines in the way they make kids offers. Would kill for for WVU version of Hard Knocks. Would also kill for a job on staff–better get my JD.

I’m guessing you’ll see a lot of WVU mic’d up or behind the scenes, if that scratches your itch. Dana hasn’t really said no to anyone who’s offered him favorable and mainstream attention. His personality and the camaraderie on the staff is in the “all access” wheelhouse.

I love you, Doug said:

What’s uncertain about Pat Miller? Thought it was just an akle.

Nope, broken bone in the foot. Feet are finicky. You never know. Conditioning will be an interesting time and test for him.

Mack said:

If Joe Mazulla could play basketball for 12 years, Noah Cottrill surely still has at least four years of eligibility.

True story: I was emailing back and forth with someone about basketball and the Big 12 the other day and the fella said, “Was Mazzulla a starter last year? Or a reserve?” I replied, “Actually, an assistant at a D2 school down the road.” He replied, “How many years has he been coaching?” I wanted to reply, “Seven.” Mazzulla is a time vortex.

oklahoma mountaineer said:

Let’s hope past performance does not indicate future results…….this guy really went into the tank for Huggs to give up on him so quickly.

Huggs doesn’t require you to be pristine clean to play for him. The list of guys at Cincy with issues was long and somewhat distinguished…yet Huggs basicallly put this guy to the curve fairly quickly.

Could push back and say that he had done nothing at the college level, so nothing lost, but I don’t see that as an viable answer….this guy would have been PR gold; highly regarded, in-state talent in a place where that is truly valued. Exhibit A: Kevin Pittsnogle.

You want to see the kid succeed, but the climb is steep from the hole in which he fell…..

Well, Noah Cottrill has had sufficient time to get his act together, so you’d like to think think he’ll be able to attack this. I can’t speak for where he’s at now and I only know a little about what went wrong before, but I liked the kid every time we spoke. He was very intelligent and would answer questions in a way that made you think, “Well, I wasn’t aiming for that … but that’s actually a good point.” He has the potential to rescue himself. As for Huggins, I wouldn’t confuse the former version with the current version. I believe current handed former his hat and suitcase in February.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JWWiafSOfoo#t=527s

lowercase jeff said:

it costs nothing to believe.

i’ll believe. go get ‘em noah.

Agreed.

Josh24601 said:

You guys, I think Mike’s saying that Garrison is a quick-twitch healer. Unless we want stern men in spacesuits to seal off Garrison’s living quarters and quarantine him — not, I say, NOT hold the young man hostage — for ostensible science reasons, we should keep this quiet as can.

As can.

overtheSEC said:

Glad to hear what Mr. Garrison is up to, but what about Mr. Hat?

Heard he was the victim of a stick up.

Dave said:

I thought this was going to be about Mike Garrison.

Imagine if he was still here.

You think about that.

You probably don’t want to get me going down that road.

SheikYbuti said:

Great. Now I have a vision of Mike Garrison with a helmeted Dustin Garrison hand puppet telling Rich Rodriguez, “Your team can’t sell its textbooks, mmmkay?”

Actually, that is great.

ffejbocc said:

I’ll see your Mike Garrison and raise you a Walt Garrison.

Just a pinch between your cheek and gum and you can enjoy that rich tobacco flavor!

And that is rich.

Spatial Angel said:

Garrison Keillor…the greatest radio voice ever.

Some of the greatest advice ever, too.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHIb7JhV_YU

SheikYbuti said:

Mike Garrison with a Dustin Garrison hand puppet on a Sunday afternoon radio show, with Garrison Keillor extolling the virtues of Skoal between songs.

Why is it called “dipping” snuff?

There. That’s it. Right there.

Mack said:

I think Garrison is the real deal and will separate himself from the others more and more over the next three years.

In other words, sell any stock you have in Dustin Garrison right now.

Nostramackus!

overtheSEC said:

Dual threat quarterbacks. Fullbacks. Holgorsen is clearly f***ing with us, right? I for one, can’t wait until he unveils his revised zone read/a11/air raid/I formation offense for the 2014 Chic Fil A Kickoff Game

That has to happen. Well, something has to happen. It’s not going to be Recent WVU v. Recent Alabama, as seen on TV, when those two get together to kick off the 2014 season. I’d like to spend the entire 2014 summer with Holgorsen and chronicle the hours spent prepping for the Nicktator. That’s going to be an offseason-long chess match between those two. I know you simply do what you do, but when you have eight months between games and you know the opponent for the first week is obsessed with shutting you down on the big stage, I bet you do everything you can to be a little different and a lot more effective. I can’t wait.

ffejbocc said:

What are the chances WVU offers any of the other in-state products: LB Dustin Crouser (GW), ATH David Gasydosz (Winfield), WR Cedric Brown (Martinsburg), OL Eugene German (Martinsburg), TE Jordan Clay (GW), DB Chinelo Oparanozie (Linsley) or ATH Trevond Reese (SChar)?

Good questions and it’s a not-too-shabby crop of players. Thus far, no offers and though that might change, I don’t expect many. Crouser is probably the leader. He was at a camp this month and did well. Gaydosz is on the radar. Brown is heating up and at 6-2, 180, a good summer could get him an offer. German may end up as the best prospect in the class, though Ryan Switzer may disagree. Also, I don’t know of much interest just yet … and WVU has recruited a lot of linemen in recent years. Clay seems a little bit like an unknown and might not yet be as good as Cody. Reese has safety size (6-2, 210), but, again, no great interest. I don’t truthfully know about Oparanozie except he’s at a small school.

overtheSEC said:

I know it was a typo, Mike, and we frown on those who point out typos around here, but ‘Bub Huggins’ may be the best typo ever.

I’ve got a better one. In 2007, I tried to compare the Beilein offensive approach to the Huggins offensive approach and concluded they were more alike than we probably thought at that time. For example, both liked shots close to the hoop. While Beilein went to the basket with backcuts, Huggins preferred to, as I said, “attack the rim.” A small typo in the last word changed that sentence more than a little.

FakeBubHuggins said:

Let’s be honest, Mike. Getting these academically borderline kids is hard. It’s hard, man.

Tis, Bub. Tis.

I Might Be John Sanders said:

I interviewed WVU coach Bub Huggins today. He remains confident that Elliott Macon will be a Mountaineer in 2013.

Thank you, Kevin.

SheilYbuti said:

Controversy concerning the selection of the participants is not only inevitable, but essential in eventually getting the process to where it needs to be, i.e., an 8-, 12-, or 16-team model. You don’t have much of a gripe that you ought to be playing for the national championship if you’re adjudged the 9th, 13th, or 17th best team. But if you’re subjectively deemed the 5th best? You might. So bring on the snubs, the outrage, and the interminable debate. I, for one, welcome and embrace it!

It does give me pause and makes me weigh method and madness, but also forest and trees. I’m not an overly optimistic type in this arena.

Karl said:

This will blow up in the megapowers’ faces. All of pressure to scrap or reform the BCS over the past few years has been about access — those who had it and those who didn’t. A carrot was thrown in via the guarantee that for unaligned teams who get ranked high enough, you’ll be in one of those elite bowls. It got bad enough that the spectre of Congressional intervention loomed.

Well I say it still does — the only reason we haven’t heard anything about it yet is because it’s too soon, and the commissioners have moved too fast for anyone to take a look at the new setup and react. Over the last few years, the controversy was that realistically, only about 65 teams had any shot at playing for the championship. If what we think is going to happen actually happens, that number may be cut in half. The idea that adding four teams to the mix will expand access is an illusion.

If anything, what we’re seeing here appears to be moving college football even further away from anything resembling an amateur sport. In what way has anything that’s been going on the last few months been characteristic of nonprofit organizations? Colleges are now 100 percent running their teams like pro franchises, complete with large market teams that hold huge advantages over their small market competitors. I find this all brazen and predict it will come to a boiling point within a few years. And when it does, the advantage of a WVU being stuck in the southwest in a conference that’s ultra-hard to win could diminish.

And speaking of not being overly optimistic in this arena, meet Karl! Then tell him he’s not at least rational. I don’t think you can do it. What he presents is, at the least, something to worry about while the water has ripples right now. I confess, I’m the one picking up the corners of the rug or peeking under the sofa and looking for something bad, but it seems very easy right now to find something bad. Again, I’m really happy to see the BCS, as currently composed, is soon no more and I’ve always favored a form of a playoff. I just wonder if perhaps this wasn’t too much of a compromise and that the thing right now is … well, compromised.

Mack said:

“I guess my point is that I don’t really see how this is definitively more fair and more accessible for the Boise State, TCUs and Utahs, the Tulanes, Hawaiis and Louisvilles of the country … you know, the reasons the playoff was desired.”

If any of the above four teams were ranked in the top 4 in the country at the end of the regular season, I’m pretty sure they’d be included in this playoff. In my opinion, the biggest winners of the BCS system have been the SEC and the Boise States of the world. The fact that the “mid majors” cry foul at the BCS is comical.

I have never had a problem with the BCS and I don’t discount the fact that it is probably due in part to my being a WVU fan. WVU is unquestionably one of the “winners” of the BCS system. WVU cashed in on a sub-par automatic qualifying conference and cashed in with three BCS bowl victories that could as three of the school’s top 10 victories of all time (and probably the two biggest victories in school history over Georgia and Oklahoma).

We’re just  going to disagree with the principle point, and that’s fine. I hope you’re right and I’m wrong, but I just worry that the Pac-12, SEC, Big 12 and Big Number have consolidated power to a point now that they don’t feel like they have to cater to the ACC or Big East, let alone a team that may come along once in a decade. I just don’t see the checks and balances that existed before, if only in theory. Look at how cooky some of the “at-large” BCS teams were selected. Virginia Tech v. Michigan in the Sugar Bowl last year? I can’t see that sort of subjectivity disappearing.

Drew said:

The problem is you can’t have set criteria with no committee because with 120 or so teams, schedules are so uneven they are impossibly incomparable. You can’t even compare the schedules of some teams from the same conference. Judgements must be made objectionally.

At this point as long as they exclude the coaches poll it’s a win. That charade has gone on long enough. No coaches actually watch the games and/or actually vote themselves.

The key for me is transparency. The committee should be required to justify each selection in accordance with the rules that are agreed upon and who “voted” for which team should be made public.

Bingo. Say conference championships are weighted. Well, whose conference is harder to win? Does it matter that a Big 12 champion played everyone while a SEC champion did not, but did win a title game? What does an unbeaten Big East team get? How do you look at the ACC? What if strength of schedule is a factor? Are people on the committee ultimately choosing between Nos. 4 and 5 based on who played who in the third week of Sepetmber? That’s why I can never envision transparency. And I’m getting hives.

hershy112 said:

Tremendous.

“Or Rutgers? That rivalry’s pretty good.”
-Well done sir. Seventeen in a row is, in fact, pretty good.

To be fair, I didn’t mention the part where, later in our conversation, Dana called the Rutgers game “one of the most challenging probably 24 hours of my entire life.” So there’s a little extra sentiment involved there.

Dave said:

The irony is that if Marshall would have stayed FCS, they’d probably have a better chance to play us with this new format.

Dave!

WVMANIAC said:

Speaking of Marshall, I think its funny that the headline on Huntington Herald Dispatch right now is “Marshall Coaches show support for city police”

My thinking is If Marshall coaches want to show real support for city police they wouldn’t bring in kids that will get arrested. Just a thought…..

I suppose that would help, anywhere, of course.

Karl said:

I hope the Big 12 expands so we could get rid of the round-robin format and play one less scheduled league game, which would allow us one more regional noncon game. People talk a lot about “can WVU compete vs. the likes of Texas and Oklahoma” but I really believe the biggest threat our program faces is staying relevant in its own region. Texas is a big deal to ESPN types, sure. But no one where I live (NJ) follows Texas. I haven’t sat down to watch a Texas game since the Vince Young NC bowl. But when WVU played Rutgers or Seton Hall or Villanova in hoops or football, people in this area talked, and the local sports pages focused on WVU. It’s fine to look to Texas for a few recruits here and there, but our lifeblood still must be the WV-PA-OH-MD-VA-NJ-DC-NYC area. It is crucial that we stay in front of these people whenever possible.

He’s killing it, folks. I’m with you and for all the reasons you mention. It may be more of a cross-continent game now, but, man, don’t localities matter? Shouldn’t they? I think we’re going to be all right here. The 10 teams, nine opponents matters a lot in basketball because of the double round-robin and crowning a true champion … but that’s before a conference tournament crowns a true champion that gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. And with the number of games, schools are far more likely to get on television in basketball, especially in conference play, than in football. Because of all that, it can change and people on the basketball side will be OK … as if basketball ever trumps football these days. The 10/nine model isn’t as important in football. Teams are OK with havig to clear fewer obstacles to be named champion and, in the Big 12, there isn’t a championship game yet. You’re also more likely to get on television and gain exposure and credibility with a flashy non-conference game. You obviously increase your odds of getting that game when you’re not playing as many in the conference. You see where this is going, right?

Matt said:

I was under the impression that VPI will not schedule us because Beamer will not allow it. Pitt has said they have no interest in scheduling us and so has UVA and Penn State.

Not sure what the hurdle is with VPI, but one does exist. That said, as I understand there was a conversation last summer about a made-for-TV game, I believe for this season. It didn’t go anywhere, of course, but at least the two sides got to know one another. Virginia’s story is different. I believe their balking was because the situation there was so unsteady for so long. I think Mike London is changing that. I wouldn’t be surprised if this one happened. And the Penn State situation is totally different now, so the past is swept away. I think Oliver would love to get that one and I suspect O’Brien would be in, too.

overtheSEC said:

I actually heard that Penn State officials were very interested in playing us, but they were going to wait 9 years before going public with these opinions. It’s the way they handle important things up there.

/effPennState

Enjoy the weekend!