Not a particularly popular opinion, and I have to admit I’m a little disappointed in myself because it’s so cliche, but I’m going to grant some acquittals to WVU’s defense for the first week. It was, after all, he first game and it got out of hand and I don’t think the way things transpired lets anyone dray many conclusions.

To be honest, I kind of think now what I thought then: This isn’t a very good defense. It needs a pass rush, it has a group of capable and similarly skilled linebackers, there’s a worry about the cornerbacks, the safeties need to play above even their own expectations and when you couple concerns about the pass rush and the cornerback, you’re left to worry about third downs.

But here’s my take: There’s no way this could have been a very good defense in the first game. Far too many unknowns, or not-yet-knowns, were involved and couldn’t possibly all solve themselves in the first game.

You have some answers now and some things to track and some fingers to cross, but be honest and tell me you didn’t kindasorta see that coming. Along those lines, that you hold out hope that, naturally, coaches will coach and the group will get better once it competes and makes good and bad plays and learns from both. You don’t settle on anyone or anything because, for example, WVU got hardly any pressure on Rakeem Cato, but WVU hardly blitzed … not even on third-and-longs or fourth downs.

What you saw was what you probably anticipated and may have even been willing to accept. You can even look at the game like the coaches have chosen to look at it, explain some successes and failures and say that the performance was a winning performance in the first three quarters.

I just don’t think what you saw Saturday means a whole lot if you’re to make and bold predictions or early projections about that side of the three-sided ball.