Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which also gets paid no matter who’s in the stands or on the field Saturday. Might want to prepare yourself from some anti-WVU, anti-Oliver Luck backlash next week because this weekend’s game isn’t going to look too good. I was told by a few people yesterday the Mountaineers are hoping for a crowd around 35,000 in a stadium that seats more than twice that.

Good thing hardly anyone else can see it on television!

Anyhow, the natural reaction is going to be a point-and-tsk in WVU’s direction for taking a game that could be played at home on the road or for playing a staged game against an inferior opponent. People will say the opportunity was there to play JMU at home and a better opponent at a neutral site, or other possibly true hypotheticals that will probably look good when placed next to what’s expected to happen Saturday.

I just don’t see WVU readying an apology or conceding anything. This is not only the way of the present, whether detractors like it or not, but it’s the way of the future. WVU has a non-dependent  guarantee for the game, meaning it makes $2.3 million no matter where it’s played, who the opponent is or how many tickets are sold.

WVU isn’t paying the opponent a guarantee, isn’t responsible for a ticket allotment, isn’t paying operation costs at Mountaineer Field and, as such, isn’t really worried about how this might look. Surely the Mountaineers want a sold-out FedEx Field. I want to cover the EPL. There’s a Rolling Stones song about this, I think.

But this is what it is and is what it had to be. Athletic Director Oliver Luck has seven home games, and though he could have had eight, there were expenses involved for both sides that he didn’t want to install. And which two teams among Marshall, JMU and Maryland do you want to see at home? This unique deal doesn’t exist for Marshall or Maryland — and even next year’s game against the Terrapins at M&T Bank Stadium is treated like a traditional road game.

The idea here with neutral-site games in pro stadiums is to schedule, as Luck said, “bowl games at the beginning of the year” and create matchups that might not otherwise exist.

“In my discussions with (Athletic Director) Jim Weaver, our only opportunity to play a Virginia Tech might be this kind of game because they are not really interested in a home-and-home,” Luck said. “It’s less of a commitment.”

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, know your audience.

Josh24601 said:

Dana TROLLgorsen!

And didn’t you just know who’d take the bait?

Mack said:

This will be seen as a controversial statement when, in actuality, it’s the only thing he could’ve possibly said. You just beat a team by 35 points. If you don’t say JMU is a tougher team, then your team may come out flat.

I think this is the theory I agree with the most. Dana slipped into cliched coach speak and Marshall got struck in the cross fire. But Dana being Dana, this cult-of-personality figure among the people who cover and follow college football closely and nationally, it really jumped up a notch. This doesn’t happen if Kirk Ferentz says it.

SheikYbuti said:

It would almost HAVE to be a bigger challenge, wouldn’t it? Not sure we’re a favorite to lead by seven TDs early in the fourth.

Exactly. There’s the other half to this argument, too: Dana isn’t the only coach who agrees with what Dana said.

The 25314 said:

That’s no worse than what JMU’s coach said about Marshall.

“WVU scheduled a victory,” he said. “When they scheduled Marshall and JMU, they scheduled two wins…

Some have suggested this might be a better test for No. 9 WVU than Marshall.

“I don’t know,” Matthews said. “Marshall had wholesale changes on defense. I like to think we’re as good as Marshall. I don’t know a lot about [Marshall’s] personnel, but we recruit a lot against them.”

Bingo. Where was the Huntington outrage there? And I’ve had a few people tell me JMU has nice stuff than Marshall. Not a bigger stadium, but nicer amenities. That’s going to change when Marshall’s facility projects are done, but that’s then, not now.

Down South said:

But don’t you get the impression that Dana and the other WVU coaches are taking every opportunity to rub Marshall’s nose in it?  From the Sportsline comment about a specific hand signal Marshall could steal to the late deep throw that was intercepted to the DC’s comment about the scoreboard needing a third digit if Marshall had gone tempo the entire game to this, it sure seems there is some dislike among the Mountaineer coaching staff for their counterparts in Huntington.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed it immensely, but I don’t recall another instance where Dana and friends have gone so far to ruffle an opponent’s feathers, pre- or post-game. I like this new Big XII swagger.

I never heard the radio thing, so it didn’t happen. I think Keith Patterson was being totally honest with me when he made the 100 points comment, so I can’t fault him for that. That late throw was odd, but knowing that Geno re-entered the Orange Bowl to get the record and knowing WVU was damn close to the school record for yardage in the Marshall game, I have to think that was deliberate. And I still think WVU really had fun revealing the Oregon secret. But really, what is this supposed to be like? They are rivals. They don’t like one another. And let’s be frank: Dana didn’t send a spy to practice.

Karl said:

The history is there. I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume one of the ex-WVU coaches now on that sideline was behind the Landon hit piece. There was all the sniping in the papers about WVU not continuing the “rivalry.” There was the spider pads fiasco, Doc stealing WVU recruits — incidents shortly before Dana’s time, but examples of that side’s recent history in trying to take down ours off the field. I’m sure plenty more has gone on behind the scenes. It was obvious that if Dana was in a position to run up the score in this game, he would without mercy.

I can see that. I don’t mind, either. Talk it. Walk it. Fine with me, but I’m not normal.

The Other Sam said:

I like this, if for nothing else they won’t be doing shotgun for end of game kneeldowns. That used to scare the bejeesus out of me.

Well, it should have. I couldn’t believe the explanation, either: “We haven’t practiced snaps under center.” I wanted to hand someone my recorder and be all “HERE LET ME SHOW YOU. THAT’LL BE 200 Gs, please.”

overtheSEC said:

I would imagine in timing routes, taking the snap under center could potentially make it easier once you factor the drop into it. I say this especially in light of Geno’s most excellent (though singular to this point) fade which was nowhere to be seen last year.

I imagine it couldn’t disrupt quick game stuff, save screen passes. But stick routes and drag routes? Absolutely. And they can do the stick/draw, too. So it’s good.

Rugger said:

I’ve been a fan of Patterson’s since he held us to 21 last season. Pitt would have done well to find a way to keep him judging from their first two losses.

Is this move also good for Geno’s prospects as a pro?

Apparently Gus Malzahn fist pumped for days when he got Patterson in the offseason. Short-lived celebration, but Patterson has chops. As for Geno — and Jeff in Akron pointed this out — scouts didn’t like Weeden’s inexperience under center … never mind he’s two years older than Aaron Rodgers. At the minimum, expanding this under center thing gives picky scouts one fewer thing to circle.

StraightOuttaNorthCentral said:

Patterson went on to say, “Another potentially revolutionary change could be to position a second running back, perhaps one who is bigger and a good blocker, directly in front of the back who will carry the ball and directly behind the quarterback. You could call it the 1 formation, because it somewhat resembles the number 1.”

Damn, thought I kept cut out that part.

hershy112 said:

Rugger/JiA,

The big thing to remember is in 2010, when Geno was under center quite a bit, he threw for 2700+ yards, 64.8% completion, 24 TDs and only 7 INTs. My point is, Geno is talented. Under center, shotgun, whatever, he is talented.

That, too.

Big Al said:

“Cakewalk on the opening weekend and then a week off after that.” Not to mention being followed by a FCS team and then a weak Maryland team.

If the coaching staff can keep the Mountaineers focused on improving themselves and to not pay any attention to who the next couple of opponents are they will have done a great job. I don’t think we will have any trouble getting up for the games once the Big 12 schedule starts, but I am concerned we may come out flat in one of the next two games.

Look what happened to Oklahoma State. They got put in a sleeper in the first game and were Rich roll’d in the second game. There’s a lesson to be learned there and I’m really interested in seeing what happens to Florida State, which has done almost nothing offensively and brutalized two opponents. Now they get a tricky Wake Forest. WVU goes Marshall-open-FCS and then gets Maryland … and Maryland kind of figured WVU out in the second half last season and has a defensive coordinator who was at Houston a year after Dana left and knows the offense. 

JP said:

Personally, I kinda dig Dana channeling Steve Spurrier.

Guess who Dana knows and really likes…

Mack said:

Side note: I know from experience. There is nothing funnier than some saying “diss” unironically.

Hmm. OK.

Rugger said:

You think Jake has a bright future, Mike? He seems pretty sharp on film.

Oh, yeah. He’s connected. His family is deep in the business. He’s had all the right jobs and bosses. And he’s younger than me. I really think he picks his jobs for a long, long time.

pknocker40 said:

Dangit, I wasn’t able to get my most important question in on time: Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo had a son yesterday – Huggs is definitely going to be the Godfather to this child, right? Can’t wait to see his Baptismal Pullover…

It will be so pious. And purple.

hershy112 said:

Glasses? And a backpack? Ok, ok, I won’t touch that one…

You know what I think of coincidences. Unrelated: Ever seen that People’s Court where the guy is suing the other guy after a fender bender and he shows up with a neck brace and crutches?

I love you, Doug! said:

Okay, I’ll say it: Anyone else think Geno underthrew iMac on that play? He had the guy beat by 10 yards. A little more arm on the throw and iMac walks in.

Probably so, but I credit McCartney for slowing down and still staying in stride.

gliblub said:

… if he makes the grab.

Oh.

Bobby Heenan said:

Great post.

I keep recalling the Rutgers play and the Orange Bowl play where Geno basically beat the defenders to the goal line with his speed and athleticism. A great example of the luxury it is to have a QB with that kind of skill set in his back pocket when needed, even if the initial play call isn’t for it to go that way.

Evolutionary stuff last season. He really his his stride late in the schedule. You’re seeing continuations and extensions of all of that now … and he’s been healthy. Can’t stress that enough.

Erinn said:

I just subscribed to your YouTube channel and realized i’m the 40th to do so. I’m a woMAN. I’m 40!

Splendid. Also, everyone else follow, please.

Jeff in Akron said:

Is it me, or do the players seem to be better at interviews now? Are those that are asking the question getting better, or is the staff doing a better job of prepping players for interviews, or is there just an inordinate amount of players on the roster that are good in front of the camera?

There’s some pretty cool kids on the roster with good stories and good ways to tell them, or just good personalities. Geno’s fine, but the things he says make better sound bytes than they do copy. He’s just too polished and thoughtful. Everything fits in a box. Darwin Cook, on the other hand, is outside the box. And it’s definitely not the interviewers. I’m going to get myself ostracized here, but I don’t care. It’s a brutal experience. Just brutal. Allow me my disclaimer: It’s not a WVU thing. I think they credential too many people, but I can understand. That said, there are dozens and dozens of people there and a majority don’t belong there and are just in the way. I mean, asking every single person the same question. Asking trite and cliched stuff. Requesting people “talk about” things, as opposed to asking a real question. Poaching my stories. On and on and, oh my God, on some more. True story: I teach a very basic journalism class. I’ve had students come to these interview free-for-alls. It’s eye-opening and they’ve all told me they learned about interviewing by learning what not to do. That YouTube channel I pimped earlier? Teaching tool in my classroom. “Tell me what this person does wrong …”

StraightOuttaNorthCentral said:

My layperson’s view on Dave Johnson always was that he was too nice of a guy to be a good o-line coach. I figured you needed to be an absolute bastard (ahem, Trickett) to successfully harness te big dudes and get them working as a unit. Bedebbaugh doesn’t seem like that kind though. So maybe the whole time, it wasn’t Dave Johnson’s personality that didn’t translate into offensive line success, maybe it was just the lack of a clear offensive identity and Dave never had a chance. If that’s correct, sorry Dave.

I’d say you’re mostly correct, but you forgot about talent. I don’t think Johnson had a lot to work with, especially experienced talent. Remember, they recruited five offensive linemen one year. Pat Eger starts, for now. Nick Kindler is coming on fast, for now. The other three are gone and two quit football, including Cole Bowers, who actually started a while for WVU. That’s not a good look. And Bedenbaugh is more Trickett than Johnson. He gets after his guys and his guys respect, revere and constructively fear him. I also get the hint Vince Cashdollar does work with that group, too. 

oklahoma mountaineer said:

I’m not sure Marshall’s line is that good. They had 2 guys go to the NFL from last year’s team. I will feel much better after the Baylor game if hey hold up at this level……..

Not to be Debby Downer, but I’m not sure we know if we are that good yet.

They were light, too. I mean, WVU was throwing them around at times and that’s not a look we’re used to. So, yes, let’s not turn in our ballots just yet. Maryland has a pretty good front. But is JMU’s front a bigger challenge than Marshall’s?????

Dr. Love said:

Are knock downs the same as pancakes? Maybe a more politically correct way to state the same thing for weight conscious O-Linemen?

If the defender ends up on the ground, that’s a knockdown. Looks like it’s cuts, knockdowns, pancakes and granola bars. And Cashdollar tracks them — and that’s two Cashdollar references today. More? He and Spavital are the only two in the coach’s box. He usually plays goalie when the coaches play soccer up at the indoor facility. He’s read my book … and I know this because I was a guest lecturer for a class he takes. He read while I talked. I wasn’t sure what to do, but he did pay for the book, so I didn’t mind.

JP said:

Fans trolling the OL 69
Marsha 34

Enjoy the weekend!