The trick and the treat of the opening game of a season is you just don’t know what to get. What is true for the game is what was true for the first edition of Texts From Game Day 2013.

The game was neither pretty nor encouraging and I’d imagine the Oklahoma game is coming sooner that you’d probably prefer, but no matter how high or low your hopes were, you really didn’t know precisely what to expect Saturday.

I’m going to throw this out there: I think Saturday was fine for the Mountaineers. First, it was a win and WVU only paid $300,000, which is a pittance these days for a guarantee game. Not to say WVU belongs on the list of teams that would lose to FCS opponent, but WVU isn’t on that list. That’s not an entirely empty achievement. It could have easily gone the other way, which would then aim this season in a different direction.

I think Dana Holgorsen has more of an answer about his quarterback dilemma than he’s let on and I trust he has only more faith in the running game than had before. A lot of firsts — first start, first game playing, first game coaching, first time at a new position, etc. — are out of the way, which means its no longer the first thing coaches worry about before the game.

And believe it or not, the defense answered some questions. Some. Not all. The second half was better than the first, but the second half had to be better than the first, much the same way that this season has to be better than last season. Given how the offense had one big play and that the mustachioed punter did the heavy lifting, what the defense did after halftime qualifies as a winning performance. Not something you’re used to reading, and, yes, I know that was a FCS opponent.

Hey, nothing was great, and I suppose this all sounds apologetic, but it’s important to frame expectations properly this season. Saturday’s game wouldn’t have felt right last season, and though on many levels it shouldn’t feel right this season, I think we can agree this season is not last season.

Best of all? Marshall is off WVU’s schedule and had they opened the season against one another Saturday like they have the past two seasons, well, I think you understand 1-0 isn’t a bad thing right now.

Maybe I’m a different breed. Maybe I’m not listening. So blame it on my T.F.G.D. baby. My edits are in [brackets].

8:34:
Survived the roundabout

10:20:
Roll Tide.

10:52:
Tried to tune into pregame show. I guess IMG blocked it. Nothing like expecting to hear Jed Drenning and Dale Wolfley and instead hearing Fleetwood Mac

11:00:
Tebow is now free to counsel Baba Buie

11:05:
Any other team in history have a guy on the cover of the media guide and selling his jersey at stadium but he’s not on the team?

11:08:
Radio product is good! Pretty much the same except the music.

11:38:
Blue on blue unis…Dana looks like he slept in what he’s wearing…and TFGD is back! LETS GET IT!!

11:41:
Buie took the AC with him

11:48:
Do the circle

12:00:
7NA. [Shoot]

12:01:
Telling people here about the press box with no AC and no rosters. Response: IT’S DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL!

12:06:
Morgantown, Virginia. Strong start.

12:06:
Uhoh. Ball’s off the tee. I hope Clint Millard can handle the wind!

12:07:
End zone!!?? Touchback!!?? We’re done here folks. It’s all downhill.

12:10:
Chris Simms says “It’s no surprise” it’s Millard. I say it’s no surprise Simms is talking on Saturdays and not playing on Sundays.

12:11:
Sims not surprised Millard is starting. He’s so much smarter than us!

12:13:
What a move by Sims.

12:13:
Sims > Simms

12:13:
Look at the ink on Lambert!

12:16:
I really like the numbers on the shoulders. Good look.

12:18:
I saw a little Slaton there. I did.

12:21:
Wow…r we playing defense

12:22:
Perlo appreciates the jersey choice by Sims

12:26:
Bill&Mary is so terrible we will not be able to ascertain anything of substance from this beat down

12:26:
I hope the season doesn’t keep Eger away too much from his regular role on Duck Dynasty

12:26:
Texts from game day are not going thru. 🙁

12:27:
Who?

12:27:
I miss texts from gameday as much as I miss my cell phone service!

12:27:
Wait…we actually look…GOOD! Oh wait…this is William and Mary…damn…forgot!

12:27:
OH. Millard.

12:29:
DeForrest Gump back to his usual confusion, I see

12:29:
Confusion? And Joe DeForest? Super sarcastic noooooooo!!!

12:30:
He iced. His. Kicker.

12:33:
Who had 5:53 of the 1st for the first special teams gaffe?

12:33:
Looks like I’m reupping my #teamgoforit membership this season.

12:34:
…and the kick is…short. Very, very short. Smurf-like.

12:35:
Call me Ishmael. Seriously, call me so I can tell you to watch the damn ball

12:35:
“Call me Suck.”

12:36:
My dad’s proud he predicted the deep ball after the turnover. I reminded him everyone goes deep against us.

12:37:
Nope…this defense sucks

12:43:
Damn.

12:43:
Hmm…no bueno, red zone defense.

12:45:
Sticks!

12:45:
“Under center, expect run.” FS1 has its own Spielman…

12:46:
A dude for William and Mary is named Braxton Hicks?!

12:46:
W&M has a player named Braxton Hicks. He’s pregnant with possibilities.

12:56:
That +33 looking pretty strong during on second quarter

12:56:
We cant get to the qb against bill and maRy…wtf

1:01:
Spider 2 Y Banana

1:03:
Paging Mike Barwis and Jeff Casteel!

1:06:
Put millard back in

1:08:
WTF????? Are we actually LOSING right now? Who are we?

1:13:
Even my wife is ripping on Squirt. I was going to tell her he’s the greatest exhibition player in WVU history but…

1:16:
Our punter is good

1:27:
Millard sucks and he is better

1:35:
Want the AC? I want Nevin’s pronunciation guide. Come to the concourse. Alone.
-A

1:50:
I have no clue how to say his first name, but since Shorts is wearing one eye black strip, I shall call him Nelly.

1:58:
Salute your Shorts!

2:04:
Not impressed with William but Mary very effective so far

2:13:
For his first game, Chris Simms is actually pretty good

2:23:
All’s well that Carswell

2:24:
Geno who

2:25:
But is he a LEADER?

2:25:
Yes, we finally tied it up with William & Mary! Don’t know what’s worse, that we were behind or that catching up with them excited me….

2:25:
There are CAA teams that wouldn’t be geeked about tying W&M.

2:25:
WTF is this fresh hell?

2:26:
Late to the game – this announcing crew makes me yearn for Pam Ward or John Saunders…

2:39:
Otoole rules

2:39:
Chop bock? Seripusly?

2:41:
To be fair, it’s the best chop block on our team.

2:42:
Good thing we aren’t throwing it deep. Nothing good’s happened when we’ve done that. OH WAIT.

2:46:
Chop block? Everybody does that.

2:46:
If we get 10 sacks this entire season I will be SHOCKED.

2:46:
Not to pile on, but because I decided to pay attention – Wallace is bringing nothing to this game.

2:47
He hasn’t mentioned any of the formation stuff you’re mentioning in the blog. I think I see the point now.

2:47:
Next week is gonna suck so hard.

2:48:
I haven’t seen anything new let along encouraging from the OLine.

2:50
Can’t wait for TFGD to see how many thought we’d roll and then freaked out that we didn’t roll. (I’m guilty, but I still can’t wait.)

2:51:
I just don’t understand! I knew we weren’t going to be great, but damn! Two beers and one Mike’s Hard Lemonade and I STILL need more alcohol to get thru

2:53
At least the punter is crushing it

2:57:
Welcome to the jungle…

2:58:
Millard time

3:04:
#TurnUp…just a little? Please?

3:05:
IMac has worn jersey numbers 11, 5, and 85. He’s been overhyped in all three

3:06:
Dancin’ Dickie Rodriguez would love this run game

3:07:
Bosque Pequeño!

3:08:
If they would have taken away our touchdown, there would have been some consequences and repercussions!

3:10:
Defensive Darwinism!

3:13:
Put in Buie!!

3:21:
#Teamuhoh.

3:35:
Anxiously awaiting the “Relax” hat from eForrest…

4:41:
William is not taking any [stuff (anything)]. Tell Mary.