I have no idea how Mario Alford scored on this play. Zero … which is seven fewer than the number of Kansas State defenders who had a say in this play and were all rendered speechless. We’ve been shaking the sifter for a few weeks now and trying to sort out what’s real and what’s fool’s gold. We’ve been over a bunch of ideas and we’ll hit a few more today, but to me, Alford’s dip and the absence of a sustained level of positive play is a serious sidebar.

This sounds so weird, because he’s going to chase 1,000 yards (or 850 … who knows) and a first-down-and-a-half on every reception. We’ve documented just how damn fast he is and we’ve witnessed so many explosive plays. But his production has been uneven and his game numbers have been inflated by one or two big plays every game. Remember when we were ogling Alford’s downfield plays against Maryland? What if I told he’s caught one vertical throw of more than 25 yards since then?

Because that’s true. He had a 46-yarder against TCU and we were probably surprised.

There’s nothing wrong with his catch-and-run plays. They are who and what he is, but they are  not all of who and what he is. Remember, one reason he didn’t cut it as a slot receiver was because he could get down the field and he could hit the deep post. He was better suited to be outside than inside.The absence of a vertical threat who could stretch the field and win 1-on-1 at the line and get up the rail did hurt when teams were double-teaming Kevin White and trusting Alford wouldn’t make them pay was important.

Look, he’s not the issue. Far from it. The quarterback, the offensive line, the other team, they’ve all mattered to what’s happened to WVU’s offense. Plus, he’s probably going to finish with a top-10 season in school history.

But what about this season? Here it is. Oklahoma State was the first team to really sell out to stop White. It looks like Alford had a big day … but he smoked a guy in the middle for a 79-yard score. Take that away — and you can’t, I know — and it’s an ordinary day … and Lonnie Galloway said as much a few days later. That was then followed by three other ordinary  days, though he did score in two of those, and Dana Holgorsen was passive-aggressively challenging him in press conferences and on conference calls.

Again, this is weird because he’s been pretty good over 11 games. Has he been good enough? I don’t know. Good enough for who, is probably the better question. Did his numbers affect White? Sure. Did White’s numbers affect Alford’s? Certainly. Either way, taking away one strength took away two, and that got the running game muddy, too.

Offenses slide. Players hit slumps. But not getting deep or not going deep is one matter. Catching two or three or four passes a game is another. Maybe WVU wasn’t throwing deep. WVU was still throwing and Alford wasn’t especially prolific. And that’s a shame because he’s so beyond capable. He’s dangerous.

Here’s an ordinary play. Skyler Howard works his way to Alford and makes a simple 5-yard throw to a guy sitting in a spot in the zone, which is the sort of safe play you run with the backup quarterback and against a team that doesn’t let you go deep. It’s not supposed to be a 53-yard touchdown, but Alford gets a chance and somehow scores.

The crowd went wild. Proof again good things happen when he  gets going.

How did we get here? Let’s find out by taking a look at the Good and the Bad of WVU v. Kansas State.

Good: Wildcats defense
Here’s a great illustration of what Kansas State and defensive coordinator Tom Hayes do, and why they rank so low this season and some others in sacks and tackles for a loss. There just isn’t a lot of pressure or reckless plays. This is a three-man rush and three linebackers who set up camp at the first-down marker. Clint Trickett feels some heat, Kevin White slows down in the middle of the screen and Dreamius Smith chips a defensive end and leaks out of the backfield. Trickett drops one in Smith’s arms, and watch Kansas State pounce. Cornerback Danzel McDaniel is more than 20 yards away when Smith gets the ball and he makes the tackle for no gain. I might have applauded in the press box.

Good: One more
The Wildcats have it in their head that you’re going to make a mistake before they do. They’re content keeping everything in front of them and being sound from that standpoint. WVU had drives last 11, 12, 15 and 11 plays. WVU ended up losing a fumble, kicking a 47-yard field goal, turning the ball over on downs at KSU’s 26 and kicking a 25-yard field goal. They win when you lose, which is the simplest way to explain football, never mind play it. It’s sort of shocking this approach works in 2014 when you consider the type of offensive talent and ingenuity out there today. Then again, Holgorsen and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson have trotted into press conferences the past three games and tipped their caps to the defense and admitted their plan, their approach, their performance was inferior. It’s also sort of shocking how that keeps happening when you consider their reputations.

Good: Another wonder
What if Rushel Shell didn’t roll his ankle against Baylor? He really hasn’t been himself since then, and moving Wendell Smallwood over to become the running back kept him from being that dual-threat as a receiver, and that didn’t help the passing game. Shell was as healthy Thursday as he’s been since the Baylor game and he looked confident in what he can do running through and by people, or in this case jumping over them.

Bad: Perimeter blocking
There hasn’t been a lot made of this, but Alford and White have wiped out a few runs this season because of holding penalties. Thursday was like the total opposite, except that it was still Bad. I think Kansas State caught WVU of guard with an array of blitzes from the corner and nickel positions and the Mountaineers weren’t sure what to do when the Wildcats didn’t stay back but instead raced forward. Alford leaves Shell on his own here. He doesn’t run a route. He doesn’t put a paw on Morgan Burns, and it’s Burns who steps in to make the tackle. This is but one instance, mostly in the first half, where perimeter defenders were allowed to stop running plays.

Good: Did you see those corner blitzes?
This was uncommon stuff from the Wildcats, but they pressured more than normal because, I think it’s fair to say, WVU’s offense isn’t as effective or efficient if it’s disrupted and if the timing is altered. Most teams are that way, but WVU hasn’t dealt with it very well. (Also: Trevone Boykin riddled Kansas State the week before and TCU runs essentially the same offense. It’s not safe to blitz Boykin. It’s safer to pressure Trickett.) It’s not easy for big guys to stand in a spot and block a small guy darting at the quarterback. This is a crazy play because the protection slides to the left and Cody Clay becomes an extra offensive lineman on the right. McDaniel comes from really deep to blitz. Trickett had to be thinking McDaniel was in coverage. He’s not and White is going to outrun that shallow safety if Trickett sees it and pulls the trigger. Never happens.

Good: WVU’s run defense
Fantastic. Just stunning, especially when you consider all the problems the Mountaineers have had in recent weeks and against power football. Kansas State tried everything and none of it worked. There was one Wildcat play. It gained 2 yards. There were three option plays. They each lost yardage and totaled minus-20 yards. The pop pass wasn’t there nearly as much as the Wildcats wanted, and Jake Waters completed a pass for 13 yards and a pass for a loss of a yard and then threw an incomplete pass. In the red zone, on the goal line, coming out of the end zone, in between the 20s, in between the 40s, you name it and WVU just dominated a quality running game. I’d bet the coaching staff found some tells and exploited them, especially with plays off the edge where the defensive back never bothered to consider the quarterback so that he could torpedo the running back. What was new, in that it was used so often, was the Bear look the Mountaineers used up front. Basically, the defensive line puts the guard-center-guard trio in a box based on how it lines up across those three. If the three defensive linemen cover the three offensive linemen and keep them in that box, the offensive line can’t get to the second level. Opponents have done a number on WVU on the second level lately. That was a heck of a fix and it kept the offensive line at the first level and let the linebackers and safeties make plays.

Bad: That said…
…just the worst pressure all season from the front. Waters wasn’t sacked, was rarely touched and really only had to hurry twice, by my notes. Waters had too much time way too often, and that rattled and/or wore on Tony Gibson. Tell me that the defensive coordinator wouldn’t have sent the pressure on this massive third-and-9. I don’t think you will. The Ghost of Chuck Knoblauch? Gibson did blitz two or more with the line a bunch during the game, but Waters was unfazed to the tune of 10 for 16 for 186 yards. The blitz got home four times and Waters threw three incomplete passes. This was the play of the game for so many reasons. Gibson didn’t sign his name like he usually does because the pressure wasn’t as heavy as normal and that let Waters and Lockett move the chains on a critical possession.

Good: Lockett
Boss. No need to ask Daryl Worley, “Have you forgotten how to play cornerback?” He’s quite good. Lockett is just better. Watch the action up top. Lockett furiously shuffles in place and freezes Worley and then tazes him with a double move. Kansas State saw 1-on-1 outside and went for this and reaped the reward. Lockett makes a really good player look like something much different. You’re happy he’s graduating, but you’ll miss watching that guy play.

Bad: Hey, a tight end in the open!
Two throws to tight ends, two receptions for 67 yards. This was the end for Edward Muldrow III. I’m not sure what he’s doing, and I know Nick Kwiatkoski gets picked by the umpire, but Zack Trujillo gets a free release and has no one near him when he catches it. Then Muldrow runs to get back into the play and just sort of exists. Kwiatkoski, though, comes off the top rope to end that jail break. Didn’t see Muldrow after this and, probably not coincidentally, Muldrow has been replaced on this week’s depth chart by Shaq Petteway.

Bad: Farewell, screens
I think there’s a tell that’s tipping off opponents, but WVU’s too smart to get bogged down that way. You saw it run out of different formations and you saw accessories like play action attached to it against Kansas State. But that’s window dressing. Opponents are all over these plays now and you can see them watching for them. Defenders are taught to look at the offensive linemen and whether the heads are up or down. Up means a pass and down means a run because they need to be up to pass protect and down to move forward for pass blocking. Yet the Mountaineers run on pass calls and pass on run calls so often that that can’t be completely reliable. What’s clear is the slot receiver is not helping matters. On the first play here, the nickel back sees the offensive linemen get up and then get out and he knows the slot receiver, Jordan Thompson, hasn’t moved. Thompson is attempting to block, but doesn’t and that makes the job really easy for Randall Evans, who’s just a smart and tough player. The second is a disaster. White has room to rocket through a tunnel in the middle, but Daikiel Shorts, Mark Glowinski and Tyler Orlosky each do not get their jobs done. This has happened a lot and it’s made defenses look better than they deserve credit for.

Goad: Fox Sports 1 Crew
“Are they smelling that out or what?” Um, I’ll take “what,” Tim Brando. I’ve no issue with him. He isn’t overbearing or fancy and he doesn’t color outside the likes. I feel like he’s just watching a game (and he does a brilliant Beano Cook impression). I really, really like Joel Klatt. He’s smart, as opposed to sanctimonious, and hits critical points instead of hammering on them. I like having him around.

Bad: One more screen
Really, WVU’s perimeter blocking has faded. Here’s a wrinkle Skyler Howard was allowed to use, and it’s a really clever play. The sweep action sends all the attention to the left, but Smallwood slips out to the right and, man, this had a chance. But this time, Orlosky and Glowinski end up on the ground without affecting the play and White couldn’t get his opponent’s back on the sideline. The whole thing went bad … but I don’t think this is the last we’ve seen of that play.

Good: Fun!
The offensive line had good moments, believe it or not. This was fun!

Good: The Clint Trickett portion of the program
So he did not have a good game. He looked like 2013 Trickett, and that’s not a good look … but I really thought he was on the way to a good game, or to playing good enough to beat the Wildcats. He took two wild shots deep early, which was odd because he was adamant you had to be patient and be willing to play ugly.

“Because they make you move the ball, you’re rarely going to get big plays on them,” Mountaineers quarterback Clint Trickett said. “It’s going to be one of those annoying games where you have to consistently drive the ball down the field, but it’s very smart. It’s why Coach Snyder is one of the best coaches in the history of college football. There’s no secret behind it. They’re just good at it because they’re very well-coached.” 

I thought he was mistaken both times to go deep into coverage to Smallwood first and Thompson later when they chose to cut their routes and run to green in the zone. But suppose he was just backing Kansas State off the plate, so to speak, and serving them notice. I’m OK with that, and he got it out of his system. Take away those two throws and he was standing on the field in the second quarter at 8 for 13 for 73 yards. Those aren’t great numbers, but those are numbers more in line with how he was going to have to play.

Then it all went wrong.

This isn’t a hard throw. He’s made it before. Right before this, he drove and drilled a ball to White on the move. On this one, he gets in his stance and looks around then goes all arm to Alford, and for all I know the beeping from his tackles bothered Trickett. He’d follow by getting sacked on third and first downs on successive drives and overthrowing Thompson on the circus non-TD to White. On the next possession, a pass to White lost 2 yards and then Trickett had a screen on the goal line batted up front and nearly intercepted. On the possession after Nick O’Toole’s very poor punt, Trickett completed passes for 13 and 9 yards and then had an incomplete pass and, I think, his worst decision of the season.

This looks like a panicky play that tries to erupt from beneath frustration in the 11th game of the season, and that’s unlike him. He’s forced to move again and he’s not comfortable, but he can’t see anything or anyone other than his running back. Evans is hidden and he’s all over it. He’s 10 yards from the ball when Trickett lets it go, but the throw is soft enough that Evans can get there to catch it on the run. He should have scored, but Trickett, no doubt angry, gave himself up to make the play.

There’s your concussion.

After Kansas State punted to start the half, Trickett threw a 3-yard pass to White and then threw another interception when Smallwood wanted to stop on the go and Trickett thought Smallwood would do like he does in practice and continue the route.

Beginning with the overthrow of Alford, Trickett was 4-for-9 for 23 yards and two interceptions and was sacked twice.

But let’s extend this a little more. Remember the atrocious facemask tackle that wasn’t penalized? Well, he was 7 for 9 for 77  yards and a touchdown to that point against TCU and for the season was 225 for 328 (68.6 percent) for 2,840 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Since that play, Trickett, who had two concussions last season, is 56 for 91 (61.5 percent) for 445 yards, no touchdowns and five interceptions. His yards per attempt average that was 8.6 before the questionable tackle has dropped to 5.5.

Bad: Update
While we’re here, Thursday’s MTEP numbers: 1 for 4 for 13 yards, a sack and an interception. For the season, he’s 17 for 43 for 215 yards and two interceptions, sacks, a lost fumble, an intentional grounding penalty and a pass interference penalty, plus 10 runs for 61 yards. He forces a pass to a well-covered White here and doesn’t see Thompson sweeping across the field in front of him. That said, one of Trickett’s better attributes is how he keeps his eyes up when he’s on the run to look for and make big plays. I’ve heard Howard is better at this, and we’ll take a look at that in a moment.

Good: History
Previously on the Good and the Bad, we discussed the debacle at the end of the loss to TCU.

Bad: Knoblauch
(I did not expect that to catch on.) Daryl Worley and Karl Joseph have done this three times now: Stephon Diggs’ touchdown at Maryland, Devin Lauderdale’s touchdown at Texas Tech and Kolby Listenbee’s 40-yard catch at the worst time imaginable. Boykin was 0-for-7 on throws beyond 15 yards before this. Now, credit him for noting the clear confusion. He saw it coming. K.J. Dillon swats Joseph out of his spot. Joseph is looking so hard at the sideline for the signal that he bumps into the referee. Tony Gibson said he didn’t see it, and I have to believe that. But Joseph knew it was doomed and a few of his teammates did, too. I wonder how much time was spent Sunday talking about why one of the players didn’t call a timeout. I think the choice to kick into the wind mattered. I think the timeouting was weird. I think the play calls could have been better. You can’t debate this: None of those things matter if WVU just communicates and executes a play it communicates and executes all the time.

And now check out the clip. WVU is out of sorts and running around trying to cover a third-and-goal play and Dravon Henry calls the timeout. WVU got a stop and accepted a field goal, which is better than a blown coverage touchdown.

Bad: The Aristocrats
I’m done explaining my stance and I’ll never have to defend it again, but this is the fourth returner of the season and the fourth to make the same careless error. I simply do not understand how a guy can be defaulted into that position and not realize what he has to do. But my point is this: Did special teams cost WVU a game? Two holding penalties on kickoff returns, a missed 40-yard field goal after a unbelievable touchdown was overturned, a comically bad punt short and to the left with the coverage going right that led to a deserved touchdown, a kickoff out of bounds to set up a short field goal drive at the worst possible time and, most notoriously, a needless, senseless, clueless play by the punt returner who, mind you, was patted on the head after a similar mistake in the last game and was allowed to do this against Kansas State. Again, it was naive to think this wouldn’t happen.

Bad: Possibly related
Holgorsen on making a quarterback change, but on his personnel philosophy in general: “I’m not in the business of replacing people because they had a bad game or because of an average performance.”

Bad: Officiating
I loved that crowd reaction as well after the White touchdown was erased. I hate officiating sometimes. I think that was the right call, but I wish we didn’t have the automatics in replay and I wish we could let some plays survive in their splendor. I’ve talked to some people, too, who seem to believe replay is going to expand to review particular penalties in the near future based on the success of the change made to targeting calls this season. I’m petrified things like pass interference will be open to interpretation to subject to challenges. (Side Bad: The three pass interference calls were pretty week. I could do without the one on White, but I could see why it was called. The one on K.J. Dillon was bad and the one on Lockett was no better.)

Good: The Skyler Howard portion of the program
He did not stink. I know you were wondering. How about this play? It’s his first third down and it’s third-and-2 and the back is open in the flat for a simple chain-mover. Howard goes for a significantly more difficult throw to Shorts and it’s on the penny. That woke up everyone. WVU started going faster and Holgorsen started to slowly open up his playbook. The first three plays were from the pistol with trips to the field side. That’s the comfort zone to start. Holgorsen went to that formation one more time. One! It expanded before your eyes. (Aside: The go-to set? Shotgun with two backs and twins to the field side 22 times. There were 26 shotgun snaps with at least one back, 13 snaps from the pistol and three from an empty set.)

This throw required a different skill, but it was no less difficult. The linebacker, Jonathan Truman, is closing the window. He reads Howard and finds White and goes for it, but Howard’s throw takes the train to White. That all happened very quickly, but it had to happen very quickly. If it doesn’t, Truman either catches it on the go or bats it in the air in an area populated by defenders.

Both those throws arched my brow because you’d understand a backup for not doing one, the other or both.

And that was before this throw.

Howard was feeling it. He was no longer the backup. He was the quarterback trying to win this thing. That little play fake did just enough to pull the linebackers to the right and make them retreat to the left and it opened Howard’s eyes enough that he wouldn’t bail on the play early. Someone’s going to work their way open when the defense is moving like that and then reacting to what Howard does to extend the play. The whole time he’s running right, he’s looking for a throw. He was never pulling that down to run it. And he doesn’t quite throw on the run. He does well to come to an abrupt start and attempt to set his feet, which lets him load up and strong-arm one to a tight spot. He does all this with really good balance and subsequent accuracy, and neither is easy. That’s a skill. And how much does that game and this week change if this is a touchdown?

But here’s the brave new world with Howard or W.V. Crest. Howard’s second third-down conversion was a 16-yard scramble into an uncertain defense that didn’t know the WVU quarterback could do that. The Wildcats had a better idea later — I thought they reigned in their blitzes, asked three or four guys to get home and bet against Howard progressing through plays and moving the ball against seven- or eight-man zones — and WVU still gave them something to consider. Trickett can’t do this. It’s a designed draw and it makes the defense at least think about what it was trying to do. Someone has to watch the quarterback. Everyone can’t drop and cover because Howard can run. Remember, he was moved to running back when he arrived at Stephen F. Austin. He was rolled out and used on sprint outs at Riverside City College because he can run and throw on the run. He fancies himself a little bit of a Russell Wilson. And the Mountaineers wanted this guy because of all of that. They’re silly not  to use it, which makes this week and the bowl prep and the decision Holgorsen might have to make so interesting. Maybe Howard is the future. Maybe he isn’t. A mobile quarterback and an offense that’s built around it and can take advantage of it seems to be.

That said, we’re going to have to teach Howard how to slide. I thought he was hurt here.

Bad: And here
Good night, sweet prince.