The Sock 'Em, Bust 'Em Board Because that's our custom

No. 21 WVU 86, College of Charleston 57

November 30, 2014 by Mike Casazza

I haven’t seen WVU live since it stomped Lafayette, which means I’ve missed the past five games, but things are about to get real Thursday when the Mountaineers play host to 4-2 LSU (losses to ODU and Clemson). Thanks to Manassassin Connor Murray for picking up the sword Saturday night.

WVU again went about its business by harassing an overmatched foe with the press and on the boards. The Mountaineers went after another 50-point half to turn a close game at the half into a laugher at the end.

“I didn’t think we had a lot of energy (in the first half), and playing the way we play, you’ve got to have energy,” Huggins said.

“This was a very lackluster first half. Miraculously we turned it up in the second half. In truth, we tried to do some things we hadn’t done with pressure, and when you have one day to prepare it’s hard.”

WVU v. Iowa State: Send forth your ‘sky’ puns!

November 29, 2014 by Mike Casazza

You are looking live at the scene above Jack Trice Stadium, where, hey, “It’s up to 29 degrees.” That’s what they told me at least after I made the 22-minute walk from the parking lot to the stadium. (Hilton Coliseum is back and to the left. Back and to the left.) There’s some construction going on that re-routes you a bit to add to the walk, but I was definitely red-eared and blowing on my mittened hands by the time I showed my press pass and was told to cheer up because it’s warming up as the sun rubbed the sleep from its eyes.

Truer words have not been spoken. That sun is now lighting me up on press row. Just beating on me like Jerry Stackhouse on Jeff Hornacek. I’m wearing sunglasses and I’m sweating.

Anyhow, that scene from the north end zone ought to look a little familiar. Trice was built by the same  people who built Mountaineer Field. WVU has filled in the green space with seats and suites and the like, but those areas are yet untouched here. People still sit on blankets on the hillside to watch games. (I’d show you the south end zone, but the glare from the sun ruins any photo I’m capable of taking. It’s very much like WVU’s north end zone with seating and a scoreboard, but it’s not as modernized as WVU’s. The current project will bring things up to date rather nicely. This quickly follows the beautiful practice facility.

As for today, Clint Trickett made the trip, but he will not start. Dana Holgorsen told the radio folks and 45 minutes before kickoff no one has told the media, which is just ridiculous because everyone knows and no one’s allowed to tell us. Anyhow, I have to think Trickett made the trip for one reason that’s especially obvious as he stand s on the sideline in sweats right now. It’s not a bad idea to have him around Skyler Howard on the sideline.

Fun sidebar to Howard’s story. His coach at Riverside City College was Tom Craft, who you met on Thursday. (You did, didn’t you? Do it now. I’ll be right here.) Craft is a top offensive mind and regarded as one of the better quarterback teachers around and certainly one of the best at the junior college level. His Palomar College teams were juggernauts during his 16 years as an assistant and head coach and won three national titles. In his 11 seasons as the head coach, he had seven All-America quarterbacks. (Trivia question: Palomar’s most celebrated football player? Tom Luginbil! Or Tom Dempsey. Probably Tom Dempsey.)

Craft went from Palomar to San Diego State in 2002 and had some pretty impressive offensive teams (No. 5 in total offense in his first season) and recruiting classes (No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference in 2003), but the win-loss records didn’t match (19-29) and he was fired after the 2005 season.

He spent a year out of football before being hired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at California’s Mount San Antonio College. It was there where he’d meet a safety-turned-defensive end who in 2009 would disrupt his practices and harass his quarterbacks as a matter of routine.

We’ve seen Howard run. We saw how his legs made plays against Kansas State that energized the offense. We’ve heard what he can do with draws and keeps on the zone-read.

And we know Bruce Irvin was and is an absolute terror who feasts on quarterbacks.

Tom Craft is the only person who can answer this question: Could one junior college sensation sack the one who might be the next junior college sensation?

“Hell yes he could,” Craft said. “Hell yes he could.”

Let’s not get too carried away with Howard and his legs just yet. He looked a little skittish at times against Kansas State, and this did happen, but it was Kansas State as opposed to, say, L.A. Harbor College. And his hesitancy did seem to erode the more he played and the better the offense looked.

But what’s constant, whether found in overlapping elements from conversations with Shannon Dawson in March, August and Tuesday, or in an obviously biased phone call with Craft, is that Howard is pretty good when he moves.

And Craft believes he’d have a good chance against a pursuing Irvin.

“He would, there’s no doubt,” Craft said. “Bruce was great off the edge. Just great. What a talent he was. Skyler is really good in the pocket, but he knows how to handle himself. The thing I love about him is his eyes are always down the field because of his ability to throw when he’s moving. I think he can add an intangible at that position with that ability.”

I think we can add intangibles as we proceed…

#TeamDarkMeat

November 27, 2014 by Mike Casazza

What are you doing here today? Oh. Checking up on last night’s game? Well, WVU’s first game as a ranked team in more than three years went swimmingly and Bob Huggins hit all the high notes as he played “How You Like Me Now?” in front of 8,102 at the Charleston Civic Center. Defense, steals, a freshman lighting it up and passive-aggressive indifference with the whole thing.

“I was concerned because they shoot the ball so well and they play a bunch of guys who have ball skills,” West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. “You saw what happened when they got out of the pressure, they just jumped up and made threes. I was hoping we could turn them over.”

But the real reason you’re here? Caption this moment Huggins shared with Tom O’Neill!

You’ll Never Talk Alone: S3E12

November 26, 2014 by Brad McElhinny

Good morning. We’re here a day early this week so you can watch NFL games and help make dinner tomorrow. The queue is open, so start asking your questions now. And have a happy Thanksgiving!

Live Blog You’ll Never Talk Alone: S3E12
 

Lambert, White named finalists

November 25, 2014 by Mike Casazza

Kicker Josh Lambert was named a finalist for the Lou Groza Award and receiver Kevin White was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award Tuesday.

Dana Holgorsen on Lambert
“We all know what contributions Josh has made to our team this year. His big kicks at Maryland and Texas Tech showed what he can do in pressure situations. With his four field goals of more than 50 yards and his overall numbers, being named a finalist for the Lou Groza Award certainly is fitting for the kind of year he is having.”

Josh Lambert
“I am extremely honored to be named a finalist for such a prestigious award. There have been a great tradition of Groza finalists who have had outstanding college careers and has gone on to have great NFL careers. I want to thank my coaches, Coach Holgorsen and Coach DeForest, and my teammates, especially Michael Molinari and John DePalma, because none of this would be possible without them.”

Dana Holgorsen on White
“Kevin White emerged on the scene this year and showed what a talented performer he can be. His improvement from last year shows what a great competitor he is. I still believe his best football is ahead and congratulate him on his hard work toward being named a finalist for the Biletnikoff award.”

Kevin White
“This is truly a dream come true for me. Just being named a finalist for this award is an honor. I am very thankful for the opportunity that has been given to me this season. I would like to thank the coaching staff, and Clint Trickett, for giving me the opportunity and putting me in the position to have such a great season. I specifically want to thank Coach Holgorsen and Coach Galloway for making me work hard, their constant encouragement and for making me into the player that I’ve become this year.”

Dana Holgorsen: Iowa State week

by Mike Casazza

Behold the lengths he’s traveled to address ball security and to assure you it’s a problem not lost on him and his staff.

(Reminder: The chat is at 11 a.m tomorrow.)

The Good and the Bad of WVU v. Kansas State

by Mike Casazza
mariotd

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.

Continue reading…

WVU basketball: Ranked!

November 24, 2014 by Mike Casazza

Has it really been three full seasons and change since West Virginia basketball was ranked? It is … or rather, it was. The 5-0 Mountaineers, who just led the defending national champion from start to finish in the title game of a preseason invitational, cracked the top 25s this afternoon.

The last time WVU was ranked? The end of the 2011 regular season. The Mountaineers would follow Dalton Pepper to a NCAA Tournament win against Clemson and then lose to Kentucky. That long ago.

Could be worse. WVU wasn’t ranked at all From March 3, 1998, to Jan. 3, 2005.

I was wondering if this streak would end this week because WVU looked just awful in its opener, and that actually made some news because it was up against Bob Huggins’ consistently bold and confident preseason praise. There was also the matter of last night’s game being played shortly before top 25 polls were due, but the voters waited for and rewarded WVU.

Texts From UConn Game Day

by Mike Casazza

Winning championships is cool. It’s the goal. It’s what schools sell kids on and it’s how kids pick schools. I doubt very much a string from the net at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off has ever tickled a prospect’s fancy, but playing for a team that’s going to go places and compete for hardware matters.

So good for West Virginia and those players Sunday night. And good for Devin Williams and Juwan Staten for making the all-tournament team … with dispatched UConn guard Ryan Boatright, who was in the middle of it all in the title game and then after.

How he made it out of there without a T or without being sent a row deep I don’t yet understand, but that’s one feisty kid who was seriously irritable last night and, as such, not exactly pleased to be mugging with Williams (who will absolutely forgive and forget and put his arm around his foe afterward) and MVP Staten (he’ll just pick his spots in a game and make you look silly) afterward.

The Don Juan Pond isn’t that salty. Maybe Boatright, who has a history with the Mountaineers, didn’t get the whistle he deserved and maybe no one put him in his place, but there’s proof again that living well is the best revenge.

The Mountaineers, meanwhile, are 5-0 and just played three pretty good games against increasingly competitive opponents in four days. I don’t know if they know what they’re doing yet. Let’s assume they don’t, because WVU is getting better in a hurry and is still making mistakes, but fewer every time out. That’s going to continue. So they’re learning really hard, if that makes any sense, and effort and tenacity will sometimes trump skill and knowledge.

Seriously, if things get real and there’s a book and bat near you, which one are you grabbing?

The skill and knowledge are going to get there. The effort and tenacity have their feet on the ottoman, though, and I don’t think they’re going anywhere. UConn is the defending NCAA champion, if you haven’t heard, and, yeah, sure, that roster isn’t the same. But there’s pride and there are expectations there, and the Huskies were completely disheveled by the Mountaineers.

This might be just a hot start to a long season. This might be the start of something special. Neither is my point. What I mean to say, what I feel pretty comfortable saying right now, is that win or lose, you’re going to know you played WVU.

I stay dumbfounded. Got my SUV surrounded by the girls that crowd around it. And it’s true, don’t it sound big? As they knocking on the window, they just wanna get close, texts on their  iPhone. My edits are in [brackets].

6:58:
I’m preparing myself for heartbreak by watching my Sounders fumble their way against the Galaxy.

7:04:
It’s hard to believe our last quality win over a non-conference team was against Marshall in Jan 2012 (they had a Top 50 RPI).

7:11:
Prepared for a 40 minute parade celebrating UConn’s tourney run. And some casual swearing.

7:15:
On pace for a foul every 8 seconds

7:16:
I can miss a dunk just as good as he can!

7:21:
As my friend just pointed out, Bob Huggins looks like Big Bird. Who knew?

7:24:
At one point just now Huggins looked like he belonged as a backup dancer in the “Gangam Style” video.

7:27:
Holton. Never. Stops. Moving.

Continue reading…

Yay or nay?

November 23, 2014 by Mike Casazza

We have three things to discuss right now:

1) There was no Texts From Game Day Thursday because my new phone got to me late.
2) I have a functioning phone.
3) WVU and No. 17 UConn play for the Puerto Rico Ti-Off championship at 6:30 p.m.

How about a special edition of Texts From UConn Game Day? I challenge you to top TFGD UConn 2010.