I can’t with this picture. Can’t. Tried. Can’t. Your captions are welcome and encouraged. I’m definitely quizzing Alex Hammond and Jed Drenning, both in the background here, when I see them next. I need to know what was said.

Say what you will about Paul Rhoads, but don’t say he didn’t have as much fun as the game, weather and job conditions would allow Saturday. And I trust he’ll land on his feet shortly. He’d be a good Group of 5 head coach, a good Power 5 defensive coordinator/assistant hire and even a good studio analyst. But if coaching or talking football isn’t available or desired — can’t forget that — then I trust he has other possibilities as well.

Anyhow, Iowa State hired Toledo’s Matt Campbell, who’s a young coach putting a lot of chips in the middle of the table now, and defensive coordinators throughout the Big 12 exhaled because the Cyclones did not go weird with an option coach.

I’ll forever remember Rhoads’ final game because of a 19-play drive — the longest of his entire tenure at Iowa State — that went 43 yards, took 7:02 off the clock and featured two fake punts. Amazing.

But the team that won and the coach who will continue were frustrated, too. The passing game was not great by the very definition of not great, and that’s an issue.

We’ve seen teams load the box and play the secondary back. It didn’t work for Kansas. It did work for Iowa State, which went with that Bear look (you’ll remember WVU did some of that with success against Georgia Southern). I don’t know that Kansas State can or will do that, but I know the Wildcats will certainly try to take away WVU’s strength and make the Mountaineers pass to prevail. Color Dana Holgosen concerned.

Skyler Howard completed 12 of 26 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown. He hadn’t thrown as many passes in four games or passed for as many yards in five games, indicative of a game plan that expected what Iowa State presented. But it was also the third time he’s completed less than half his passes and the sixth time he’s thrown no more than one touchdown pass in conference play.

Shelton Gibson caught six passes for 148 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown and a 52-yard catch. Everyone else caught six passes for 54 yards.

The Mountaineers did run the ball better in the third and fourth quarters, but Holgorsen was certain they’d pass better, too, once productive running plays encouraged the Cyclones to shift their focus from defending the pass. Howard was instead 4 for 13 for 74 yards, and an interception in the third quarter gave him 12 for the season — only 12 players in the FBS have more this season — and at least one in nine straight games.

“Disappointing offensively that we didn’t take advantage of that more,” Holgorsen said. “We took some shots. It was good to see Shelton make some plays. He’d been absent three or four weeks, almost a month. For him to come back was really good, but he’s about the only one we’ve got who’s making plays right now.”

WVU’s trouble did not come about from a lack of effort. Howard threw deep to Gibson and Jovon Durante throughout the second half, but the 52-yard play to Gibson was all the offense had to show for it.

Those plays aren’t Holgorsen’s concern, though.

“Anything but that, really,” he said. “We can throw deep balls. We’re not really making as many plays as we have in the past. But the pass protection’s got to improve. The quarterback’s got to improve. The intermediate passing has got to improve. Receivers being where they need to be has got to improve. There are a lot of things that have got to improve. I’ve got to improve and get more confident in it.”

That said, Kansas State’s pass defense is suspect and is the worst in the Big 12 in conference play in yards per game, yards per attempt, completion percentage and passer rating.

I ain’t no rough guy, ain’t no tough guy. Don’t get out much, don’t dress up fly. A pawn in the game, that’s all I am
Giving all my text to Uncle Sam. My edits are in [brackets].

9:38:

@WVUIMGSports @mikecasazza @caresource @MitchVingle @JoeyLoMonaco_DP Pretty sure that @mikecasazza is undefeated at the media round table.

— WVU nola (@WVUnola) November 28, 2015

11:25:
Fire Dana!……too soon?

11:58:
Inside my skull feels like Owen Schmitt shat out Cody Clay, and now they’re fighting.

12:00:
#GoBlu…wait, wrong beat writer…#LetsGoMountaineers

12:02:
Shut up, Petros.

12:04:
Karl Joseph. #ImSobbing

12:04:
Apparently about 20000 loyal, rabid WVU fans are still in Vegas

12:05:
If the faces of the FS1 crew is any indication, this will be a dumb game.

12:09:
At least FS1’s pbp guy got Kwiatkoski’s name right

12:14:
Inspired by the Kansas-esque home crowd, the Mountaineers begin pretty much as you’d expect: 3 and out, giving up a 3rd and long, and getting gashed on t

12:14:
he edge.

12:15:
He’s so fast!!!!

12:16:
Like freakishly fast.

12:16:
gibby!

12:17:
downfield blocking A+

12:18:
Gibson made me look smart because as soon as he caught it I said “Touchdown.”

12:19:
Country Rhoads

12:28:
Btw, [farewell] Baylor.

12:30:
When are you gonna make the play board on the sideline?

12:33:
[Sloppiest] spot of the year. # TeamgoForIt

12:34:
I see why we don’t measure much. The chain gang Isnt the most agile of gangs.

12:41:
There is a guy with a WVU Santa hat in our section.

12:44:
Crowd is low…let’s hope this heavy rain holds off.

12:48:
Gibson broke a guy’s leg

12:50:
Gibson’s playing like an all-star today!

12:53:
The words overthrown and Howard go together like ice and cream.

1:04:
D. Worley is alllll the way back on his game!

1:05:
WORLEY MAMMOTH!!!!!

1:05:
Shelton Gibson…that’s the East Cleveland ish! Lol!

1:08:
Howard should have run that one. #[Panda]

1:08:
Dude beside me: That ain’t water in that cup…is it?  Me: Hell to the naw!

1:09:
Run game lame today.

1:11:
Skyler Howard still runs the zone dyslexia.

1:12:
hope we don’t come to miss those 14 points later

1:12:
This game is proof that one cannot fabricate a rivalry.

1:15:
Every time he says “QuitCowSki” my heart soars. #GotItRight

1:17:
Cyclones Blow

1:19:
Mr. Brown on the sack!

1:23:
onions!

1:24:
How the [fungus] did they complete that?

1:24:
hell. rhoads got nothing to lose.

1:24:
Well, I guess now I have lived to see consecutive successful fake punts on a single drive, so there’s that.

1:25:
Iowa dudes have no chill! Going all out. No reason to hold back. Defense better keep their eyes open. Option plays all day.

1:25:
All this 4th down crap has our D pissed off

1:26:
What the [filth] are we doing to end this half?

1:27:
It s 2012-13 3rd-down D all over again.

1:29:
Iowa State sucks, and yet here we are. Not surprising, but disappointing nonetheless

1:33:
two fake punts #nothingtolose

1:33:
I just looked up and saw you chugging coffee. #ImChuggingBeer #IWin

2:01:
ISU’s luck will run out in the 2nd half.

2:03:
chances for a 13-9 final?

2:04:
Force WVU to pass and we re Texas

2:05:
Nobody finds the end zone like O’Toole. From 30 to 70 yards, odds are it’s a touchback.

2:06:
Hello. It’s me. I was wondering if you would like to talk about our lack of offense.

2:08:
Secretly crossing fingers on this punt return

2:10:
Way to give them life skyler

2:10:
#breakingbadskyler

2:11:
“Nobody bites on the play action to Smallwood.” Yeah, wonder why.

2:14:
It’s a bit slippy aught der, eh, Shelton?

2:15:
What? Sudden life?

2:22:
“Hey, Virginia Tech, our Metallica song is better than yours!”

2:23:
Mountaineer Field looks like something out of a Cormac McCarthy novel today.

2:30:
Run, Skyler….run!!!!!!!!!!

2:31:
Never thought I would see Skyler Howard run it in. #Priceless

2:32:
I’m actually stunned he didn’t take the first down [panther] slide.

2:34:
Defense showing their full [abdomen]! Get it!

2:35:
Who is wearing the Pharell hat? Gibby?

2:38:
Who in THE hell was Skyler throwing to? Was Shelton Gibson, Sr. in the stands? Was he throwing to him? Come on, Skyler.

2:40:
those 3-and-outs after turnovers: those need to be fixed.

2:41:
pedestrian smackdown

2:43:
So disappointed they didn’t run the fake punt from the end zone.

2:48:
I think I saw a screen. Mark that one on the bingo card.

3:00:
Imagine being seated next to Petros on a cross country flight

3:00:
Sweet fake punt, Bro-ads

3:06:
What, I sneak out to do some yard work, and the offense breaks out?

3:12:
Up 24 in last half of fourth quarter at home in the rain. Just run the damn ball and roll clock. You don’t get a sticker for passing.

3:23:
Nehlen has to be wallowing in hot fudge seeing these fullback carries

3:25:
That shredded tire on Wellman ‘ s helmet reminded me of some snow tires that were pretty good to me a few years back. I digress.

3:28:
Paul Rhoads’ hard hat was the best part of the game.

3:31:
I feel bad for a Paul Rhodes. I really do.

3:32:
Country Rhoads – sung by ISU players

3:41:
As a superstitious fan, I’m starting to think the best thing for WVU is for me to continue having plans on game days & not watching games.

3:50:
Undefeated November has Dana feeling…. http://twitter.com/SmokingMusket/status/670701083992449024/photo/1

10:20:
Iowa State had the pilot stop the plane while it was taxiing for takeoff so they could run another fake punt.