Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which needs a hand. The above is a peek at an idea I have and something I started working on during my flight to Dallas Sunday. It’s a list of 54 things that will, should, could and might not happen when West Virginia starts preseason practice Aug. 2. Events. Stories. Phrasing. Quotes. Etc.

It’s almost exhaustive. But is it comprehensive?

So I need your thoughts and additions. What’s missing? We won’t be here too long today (Ed. note: lie.), what with this being an unusual week, so I ask you to chip in as can. I promise I’m going somewhere with it, and I’ll let you know on Monday. Then we’ll reveal something else Tuesday, something new to our in-season rotation this year. After that, I’m gone for a few days to end the week.

And then, believe it or not, we’re in the season. Big story in the July 31 newspaper. West Virginia’s players report Aug. 1. Camp begins the next day. How about that?

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, watch your step.

Clarence Oveur said:

Don’t bother trying to stoke those flames, Matt Campbell.

There’s no rivalry between WVU and ISU.

Wrong. Wrong.

DanInNJ said:

Coach Gundy’s AD and fellow coaches need to schedule an intervention to address that mullet.

Wrong again.

BobbyHeenan said:

The CB depth chart scares me. A lot.

And all this time last year we heard from the coaches was about how Xavier Preston is going to be unreal and at times he’s the best LB on the roster. Now he’s second string entering the fall. Hmmm…

I’m torn on the corners. There is no experience, and if you’re banking on Nana Kyeremeh because he was good in the spring, that looks past the prior three seasons in which he played … or more accurately, did not play. That said, I’m kind of intrigued by Douglas especially and also Crawford. Still, with the collective inexperience in mind, it’s hard to get too excited about the back end stopping a lot of people, though I don’t think the crop of receivers is quite as talented this season. See what I mean? As for Preston, he’s not going to be atop the depth chart if he’s not playing the first game. It’s never been confirmed, but the word is he’s not playing the first game.

Metal J said:

Not sure why it would “scare” you. All those guys have game experience. Not always great in the game but we are 13 games into their growth. They will be torched and they will make great plays, I’ve seen good corners in this league get left in the dust. It’s gonna happen.

I get why people are scared — it’s pretty far from a comforting situation. But I tend to agree with the idea that nobody’s perfect at corner, and that’s probably amplified in the Big 12. Remember Zack Sanchez?  That guy got toasted and buttered a bunch in his career, but it was often against the Big 12’s best … like Kevin White. He finished with a bunch of all-conference honors, left school a year early and got drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round. That was two rounds after Daryl Worley, who got toasted and buttered a bunch but finished with some all-conference recognition and left school a year early. 

Sid Brockman said:

Let me just say, Mr. Casazza, that you, sir, are amazing. How you can ask questions, take notes for an article, update twitter AND give us poor souls a live blog rundown on such a busy day boggles my mind. I, like most on here, am immensely grateful.

Thanks, but I’ll be the first to admit its far more fun than it is challenging.

Mack said:

The NCAA should sanction Baylor just for Jim Grobe’s comments. College football everyone!

Seriously, the comments from Grobe are as predictable and disappointing as Brock Lesnar testing positive for PEDs following the UFC pay per view.

I loved the people who tried to give Grobe a break and said he clarified his comments later. Yeah. Later. After he was probably cornered by Baylor P.R. people, assuming Baylor has P.R. people. I’m not sure they do, or that they weren’t more interested in taking pictures of the mascots Tuesday. Let’s say the Bears do have P.R. people. Why wasn’t Grobe coached to not say that stuff in the first place? There’s an obvious answer to that, I know: Why did Grobe need to be told not to say those things? There is no way to predict what Baylor will be like when it visits Mountaineer Field. I’m open to anything.

Joe Dryler said:

Awesome, I now christen the B12 championship game:

The Thirteenth Data Point Bowl
“Because a dozen is never enough.”

Yes! “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the inaugural Thirteenth Data Point, presented by Skyline Chili. We’ve got a good one for you tonight. It’s the North Division champion Kansas State, owners of an 8-4 record, and the West Division Champion, the undefeated Oklahoma Sooners…”

Rugger said:

I would not want to add Cincy because that could dilute our recruiting in Ohio. I’d also stay away from FL teams as I prefer we are the only Big XII brand in the state.

I like adding Houston which dilutes Big 12 recruiting of Texas prospects for TX and Ok teams and Boise State because I would like to visit Idaho every 2 – 4 years for some outdoor fun.

BYU seems problematic and Memphis is not ready. ECU would be my alternate if Houston or Boise does not work out.

–Rugger Rowlsby

I’ve had someone I trust tell me there is no way the Big 12 gets in bed with BYU — pushy, television network, private school and, let’s say, cultural problems similar to what we’re seeing at Baylor — but that was if the Big 12 added just two. I haven’t talked to anyone — not a large circle, I should say — who thinks the Big 12 adds two. It’s then hard to think of adding four teams and not including BYU. I also believe and have been led to believe Houston and Memphis will be invited. Then it’s down to one team among a group that probably only seriously includes Cincinnati, UConn and, sheesh, Boise State, Colorado State and UCF? BYU wipes out the need to get a team out west. I’m not sure anyone is deeply interested in adding a Florida school. It’s down, in my opinion, to Cincinnati and UConn, and I don’t know that the Big 12 wants to go too far to the northeast. 

Brian said:

Ugh, this is a game of he sucks the least.

Just to be clear, we’ve all abandoned the possibility the Big 12 can complete a Hail Mary, right? No one from the ACC is leaving now, and the Big Ten is as secure as a league gets, so who’s leaving the SEC or the Pac-12 for the Big 12? 

ffejbboc said:

Give me Memphis, BYU, Colorado State and Tulane.

Based purely on the fact that none of those cross into our recruiting grounds (Memphis would a little bit). No to UConn and Cincy based on recruiting. I want WVU to be in the unique position of being the only Big 12 school in Ohio and the Northeast.

I endorse this. That’s four quality road trips. The trouble here is that fans have about as much say as the coaches do here, which is to say very little.

JP said:

Houston would be great competitively, they have a huge recruiting base and it’s a big time city. The other Texas schools are probably against Houston because they don’t want to have to recruit on a level playing field against them. Also, it’s probably not much of a value add since they are already in a Big 12 market. But still, Houston is the most natural fit, at least on the playing field.

If you’re counting out Houston, you’re discounting the scope and the power of Texas politics.

Kevin said:

I wonder if the Big 12 will look to add 1 (if 12 is the number) or 2 (if 14 is the number) football or football and basketball only members and 1 or 2 all sport members. BYU has a great brand, but there are/were having some administrative problems and the fact that they don’t play on Sundays may be a slight hurdle.

The only concern with Houston is a I wonder how many viewers it would capture that the Big 12 doesn’t already have.

Feel like we have already seen UConn’s ceiling in football, through it has a strong basketball brand.

I think Memphis, Colorado State and Cincy are really interesting options. I’m not sure how the sports offered at the different schools mesh with the sports the Big 12 competes in (seems like WVU had to add programs), but that is probably a component too.

I would go football and basketball only for BYU and add Memphis, Cincy and UCF as full members based on what I know now.

Yeah, we haven’t even mentioned that the Big 12 could and probably will admit some schools only as football members. As for Houston, think ahead two or four years. Is Houston going to keep pouring money and resources into its sports? Probably. Will its programs continue to be strong? Probably. Do you want the Big Ten or the ACC or the SEC or the Pac-12 adding the Cougars when you had a chance? Do you want to have Louisville happen all over again?

Clarence Oveur said:

Why not 16 or even 20? Heck, why not 24?  If you’re gonna go, go big!

I could listen to an argument for 16. Not sure how it works beyond that, though. But who said we have rules we have to follow here?

CC Team said:

Maybe the conferences should consider some trades to make their geography more logical. WV to ACC for U of L to Big 12. PSU and MD to ACC for Syracuse and BC to the Big 10, just for instance.

CC Team said:

WV to SEC for MIzzouri to the Big 12.

CC Team said:

Iowa St to Big 10 for Nebraska to the Big 12.

I like the idea — imagine media days … and McMurphy’s cell phone bill — but you’re going to have to give the Big Ten more for Nebraska. 

smeer said:

CC – that’s how we ended up in the B12-2+4? to begin with – Mizzou had first dibs to stay or go and we got slotted.

Houston checks all the boxes except new media market. Cincy would have to promise a new stadium – an urban, spelled “not-land-grant” school. Colorado State is a fair trade for Colorado. BYU – that Sunday thing and gawd that’s far away. the florida schools are not close enough to be “travel buddies” and I really wouldn’t want to share B12-2+4? recruiting with any of them.

Houston’s one of the biggest cities in the country. It’s just fine as a media market, and it’s trumpeting its population and demographics. Cincinnati’s stadium has been renovated far too often at far too high a price to build a new one, and we’re crazy to think games against Texas and/or Oklahoma can’t or won’t be played at Paul Brown Stadium.

Sid Brockman said:

I’m probably in the minority here, but I don’t want WVU to be in the ACC. Outside of geography, WVU has less in common with those schools in terms of fit (outside of VT). Most of those are elitist institutions located in or around major metropolitan areas. If it’s not the Big 12, I want WVU in the SEC. I feel like the fan and alumni base fits with WVU, as well as the type of institutions that make up the SEC.

I hear you. The schools WVU does have a link to are the schools with which WVU used to share conference space. Apart from geography, which just doesn’t matter anymore, I never saw the obvious need for WVU to be in the ACC.

Harleymick said:

Just remember when we look down our noses at schools from non power 5 conferences that many Big 12 fans thought the same way about WVU. We we’re an ACC left behind.

There are at least 20 schools in power 5 conferences who do not deserve to be there, and half a dozen from second level conferences who do. Look how successful some of these schools are with a very low conference income. Did WVU dominate Cincy in football and basketball? Could they now if the Bearcats caught a break?

Do any of you think BYU or Houston would come in as cellar dwellers? If Iowa State and Kansas weren’t already members, would they be invited?

All good questions and points to consider.

avb31 said:

Houston, BYU, Cincinnati, and UConn. Bowlsby was on Mike and Mike this morning and said geographic fit was not going to be a factor. I think this would be the best foursome for WVU, too. Two eart coast members and another Texas school to compete for recruits with the rest of them down there.

Yeah, location doesn’t matter, and that’s why I think the concept of a “travel partner” doesn’t get a lot of traction.

The 25314 said:

So I guess the idea is that WVU is going to meet up with its Cinci at the park n ride and carpool to Texas?

I guess WVU and Cincinnati share a charter to Austin and then a bus cavalcade. WVU drops the Bearcats off at DKR and travels on down to Waco and then scoops up the Bearcats on the way back to the Austin airport. (Had to laugh at the proposed benefit that WVU will get to bus to Cincinnati instead of fly to Cincinnati. Yeah, I’m sure that excites the players and coaches.)

DanInNJ said:

I know they are a basketball powerhouse, but I don’t get how UConn keeps entering this discussion. If anything they belong in the ACC. They would have a LONG way to go to build up their football program and in terms of geography it just doesn’t work. A school like UCF has more upside than UConn (if the conference is going to be willing to go that far out geographically). Am I missing something about the Huskies?

These are not THE answers, but they are possible answers. 1) You build a network around programming, and UConn’s non-football sports are going to be good programming that people will watch. 2) A lot of People think the football program is coming up fast. 3) Do you want the ACC moving to 16 and adding UConn when you have a chance to add the Huskies first? UCF has been an absolute mess, and I have to think UConn has a better athletic department. 

Clarence Oveur said:

One of the criteria is “Coach with at least five conference championships”. Guess who has four…

And Bobby Bowden somehow qualifies despite accomplishing none of the coaching criteria during his tenure at WVU, which is asinine. None of what he’s done at FSU should matter at all for purposes of this selection process.

There are no coincidences.

October 22, 2003 said:

He who Clarence will not name did win the Coach of the Year award from the Big East 2x and the Pac-12 once. He should qualify when, or if, he makes it into the WVU Athletics Hall of Fame.

… not sure that last part is going to happen anytime soon, but I bet it one day happens.

The 25314 said:

10/22/03, good name. Don’t worry, that coach will soon be be working on his 5th conference title at WVU and a Big 12 coach of the year award.

Big week for the Zip Code.

glibglub said:

Overdue is right. Would’ve been nice to enjoy this for a few years before society degenerated into a Lord of the Flies parody.

Speaking of overdue … first comment since March 3?!?! And back from hiatus with some doom and gloom!

smeer said:

HCDH is spot on on this – well not quite

we were THREE points away from winning 10. If you’re going to count OSU as one point in regulation, it would take TWO to get past KState (because one point could still be a loss in OT)

be consistent if OT doesn’t count

call him on it, Mike!

I’m absolutely certain Dana’s thinking is that if WVU gets one more point in regulation against Kansas State, the game goes to overtime, and the Mountaineers could have won in overtime. Think about it: One more point against Oklahoma State avoids overtime, where WVU lost, and one more point in regulation against Kansas State delivers overtime, where WVU could have won. He’s not going to lose this argument.

CC Team said:

That K St. Game is not one I would be bringing up if I were HCDH. WV had better players but K St had a better coach. Dana should not be reminding people of that. Got me all ticked off again.

That was a one-play game, really. The crazy fourth-down QB run when the QB couldn’t run will probably never make sense to me.

JAL said:

Has there ever been a season where every signee showed up? This seems more the rule than the exception.

Yep. Back in 2013, though that has an asterisk.

The 25314 said:

If I had wheels, I’d be a bicycle.

I’d be a G6.

smeer said:

why not a tricycle?

Enjoy the weekend!