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

Behold, the worst video I’ve taken

August 9, 2016 by Mike Casazza

Apologies to CC Team — and a tip of the hat to Josh24601 — but this is the worst video I’ve taken. I got to the news conference early. I set up my GorillaPod on the back of a cushioned seat. I prepared to work.

(Aside: I’m perpetually conflicted about the news conference video during the regular season. I know a half-hour is a lot to devote. And understand I used to dislike posting it at all, because you’re getting quotes on Tuesday that I use throughout the week, including within a for-Wednesday story based off what he said in the news conference. The print product still matters. But I reconciled all of that that. I saw the numbers. It’s highly consumed, and what I hear from people is they play it in the background while they do something else, namely work, or they listen to it on a commute. If you’re going to get it somewhere, why not here? Why not spike the average visit length, which is a metric that matters if you ever want to sell ad space. Also, I did chop up the new conferences before, and the reaction was swift and sour.)

Then, not long into Dana Holgorsen’s news conference, I looked over to the Flip camera and noticed Holgorsen was all akimbo on the viewfinder. Uhoh.

Continue reading…

Crawford on the top shelf in his first camp

by Mike Casazza

I transcribed a lot of tape last night from the first week of WVU’s preseason camp, and I noticed some trends about some players, so I decided to to that silly top five this morning. They’re in no particular order, but it occurs to me I might have put Crawford at No. 1 for a reason.

He’s been on campus since May, he had all summer to acquiesce and the reigning junior college player of the year for the 2015 national champion brought no baggage with him. Seemingly every day there’s someone saying something optimistic about a player WVU is going to need in the fall.

“I think he’s backing up why we recruited him,” Seider said.

He finished the 2015 season with 1,610 yards and 16 touchdowns, thanks to four 200-yard games, and finished his freshman year with 1,551 yards and 14 scores. For his career, he averaged 6.7 yards per carry and more than 220 all-purpose yards per game because he was an effective receiver, too, with 41 career receptions for 700 yards and six touchdowns.

“He’s my type of back,” Seider said. “He’s a guy who can do it all. He can catch the ball as well as run the ball and he can play out in space. He’s big enough to be an every-down back but he could play in the slot also if we need him to. And he likes to score touchdowns.”

Mr. Indispensable?

by Mike Casazza
Defensive line coach Bruce Tall in action

 

The assistant coaches took their turns to talk to the media Monday and provide updates, and it was defensive coordinator Tony Gibson who called the defensive line a bright spot so far and defensive line coach Bruce Tall who shrugged off the suggestion his group has been having a tough time. And to be clear, because this is an important part of it, WVU knew in the spring about the significant injuries to Jaleel Fields and Xavier Pegues.

But given that the Mountaineers thought they had eight or nine bodies and now have, let’s say, six or seven with another week of camp and then two-plus weeks of practice after that, they’re not exactly working with a net. They need their healthy players — and especially their young and developing players — to stay healthy.

And that’s extremely true at nose guard.

Continue reading…

One week in, and what do we have?

by Mike Casazza

WVU unveils stadium renovations

August 8, 2016 by Mike Casazza

Also Friday, WVU opened the doors to Mountaineer Field and led a lengthy tour of the renovated stadium. We’re still a few weeks from the opener, but the planned project will surely be completed on time, and it’s going to do wonders for game day.

“There’s nothing you can’t do with money and time,” said April Messerly, the associate athletic director for facilities and operations. “Poor [Athletic Director] Shane Lyons, that’s all I ever say here. ‘What about this?’ Just time and money.”

For about $50 million, WVU officials have done a lot with the 36-year-old stadium, and they aren’t finished yet. The east end of the stadium will be totally up and operational for the beginning of the season, and crews already have started preliminary work for the west side of the stadium that will be renovated this fall.

Michael Fragale, the spokesman for the athletic department, said the school wants fans to notice a sleek, new design that feels cohesive when they drive by on Willowdale Road or walk up to the stadium from the Blue Lot. The department wants fans to feel like they’re at a stadium fit for the Big 12 Conference.

“We’re excited,” Messerly said. “We’re here almost every day, so it’s hard to continue to see the change. But to hear people say, ‘Wow, this is a big difference,’ that’s really encouraging.”

You know who’s really encouraged? Dana Holgorsen. He’s censored himself a good bit through the years on the topic of facilities, and he’s come to be consistent with his message about needing what he needs to do his job, but he gave this  project a ringing endorsement after finally having a look late last week.

Injuries mount, Mountaineers shrug

by Mike Casazza

While I was away, the world kept spinning at WVU and preseason camp continued. Players spoke Saturday about what had happened in the first five days, and it sounds like the offense is getting there.

The head coach had the podium the day before and, man, he hates talking about injuries.

“The overall health and athleticism of the guys that are out there are as good as it’s been since I’ve been here,” he said, but the Mountaineers are counting limps and lumps at important positions. True, this happens in camp, but that doesn’t mean WVU needs to be dealing with this.

‘Look it up for yourself’

by Mike Casazza
carrier

Believe it or not, that quote from Tyron Carrier, WVU’s first-year receivers coach, did not make it into the story I wrote. Imagine what did make the story!

Continue reading…

First gold to gold and blue

by Mike Casazza

 

Remember when WVU dropped rifle? That actually happened. Now the program is again the best in college competition, and it’s powered by some of the best shooters in the world. Rising sophomore Ginny Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio Olympics Saturday. She competes again Thursday, and she left herself a tough act to follow.

She had a bull’s eye in the final! She won by a full point, which is a wide margin in rifle, and left the world’s top-ranked shooter, the defending Olympic champion and the 2004 and 2008 champion — that’s three separate shooters — in her wake. It’s quite fun to watch. Some likened it up an upset, but not Thrasher.

“People see the 3 percent of your performance in the spotlight,” she said. “What they don’t see is the 97 percent when you’re in the dark, working very hard. I think anyone who truly knew me as an athlete and has been with me throughout my career, I don’t think it was all that surprising.”

Whatever the outcome Thursday, Thrasher will be overjoyed to once again represent WVU and the United States in the sport she loves. That affection, the 5-foot-1 Thrasher said, comes from the ability to excel in the sport regardless of physical stature.

“No matter what stats you have, what your height is, female, male, it doesn’t matter,” she said. “It’s what you put into the sport that’s what you get out of it. Especially in a sport like this, you can chase perfection. You can work again and again to achieve that mastery with every shot. It’s just a great adrenaline rush to have a shot that’s so perfect, then have to come back and do it again and again for the rest of your life.”

 

If only WVU always looked this good, am I right?

August 5, 2016 by Mike Casazza
Kicks!

 

Greetings. It’s Friday, and this is the last one for which I have to be out of town. Never fear — we’ve got you covered at WVU today and tomorrow. Today, Dana Holgorsen speaks, and the first time he talks after the first three-day sequence is typically informative.

Yesterday, assistant coaches were available and not exactly encouraged, though they were also quick to respond to evocative questions with reminders that they’d only seen two practices out of 29. We wrote today about the “nauseating” new Twitter rule assistant coaches have to deal with now — ” … that is the stupidest thing ever.” — as well as how a few important players are faring very early in camp.

The treat for you, though, is a photo gallery courtesy of @ctrcgm. Enjoy! And enjoy the weekend!

Continue reading…

Ideally: ‘By Sept. 3, we should be there.’

August 4, 2016 by Mike Casazza

 

The chase is on for more productivity as well as more depth from West Virginia’s defensive line, and though we know the identities of the starters and a few of the potential backups, we don’t know much about a history of success beyond a few names — because there isn’t any.

The Mountaineers will need and find players in reserve, but it’s fair to say a lot of the success on the defensive line is entrusted to the known commodities.

Nwachukwu, a 6-foot-2, 275-pound reshirt senior, said Wednesday he, Brown and Howard are up to the task.

“We have experience and we know it,” Nwachukwu said. “We know other guys are going to feed off us, so we have to set the tone. That’s definitely a key.”

As is unlocking Nwachukwu’s sack potential. At one point, Holgorsen boasted he had the Big 12’s returning sack leader in the senior, but that’s only if you narrow the search to conference games. Still, Nwachukwu had a more-than-respectable 8.5 sacks last season — and is seeking more in 2016.

“I don’t have a number in mind, but I know I have to get more than I did last year,” Nwachukwu said. “I’m aiming for double digits. Anywhere in double digits I’ll be satisfied.”