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

Television deal is, at long last, complete

September 7, 2012 by Mike Casazza

It is what we thought it was — 13 years, full Grant of Rights and more money and exposure than ever before for the league members — except that it is now signed.

The financials were not revealed, but Brett McMurphy, now of ESPN, reports what we’ve long heard and thought to be true: He says the deal between his employer and Fox is for $2.6 billion, which means $20 million annually per school.

There are a lot of answers and still many questions remain. A teleconference commences at 10:30 a.m. and Bob Bowlsby is already viral with a brief Q&A.

 

About Joe DeForest’s 3(4)-4(3) defense

September 6, 2012 by Mike Casazza

Not a particularly popular opinion, and I have to admit I’m a little disappointed in myself because it’s so cliche, but I’m going to grant some acquittals to WVU’s defense for the first week. It was, after all, he first game and it got out of hand and I don’t think the way things transpired lets anyone dray many conclusions.

To be honest, I kind of think now what I thought then: This isn’t a very good defense. It needs a pass rush, it has a group of capable and similarly skilled linebackers, there’s a worry about the cornerbacks, the safeties need to play above even their own expectations and when you couple concerns about the pass rush and the cornerback, you’re left to worry about third downs.

But here’s my take: There’s no way this could have been a very good defense in the first game. Far too many unknowns, or not-yet-knowns, were involved and couldn’t possibly all solve themselves in the first game.

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Oliver Luck: Proprietor of WVU’s freakonomics

by Mike Casazza

Say what you will of the attention and/or notoriety that comes with these No. 1 party school rankings and how those align to conspire against some of the other accolades WVU and Morgantown receive.

There need to be equal and opposite reactions to some things, and sometimes you have to reverse a spin.

That, as we know, is pretty much the method to the perceived madness that is beer sales at Mountaineer Field. Sell it in a controlled environment and you’re better able to control the behavior. That which defines you can defeat you unless you can define it yourself.

And this is what Athletic Director Oliver Luck was selling on, ahem, National Public Radio Tuesday. Once “counterintuitive” — OK, it’s still counterintuitive — the policy is nevertheless gaining acceptance. There is now some data to support the practice and the practice, believe it or not, has company.

WVU finds the offense not anatidae

by Mike Casazza

The verdict is in and it’s probably not a surprise: Marshall’s version of the Oregon offense was neither prevalent nor effective against WVU Saturday.

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The very ironic praise of Andrew Buie

September 5, 2012 by Mike Casazza

Probably the best compliment heaped upon Andrew Buie thus far comes from his tough love position coach, Robert Gillespie:  “He wants to count instead of costing the team.” That’s pretty profound and it speaks as much to the past as it does to the present.

That said, given what we know about Buie and his freshman season, I can’t get over this quote.

“He’s stronger and he’s a guy who plays recklessly and plays so hard I think he closes his eyes and runs into people a bunch,” second-year West Virginia Coach Dana Holgorsen said. “He’s becoming a better space guy. He’s always been a try hard, effort guy because he does try so hard, but he puts his body at risk sometimes.”

This, Buie says, has made him a different and better runner this year.

Dana Holgorsen’s take on the open week

by Mike Casazza

The funniest stuff is at the end, but before that, WVU’s head coach has a few things to say about the Marshall win and the time off before taking on JMU.

Geno Smith hits the over!

by Mike Casazza

… with room to spare.

Fun little anecdote from WVU’s quarterbacks coach, Jake Spavital, and a perfect segue for me and this post.

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Daron Roberts teaches us a new phrase

by Mike Casazza

One of the many things Dana Holgorsen found that he and WVU had to work on this week is defense and especially winning big downs. The effort was, for the most part, was fine for the first three quarters, but even then the execution offered some worries.

“We gave up way too many third downs and I think we had 22 critical downs and we were only successful on nine of them,” he said. “They did play hard and fast, but obviously there are some things we’ve got to do better.”

I had to ask, but critical downs are third and fourth downs and Marshall was 9-for-19 on third down and 2-for-3 on fourth down. That’s 11 wins, but only a 50-percent success rate, which isn’t good and which was mostly the product of the secondary.

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The quintessential press conference moment

September 4, 2012 by Mike Casazza

Alternate title: Why I love my job

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Imagine if this were last year

by Mike Casazza

WVU joins Conference USA!

“&$@#”

Today it’s true for the women’s rowing team. It’s minor stuff, for us, but it matters to the rowers. The Big 12 championship does not award an automatic bid to the NCAA championship. CUSA does. WVU will remain a Big 12 member and do it’s regular regular-season stuff and even do the Big 12 championship. But it will also do the CUSA championship.

Meantime, welcome WVU football back to the top 10. The Mountaineers are tied for No. 9 in the Associated Press poll with South Carolina … which is the fifth team from the SEC. WVU is the second Big 12 team, behind only No. 5 Oklahoma.

I’ll provide you the ability to resist the temptation by not linking schedules, but if you want to, do look at who the top 10 teams play these next three weeks. At the same time, WVU will be off and shouldn’t have any trouble with JMU and Maryland. It’s really — fine, I’ll stop.

How about I just lay this out there for you: WVU’s last day in the top 10 was Sept. 6, 2008, the day it lost to East Carolina. Cue the Grateful Dead…