WVU has been redoing the inside of the Puskar Center for a while now and, specifically, moving the reception area from the right side to the left. That plan is coming together now and took a noticeable step toward completion today.
That’s redirecting visitors to the left and, as such, the reception area. Go left and find this …
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WVU’s athletic director is in Dallas for the NACDA meeting. The remaining Big 12 AD’s are in Dallas for a meeting, as well. That’s a coincidence … but perhaps a fortunate one. Handle that responsibly.
This, too: Coach speaks to media at 1 p.m.
Damon Cogdell is very high on his star pupil at Miramar High.
“The sky’s the limit. Last Saturday night was just the start of him continuing to get better and better,” said former West Virginia standout linebacker Damon Cogdell, who coached Smith at Miramar High School in suburban Miami. “To me, he’s the Tom Brady of college football. The only difference is he can run. He’s a student of the game.”
The pass play deep in his own territory was Geno Smith’s call Saturday night. The call sent in from Dana Holgorsen was a run, but Geno has the freedom to make changes based on things he sees — and when you look at his stats in the first three games, and then the fourth, you’d have to imagine he’s built a pretty good track record with these changes so far.
This one went bad, though.
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You may say the four WVU turnovers — and minus-four turnover margin — and the 20 point LSU took as a result were the difference. You could even narrow it down and look at Tyrann Mathieu’s interception as the difference. Maybe it’s the disparity in the running game or the momentum swing brought about by Morris Claiborne’s kickoff return touchdown and the two bad attempts at tackles along the way by Avery Williams and J.D. Woods.
But in a 60-minute game, one in which a very good offense is matched against an even better defense, I wonder if you might also agree field position was a major, major difference and, thus, factor. LSU started, on average, at its own 48 — and remember, the team combined to snap the ball 34 straight in the first half in WVU territory. The Mountaineers, on average, started at their own 15. Everyone will take 52 yards against WVU’s defense over 85 yards against LSU’s defense every day. Heck, you’d take 52 yards against LSU’s defense over 85 yards against WVU’s defense, to be true.
The starting points, and, in particular, the consistently deep starting points for WVU, altered the game.
“That was definitely important because Coach Holgorsen had to change up his play calls,” said Tavon Austin. “He had to change the speed we had on the field and put the big fellows in. They’re a fast team on defense, so that made it a lot harder.”
Five WVU drives started inside the 10. LSU’s touchdown drives were 58, 50, 61, 1, 57 and 55 yards – and that doesn’t count the 99-yard kickoff return touchdown, the second special teams touchdown the Mountaineers have allowed.
LSU’s Brad Wing punted six times. He averaged 48.7 yards per punt and all six went inside the 20. Austin didn’t return any of the punts. He let balls roll and be downed at the 3, 4, 5 and 9 and waved for a fair catch at the 11 and 8.
“He was kicking them high and they looked like they were coming in short all the time, but they were coming in deep,” said Austin, who also had a pass bounce off his helmet in the first quarter that led to an interception and a Tigers touchdown. “That was by far on me for not catching the ball.”
The Texts From Game Day were once right there with every break — not to be confused with break-in — and every heartbreak in the game. Seems like everybody’s got a price, I wonder how they sleep at night. When the tale comes first and the truth comes second just stop for a minute and text. My edits are in [brackets].
(6:56 PM):
Went tandem w/ my wife in the long port-a-John lines. Needless to say this sacrifice was well received.
(7:59 PM):
Landau Murphy terrible. Would rather hear Eddie sing Party All the Time.
(8:08 PM):
The opening shot on ABC gave me chills
(8:11 PM):
Ridiculousness. I’m so luckin pumped.
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You can’t touch this, MFD!
Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which is stuffed already at the start of a weekend that figures to be filled with fulfillment. If you’re in town or headed here and need breakfast tomorrow, I must endorse the “Mountaineers on the Bayou Benefit Brunch.” Really neat back story to this and, obviously, a great cause.
And then there’s the food …
Ridiculous. The first is softshell crab Benedict. The second is a shrimp creole omelet. Tomorrow is the last day, 7:30-11 a.m. at the Richwood Grill. Cash or check only because of the charitable nature. Start there — here’s your menu — then head up the road to Mario’s and get a fish bowl.
Let’s get down to business …
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It’s that time again and I’m sure we can fill an hour with the weekly chat. Click here to participate or to get your questions in now.
Also, I have no idea what to do about the F Double. There are hundreds of comments to go through, but, as is characteristic of this story, many are dated or not-so-relevant because of the fluidity of this conference story. I might just skip it altogether, or I might just brush by it briefly. (Ir)Regardless, it won’t be about expansion tomorrow — and I say that because I trust most of the chat will be.
In the time between then and now, how about a look at the key matchup Saturday? It’s WVU’s offensive tempo vs. LSU’s ability to slow down offenses. Advantage: Unknown!
WVU is at its best when it’s on a roll. The offense has 13 touchdown drives this season. Nine have lasted 10 or more plays.
LSU forced Oregon into 19 third downs and didn’t allow a pass play to cover more than 18 yards or a run to cover more than 13 yards. The Tigers were conditioned to transition from one play to the next, but the Mountaineers saw another explanation.
“The underlying thing I’ve seen from watching film is if you can’t throw the football you’re going to have problems with LSU,” West Virginia inside receivers coach Shannon Dawson said. “Oregon tried, but their quarterback wasn’t very accurate and obviously they got a lot of pressure on him.
“Oregon is going to beat you with their running game. They’re going to spread you out and their quarterback is fast and their running backs are fast, but once that part of the game it taken away, that’s when I think they struggled.”
