Marlon LeBlanc’s men have had a rough schedule — but not a rough start — thus far, but they’re home finally this weekend and looking to extend their nationally significant performance. If you’re around and trying to scratch that itch before Saturday’s noon game, why not?
Good times in the chat today. If you missed, you missed the future of college football uniforms. As for what WVU football is missing, it’s turnovers and nothing else. The Mountaineers are the only team in the nation that has neither forced nor committed one and the defense understands why it has thus far not turned over the opponent’s offense.
“Once the first guy gets there and wraps him up, the second and third guys try to rip the ball out,” Tandy said. “When you’re flying to the ball you hit people in the back when they’re running and the ball pops out. As far as interceptions, when you get pressure on the quarterback it makes it hard for them to get the ball where they want it to go.
“We can definitely get better at that. I’ve seen too many times on film when guys are falling and we have somebody run up and stop instead of finishing up the tackle and blowing the guy up. That’s how we caused a lot of turnovers last year and we haven’t don’t that much yet.”
The pre-Maryland edition begins in 65 minutes. Be there.
Tavon Austin, embarking on his first and only homecoming parade to where he was only one of the best prep players ever, told the Washington Post Tuesday he’s close to completely healthy before Saturday’s game against Maryland. Austin wasn’t made available for interviews with the local media last night, so that must suffice for your daily Austin update.
Well, may I suggest you join the club. It’s a support group, though, and it’s for all of those who have thus far missed this special teams terror tear down the field and take apart blockers or take down return men.
Seriously, he’s been WVU’s special teams player of the week twice and after games when Tavon Austin was very good in the return game … and once named the Big East’s special teams player of the week.
There’s an explanation and not merely one that extends what seems to be subtle ways to motivate Austin into more consistent performances in all aspects of the game. Level is honestly pretty good at what he’s asked to do.
“Watch the kickoffs,” WVU Coach Dana Holgorsen said. “He was about 15 yards ahead of everybody else on our kickoff team. It takes a situation like that to notice things. He ran down on kickoffs about seven times and was clearly playing at a different level than some of the others.”
Level is the 5-foot-10, 185-pound walk-on from Fayetteville, Ga., by way of West Virginia Tech. He wears No. 45. He also happens to be alarmingly admired by his peers.
“If you got in the stands and watched him, you’d think he was a highly recruited player from an effort standpoint and the way he takes coaching,” Rigg said. “I don’t play the same position as him, but I don’t ever hear coaches yelling at him telling him he needs to work harder. They never need to.”
Here are the figures from WVU for the beer and concession sales at the Norfolk State game:
$120,797 gross in beer sales
$56,979.72 net to athletic department from beer sales
16,939 units of beer sold
12 kegs used
53 individuals signed up for the designated driver program
6,812 souvenir cups of soda were sold
7,613 bottles of water
7,271 units of frozen lemonade
$217,839 gross in concession sales for game two which does NOT include beer sales.
Thank goodness … 12 kegs! Up two from last week! Obviously, this is not near the Week One numbers and that has everything to do with difference in the crowd and the opponent. I’m guessing Week Four/Game Three will blow away the Marshall numbers.
Through two games, WVU has sold 22 kegs of beer, 38,750 bottles and netted $132760.83. For now — and, again, this absolutely will change, especially after the LSU game — the season pace is 77 kegs, 135,625 bottles and $464,442.90 net revenue.
Will he be back on a sideline soon, too? He tells Jack Bogaczyk he hopes that the case.
“It’s different,” said Rodriguez, who went 15-22 at Michigan and endured NCAA sanctions in his program after leaving his home state school in a fashion that riled a populace. “I’m doing a lot more traveling now, a lot of airports, getting those frequent flyer miles.
“The network’s been great, and it’s an opportunity for a second career. They know I still want to coach, but they were interested and I decided to do it … but I’m still hoping that an opportunity for me will open in December when schools start looking around.”
By the way, Rich Rodriguez is 48 years old, which kind of surprised me. Out of sight, out of mind, I suppose, but that just knocked me back for a moment. And so did this …
Reminded of his previous trip to Edwards Stadium, as a villain WVU coach in 2007, I asked whether he expected a warmer reception this time. Rodriguez laughed and said, “Gosh, I’d hope so. I’ll be there a couple days early to talk with Doc (Holliday) and his staff. Do you think I can kind of sneak in?”
From what I gather, the profound impact of Dana Holgorsen’s offense is measured best not in the stands, on the scoreboard or in the bank account, but within the locker room.
Last year’s defense was fairly amazing, but often without help from the other side of the ball. Imagine how this defense feels it might not be as amazing this season, but will have a heck of a lot more help.
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WVU’s athletic director addressed the 500-pound gorilla that’s been standing in the corner for more than a week now. Understand university people were deeply embarrassed by the “West F###### Virginia” shirt that made it on television in the Marshall game and then privately plotted its response … and that was if one was even possible.
Luck made his move Monday with a letter to the public asking the people to police themselves. Clever move since Luck admitted there isn’t much WVU can do to police its crowd.
I would like to ask you to help me convince people who are wearing these t-shirts to reconsider their choice of attire. I recognize that the First Amendment protects free speech, and as a lawyer, I am more than familiar with the decision of the United States Supreme Court in the landmark 1971 case, Cohen vs. California, which is the law of the land regarding public institutions (like WVU) and protected speech. But as my dad used to tell me, ‘just because it is legal does not mean it is right.’ And I certainly believe that people wearing these offending t-shirts at Mountaineer games, or anywhere else, for that matter, are damaging the reputation of our state and its flagship institution of higher learning.
