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

The Big East officially cares!

November 23, 2009 by Mike Casazza

Those two holding penalties called against UConn late against Notre Dame? The officials goofed up, according to the Big East’s officiating czar, Terry McAulay.

“[McAulay] said that neither offensive holding call was a foul,” Edsall said.

Each week, Big East teams have the right to submit potentially questionable calls to McAulay, who reviews them and provides feedback. The officials in question were from the Big East.

Edsall said he watched the game tape on the flight back and again at home, and the right calls were clear to him.

“After watching the TV copy, it only further confirmed what I had thought and the information that Terry had relayed back to me,” he said.

Let’s put bowl predictions on hold, OK?

by Mike Casazza

It’s pointless to speculate unless the goal is to waste time or space. Just look at how much so many things changed over the weekend.

WVU went from being likely Birmingham-bound to suddenly alive and well for the Gator Bowl. Notre Dame, which was once looking like a BCS buster, needed only to beat UConn to get the Gator, but might now miss out on the Big East’s offerings all together … or end up in the Gator Bowl.

“This is the last chance for Notre Dame,” selection committee chairman Brian Goin said Sunday, a day after the Irish lost 33-30 in double overtime to Connecticut in their final home game of the year. “They could still go to Stanford and win that game, and then we’ll have a good discussion.”

“Better late than never”

by Mike Casazza

After five different starting lineups and about two months between the time they were even on the field for a prolonged period of time, WVU’s so-called best 11 starting defense started against Cincinnati and will, presumably, start again Friday against Pitt.

The Mountaineers (7-3, 3-2 Big East) will play No. 8 Pitt (9-1, 5-0) in Friday’s 7 p.m. ESPN2 telecast game with the same starting lineup it had the week before.

That hasn’t happened since the starting defense was the same against Syracuse, Marshall and Connecticut. WVU started a different group in each of the three games to follow.

“We’ve yet to really see what can happen when all 11 guys are out there and healthy,” Glover said. “I think it’ll show why there were the expectations we had coming into the season. So far, it hasn’t really happened.”

Friday Feedback

November 20, 2009 by Mike Casazza

Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which would like to apologize to Scott Kozlowski. Not only is his personal comeback story kicking through a deserved ending, but no one will ask me about punting. Punting.

Of course we start with the week’s brushfire. “Ask me about kickoffs.” After seeing and hearing this from varied angles and places I rarely ever visit, I’m not even sure where to begin. I have to hit on a number of things, almost all of which did not occur here, so just stick with me if I ramble.

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Foreword: Friday Feedback

by Mike Casazza

It’s going to be long. Voluminous even. A number of things have to be addressed and I’ll let you guess which has the top priority. This edition might be unlike all the others, but only because it has to be that way.

That said, this was intended to be an open week and I had things planned for Friday morning. Things I can’t rearrange. Then basketball interviews were rearranged. Feedback will appear, but in the afternoon. Can’t say when, only that it will.

Carry on …

How rude

November 19, 2009 by Mike Casazza
The rudest home fans, according to the respondents, live in Morgantown, W.V., Columbus, Ohio, Baton Rouge, La., Ann Arbor, Mich., and Gainesville, Fla.
 
Question: Do they live in Morgantown or do they congregate there?

Jack Bogaczyk, if you need him

by Mike Casazza

To sum up the postseason picture, “Better ingredients … better pizza … battered teams … Papa John’s.”

WVU tries to spill another non-spiller

by Mike Casazza

Cincinnati hadn’t lost a fumble all year until WVU forced and recovered two one last week. Next in line is Pitt, which has two glue-gloved running backs in Dion Lewis and Ray Graham. Each has fumbled once this year.

WVU goes for two

November 18, 2009 by Mike Casazza

ESPN.com is dipping into college football disappointments today and the Big East blog has chimed in with its list. Two teams — Rutgers and UConn — are not represented. One team is represented twice.

Wes Lyons: The 6-foot-8 West Virginia receiver had a great spring and was touted as a breakout player this season. Instead, the senior has once again faded to the background of the Mountaineers’ offense, with just 16 catches in nine games. And for that matter …

The West Virginia offense: Things started out so promisingly, with the Mountaineers piling up over 30 points in each of their first five games. The offense looked unstoppable with Jarrett Brown‘s big arm and Noel Devine‘s swift feet. Since that hot start, however, West Virginia has averaged a pedestrian 21.8 points in its last five games.

“Ask me about kickoffs”

by Mike Casazza

Friday night’s game gave us a whole bunch to talk about. There was the fumble/touchdown conspiracy, the play calls on WVU’s penultimate drive and the weird sequence when the Mountaineers were called for procedure penalties on consecutive kickoffs.

The first two issues were thoroughly vetted after the game and in the days to follow. If the Mountaineers took the high road — and did 80 mph in the left lane — to avoid the replay issue, they also cleverly and courageously explained the decisions as they neared Cincinnati’s end zone late in the game.

What wasn’t addressed, however, were the penalties. At least, it would appear, not to Bill Stewart’s satisfaction.

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