That Jeremy Kash suspension didn’t seem so important at first, and who’s to say he handles the PAT after Pat’s run, but a team that never botches snaps is down one very big point. Panthers need about 30 yards to kick a field goal for a 16-15 lead. Just saying…
… and Pat does what Pat does. One of the best plays I’ve ever seen from him with good blocks from Jock Sanders, Lyons and Noel Devine. No holding or blocking penalties, either, which tends to happen on crazy ad-lib plays like that. Momentum turning and still nothing from Devine.
In order of occurrence and unbelievability: Going for it on fourth and 1 from easy FG range; going for it and getting it with a QB sneak; Jalloh drops a TD.
What you do expect, though, is the defense starting to take over. Pat White hasn’t gotten going and WVU is trailing just 7-6.
That WVU is in the game at halftime is actually impressive. Pitt’s having its way on offense and dialing up nice plays in their proper spots. The only way the Mountaineers stop LeSean McCoy is if he goes pro at halftime. Or if he doesn’t get the ball. That’s entirely possible. Witness the interception at the end of the half. Just give it to McCoy and go to the half up 14-3. Instead it’s 7-3 and WVU has momentum.
Amazingly, that wasn’t the goofiest play of the half. Pretty sure my jaw dislocated after Jarrett Brown handed to Pat White on an end-around and Pat threw to Wes Lyons. Goal line struggles strike again. In the 11th game of the season. Â
Typically, when WVU wins the turnover battle, it wins the game. When a team wastes scoring chances, like Pitt has, it loses. That said, this one’s wide open.
Oh, and if anyone sees Dorrell Jalloh, please let me know. Back later.
Literally and perhaps figuratively. The second segment on the trip to Las Vegas leaves here in Philly shortly. I won’t be updatng any more today, but welcome your additions. Tomorrow is a holiday and I’m thankful for being off.
As for Friday, I may post throughout the football game. A Jack Bogaczyk story — you haven’t lived until you’ve read one! — will be up on the Web soon thereafter. I’ll then cover the basketball game that night and then again Saturday night and post stories afterward. You can find links for all three right here.
Please help convince my bosses this was a good idea!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
(12:45 p.m. update: Not so fast!)Â
Chilly this morning? This might get your blood up to a boil.
In football terms, basically, Notre Dame has driven the length of the field. It is now fourth and one at the one-yard line and all they have to do is punch it in and Notre Dame is coming to the Sun Bowl.
“When we went into the arrangement with the Big East, we did it solely so we’d have an opportunity for Notre Dame. Period,” Folmer said.
He said he is working out a deal with the Big East that should send Notre Dame here, as long as the Irish lose to 29-point favorite USC on Saturday.
“Based on all the rules and the way the NCAA changes are and the things in the handbook, we’re gonna have Notre Dame,” Folmer said.
I have no idea what to think about this seeing as if the Big East confirmed yesterday a NCAA rule keeps such a thing from happening. The Big East is “dealing with” this story as it develops.
Is Notre Dame above the law? Maybe. I think there’s more to this, too. The hunch is there’s a simultaneous move attached to this one that locks WVU into the Car Care Bowl. It may not make sense, but it’ll make cents.
If this is the arrangement, the Big East maximizes its top two non-BCS bowls –Â Notre Dame will draw to El Paso better than WVU, WVU will draw better in Charlotte than Pitt or Rutgers or any eligible team.Â
You have permission to be outraged.
WVU plays its second and final game on the way to the quarterfinal and final/consolation rounds of the Las Vegas Invitational tonight against … hey, it’s Delaware State again! The Hornets gave John Beilein win Nos. 1 and 100 and No. 100 was No. 1 on the way to “West Virgina’s” 2007 NIT title.
DSU is a nice little MEAC program that gave Duke fits in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Yet it’s not nice enough to simply roll out the ball 30-some times, win 20-plus and get dressed for the big dance.
No, to get to any postseason requires a rather brutal strategy.
From Nov. 17-Dec. 20, the Hornets play 13 games — one at home, nine on the road and three at neutral sites (if the Civic Center really is neutral when WVU is in the house).
What Jackson is doing — besides toughening his team — is piling up bucks for the DSU athletic department. Jackson said the basketball team is bringing in more than $600,000 in guarantees to fund hoops and other sports on the campus.
The largest guarantee is “around” $100,000,” Jackson said.
What he’s doing is exceptional, but not the exception at the Dover school. Look at the non-conference strength of schedule column in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) in recent seasons. Since 2002-03, the Hornets’ SOS numbers are 15, 14, 36, 7, 12 and 24. This year’s will be up there, too.
Is that RPI, or RIP?
College offenses are changing and the spread is nowhere as prevalent as it was even two years ago. The running quarterback isn’t as popular in the pros and high school kids see the best shot at the ultimate level coming in a pro style offense. You can go on and on with reasons explaining how a quarterback just isn’t likely to run for a ton of yards.
Or, in Pat White’s case, more than two tons of yards.
The question when the season started was when Pat would break Brad Smith’s record. Within the season, the question became if he’d break the record. Now that it’s in Pat’s possession, the question is will it ever be broken. Popular opinion? Not any time soon.
No other active quarterback is in the top 20 among the position’s all-time rushing leaders and no one has more than 2,500 yards.
“This is one of those you might not see broken for 20 or 40 years,” said redshirt freshman Don Barclay, who made his first career start while junior left guard Greg Isdaner was limited to one series after sustaining a head injury in practice.
“Maybe it never gets broken. This is one of those ones you really look at like, ‘Wow, how the heck did he do that? You’ve got to average over 1,000 yards every season. As a quarterback. A lot of people still run the spread, but the running back gets the ball a lot. Pat’s so versatile, he runs and passes the ball.”
…from the weekend that was. For your use in elevator rides, trips to the water cooler and other awkward moments on a Monday.Â
– Seems to me bowls are a hot topic. Here is the scenario as it involves the Big East, Notre Dame, the Sun Bowl and the Gator Bowl. I’ll make it as simple as possible:
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The road to Charlotte detours in Louisville today and I’ve circled a trifecta at Churchill Downs. In light of that and the plain obvious fact I don’t want to be confused with clearly-losing-control Jim Leavitt, let’s jump into the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, do it for the kids.
Sam said:
I’ll happily argue that Schmitt goes down in history as a top-five favorite football player amongst WVU fans. I figure the list includes Pat White, Major Harris, Owen Schmitt, Sam Huff, and Brad Lewis…
I imagine this is sarcasm, but Brad Lewis really deserved a batter fate: Amazing bowl game performance followed by a coaching change that mangled his senior year, which ended with people cheering after he broke his clavicle. True story: I have a friend who actually fashioned a T-shirt that said, um, “Screw Brad Lewis” on the front and “Boo this man” on the back. On a cold day at Mountaineer Field during Brad’s senior year, my friend pulled off his sweatshirt to reveal the T-shirt, which was applauded. If you knew my friend, you’d be amazed not that he did this, but that he fashioned the shirt all by himself.
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