Once silver lining
- Thread starter EERs 3:16
- Start date
First game of the year and in a new system with a new QB - no....no I don’t... Five games into the season and then I would consider them to be dumb penalties
My observations:
WVU has never lost to an FCS level school.
It was worrisome, but the Mountaineers are 20-0 vs. FCS schools (below the Power Five conferences like the Big 12) after escaping James Madison, 20-13, in the season opener in Mountaineer Field before 61,891, the most for a season opener since Ohio State showed up in 1998 after being reminded by WVU officials that it owed the Mountaineers a return game to the one played in Columbus a decade earlier.
It was hot in Section 105 in the first half, in particular, but cloud cover helped in the second half. The players with all that equipment on had to be super-sauna sweating.
WVU is 3-0 all-time against James Madison.
WVU had five first-time starters on defense and four on offense.
WVU averaged 1.4 yards per carry on the ground! That’s a problem that needs fixed, and fast.
While other WVU receivers were dropping passes, T.J. Simmons caught 5 for 58 yards – including 2 great grabs -- but that was almost entirely in the first half. Did he get hurt or cramp up in the heat?
Kudos to the WVU defense. After giving up 137 rushing yards in the first half, with the James Madison’s QB doing most of the damage, the defense allowed only 35 in the second half.
WVU’s offense didn’t improve nearly as much in the 2nd half against a non-Power Five team. The running game never got untracked. And there were way too many dropped passes and errant throws in the game.
North Carolina State whipped East Carolina, 34-6. The Wolfpack visit Mountaineer Field at noon Saturday, September 14. The wobbles need to be fixed by then, or it could be a worrisome season for Neal Brown’s debut year.
Before that, WVU has to visit Missouri, which played Wyoming on Saturday and is in a dogfight.
Then come the Big 12 gauntlet although at least the first conference game is Kansas. Maybe Neal Brown’s team can be ready for the Jayhawks, which only beat Indiana State by 24-17.
But a LOT of improvement is needed by this young team and new coaching staff. Openers are notorious for having glitches, but the WVU running game and (in the first half) rushing defense were ulcer-makers.
I can’t wait to see how the rest of the season turns out.
As usual it was a joy to sing "Country Roads" with almost 62,000 WVU fans after the victory.
WVU has never lost to an FCS level school.
It was worrisome, but the Mountaineers are 20-0 vs. FCS schools (below the Power Five conferences like the Big 12) after escaping James Madison, 20-13, in the season opener in Mountaineer Field before 61,891, the most for a season opener since Ohio State showed up in 1998 after being reminded by WVU officials that it owed the Mountaineers a return game to the one played in Columbus a decade earlier.
It was hot in Section 105 in the first half, in particular, but cloud cover helped in the second half. The players with all that equipment on had to be super-sauna sweating.
WVU is 3-0 all-time against James Madison.
WVU had five first-time starters on defense and four on offense.
WVU averaged 1.4 yards per carry on the ground! That’s a problem that needs fixed, and fast.
While other WVU receivers were dropping passes, T.J. Simmons caught 5 for 58 yards – including 2 great grabs -- but that was almost entirely in the first half. Did he get hurt or cramp up in the heat?
Kudos to the WVU defense. After giving up 137 rushing yards in the first half, with the James Madison’s QB doing most of the damage, the defense allowed only 35 in the second half.
WVU’s offense didn’t improve nearly as much in the 2nd half against a non-Power Five team. The running game never got untracked. And there were way too many dropped passes and errant throws in the game.
North Carolina State whipped East Carolina, 34-6. The Wolfpack visit Mountaineer Field at noon Saturday, September 14. The wobbles need to be fixed by then, or it could be a worrisome season for Neal Brown’s debut year.
Before that, WVU has to visit Missouri, which played Wyoming on Saturday and is in a dogfight.
Then come the Big 12 gauntlet although at least the first conference game is Kansas. Maybe Neal Brown’s team can be ready for the Jayhawks, which only beat Indiana State by 24-17.
But a LOT of improvement is needed by this young team and new coaching staff. Openers are notorious for having glitches, but the WVU running game and (in the first half) rushing defense were ulcer-makers.
I can’t wait to see how the rest of the season turns out.
As usual it was a joy to sing "Country Roads" with almost 62,000 WVU fans after the victory.
Had Holgorsen had such a pitiful showing against an FCS team all of you would be bashing him mercilessly.
Now its all good huh? A wins a win?
Funny how it wasnt the last several years.
Looks to be a loooooong season.
Now its all good huh? A wins a win?
Funny how it wasnt the last several years.
Looks to be a loooooong season.