My Fiver on WVU's loss to the Longhorns in Austin Saturday night...
1. Not sure what Jordan Lesley was thinking. Last year vs. Texas, we completely sold out to stop their downfield passing game, as that is what Sark prefers to do. It forced Texas to the ground, and they were not patient enough to stick with it. While Texas did amass 203 yards rushing, we befuddled their QBs, despite giving up one deep ball TD to Xavier Worthy. This year, it was the opposite. We sold out to stop the run, which by and large, we did...but left our inexperienced secondary on their own. The result was predictable. It was like a pitch and catch session between Hudson Card and his buddies in the yard. We offered very little resistance, aside from the first drive.
2. Bandits and Spears. We run a defense which has these specialty positions - Bandit (in theory to put heat on opposing QBs) and Spear (a hybrid who can cover, rush the QB, and make tackles at the point of attack). And we are getting nada from these two positions. We could really use Tykee Smith, as he was your prototypical Spear. Jared Bartlett and Lanell Carr are not factors. If this secondary is going to have a chance the rest of this year, we need heat on opposing QBs.
3. Drops and painful penalties. The beginning of this game mirrored the beginning of WVU at KSU last year. A painful drop on a catchable ball, which results in a loss of possession, which directly results in a 7-0 deficit. The drops and inopportune penalties are getting old.
4. If the other team's DBs are going to hold our WRs on each play, and the refs are not calling it...then my take is that we should try the same tactics.
5. Neal Brown and where we go from here. I really want to believe that Brown will find a way and bag a "W" next Thursday vs. Baylor, get us to 3-3 and give us a shot at some sort of redeemable season. But, it's not the loss to Texas which concerns me - it's the way we lost. It was a complete pummeling. It was embarrassing. Can't happen. I think Graham Harrell and JTD will have the offense ready to go next week. But, we can't hide that secondary. Optimism is waning.
So, here's how I feel: WVU is a special program, with one hell of a history of fighting to not only become relevant, but to be a college football power at times. We've provided collegiate football fans, not only Mountaineers, but nationally, some serious entertainment with the storybook '88 and '93 seasons, players like Daryl Talley, Major Harris, Amos Zereoue, Pat White, Steve Slaton, Noel Devine, Tavon Austin, Bruce Irvin, Geno Smith, Kevin White. We don't back down from anyone. We are not a doormat. We do not want this program to become irrelevant. That is unacceptable. And we're on the way there with a one way ticket right now. So, what do we do?
Unless there is a major reversal of fortune, Shane Lyons had better already be out there looking...and I'm talking about a national search for a coach who is going to come in here, put a team together, and make WVU a major pain in the ass for anyone we play. Everyone strives for perfection nowadays - like Wisconsin with Paul Chryst. You are not going to find that. Instead, find a coach who has proven that he puts a staff, team and program together which fights like hell. We don't have to be 11-1 or 12-0 every year. I'd take the early Don Nehlen 9-3 years, so long as we put a product on the field which WVU fans would be proud of, would recognize as blue collar, and would be a major thorn in the side of the Penn States and Texases of the world. The coach is out there. You secure him first, then you make the move.
1. Not sure what Jordan Lesley was thinking. Last year vs. Texas, we completely sold out to stop their downfield passing game, as that is what Sark prefers to do. It forced Texas to the ground, and they were not patient enough to stick with it. While Texas did amass 203 yards rushing, we befuddled their QBs, despite giving up one deep ball TD to Xavier Worthy. This year, it was the opposite. We sold out to stop the run, which by and large, we did...but left our inexperienced secondary on their own. The result was predictable. It was like a pitch and catch session between Hudson Card and his buddies in the yard. We offered very little resistance, aside from the first drive.
2. Bandits and Spears. We run a defense which has these specialty positions - Bandit (in theory to put heat on opposing QBs) and Spear (a hybrid who can cover, rush the QB, and make tackles at the point of attack). And we are getting nada from these two positions. We could really use Tykee Smith, as he was your prototypical Spear. Jared Bartlett and Lanell Carr are not factors. If this secondary is going to have a chance the rest of this year, we need heat on opposing QBs.
3. Drops and painful penalties. The beginning of this game mirrored the beginning of WVU at KSU last year. A painful drop on a catchable ball, which results in a loss of possession, which directly results in a 7-0 deficit. The drops and inopportune penalties are getting old.
4. If the other team's DBs are going to hold our WRs on each play, and the refs are not calling it...then my take is that we should try the same tactics.
5. Neal Brown and where we go from here. I really want to believe that Brown will find a way and bag a "W" next Thursday vs. Baylor, get us to 3-3 and give us a shot at some sort of redeemable season. But, it's not the loss to Texas which concerns me - it's the way we lost. It was a complete pummeling. It was embarrassing. Can't happen. I think Graham Harrell and JTD will have the offense ready to go next week. But, we can't hide that secondary. Optimism is waning.
So, here's how I feel: WVU is a special program, with one hell of a history of fighting to not only become relevant, but to be a college football power at times. We've provided collegiate football fans, not only Mountaineers, but nationally, some serious entertainment with the storybook '88 and '93 seasons, players like Daryl Talley, Major Harris, Amos Zereoue, Pat White, Steve Slaton, Noel Devine, Tavon Austin, Bruce Irvin, Geno Smith, Kevin White. We don't back down from anyone. We are not a doormat. We do not want this program to become irrelevant. That is unacceptable. And we're on the way there with a one way ticket right now. So, what do we do?
Unless there is a major reversal of fortune, Shane Lyons had better already be out there looking...and I'm talking about a national search for a coach who is going to come in here, put a team together, and make WVU a major pain in the ass for anyone we play. Everyone strives for perfection nowadays - like Wisconsin with Paul Chryst. You are not going to find that. Instead, find a coach who has proven that he puts a staff, team and program together which fights like hell. We don't have to be 11-1 or 12-0 every year. I'd take the early Don Nehlen 9-3 years, so long as we put a product on the field which WVU fans would be proud of, would recognize as blue collar, and would be a major thorn in the side of the Penn States and Texases of the world. The coach is out there. You secure him first, then you make the move.
