In the 80s, WVU was an Independent, and life was good. Eastern Independent football was on par with, or better than, the SEC in this days. You had WVU, Pitt, Penn State, Syracuse, BC, VT, Miami (Fla.), Florida State, and others. If you were the best Independent, chances were that you were either winning the national championship, or playing in the title game.
Then in the early 90s, the first round of conference poaching occurred when Penn State created a seismic shift by joining the Big Ten, and spurning the East. Florida State joined the ACC, South Carolina and Arkansas joined the SEC, and WVU joined several Eastern foes in the Big East conference. While at first the Big East was seen as an inferior league, it grew in stature as Miami, VT, Syracuse, and WVU all had stellar years early on, and players like Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Edgerrin James and many others took the forefront. Things were good until...
2004 - when Virginia Tech, BC & Miami joined the ACC. Folks figured WVU was left for dead in the Big East 2.0. However, WVU instead ran off four consecutive double-digit win seasons behind Pat White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt & Co. Three BCS bowl victories in 7 seasons, multiple top ten rankings, and cult following to boot - loved watching WVU play ball with players like White, Slaton, Noel Devine, Geno Smith, Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin. Things were better than ever, although WVU had lost all of our natural rivals with Pitt & Syracuse leaving to join the ACC in 2011, and Maryland & Rutgers jumping to the Big Ten. What was WVU to do? Everyone panicked, but then....
2012 WVU joins the Big 12. Was this a natural fit? NO. Is it awkward at times? YES. Was it a great move for WVU at the time it was made? ABSOLUTELY. We stumbled uphill, and fell into a P5 league where teams now make upwards of $30 million-$40 million per annum in revenue. We've replaced old foes Pitt, Penn State, Syracuse and VT with Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor. We've had epic games - winning once in front of over 100,000 fans on national TV in Austin. It's been great for WVU football and basketball both. Press Virginia was an absolute stroke of genius (hint, hint). But, now, here goes realignment once again, rearing its head when WVU seemingly is finding comfort. So, what are we to do?
2022 - Chaos is a Ladder. I was thrilled to see that, after Texas and OU left for the SEC - that now USC and UCLA are going to be conference mates with Rutgers and Maryland. Let the reshuffling begin. Currently, we're in a reconfigured Big 12, which is OK. However, when the dust settles on this thing, WVU will come out in a better position. We always do. It's not just dumb luck and whistling through the Graveyard. WVU has too many people in high places who care. WVU has too passionate a fanbase. WVU has folks like Bob Huggins, E. Gordon Gee, Jerry West, Ken Kendrick, and even new era players like Mike Gansey and Pat McAfee, who will help sway influence. Shane Lyons needs to prove he's up to the task, but from personal interaction I've had with him, I think he is.
When the dust settles, I fully expect everyone to be happy with where we land. The more chaos, the better for us. And I've been saying for years that all WVU needs is an opportunity to compete and we'll thrive.
And not for nothing - don't sleep on how important it was to land the combo of Graham Harrell and JT Daniels this offseason. WVU needs to get back to being a high flying FUN offense again. WVU was appointment television for years. The Neal Brown-Jarrett Doege combo has squandered that somewhat, despite the fact that we've played rock solid "D" over the past three seasons. But, this 2022 season is important for the idea of WVU becoming a fun watch again, being on the minds of many in high places, winning important games (BACKYARD BRAWL), and continuing to "fall uphill" as we always have during Realignment Chaos.
Then in the early 90s, the first round of conference poaching occurred when Penn State created a seismic shift by joining the Big Ten, and spurning the East. Florida State joined the ACC, South Carolina and Arkansas joined the SEC, and WVU joined several Eastern foes in the Big East conference. While at first the Big East was seen as an inferior league, it grew in stature as Miami, VT, Syracuse, and WVU all had stellar years early on, and players like Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Edgerrin James and many others took the forefront. Things were good until...
2004 - when Virginia Tech, BC & Miami joined the ACC. Folks figured WVU was left for dead in the Big East 2.0. However, WVU instead ran off four consecutive double-digit win seasons behind Pat White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt & Co. Three BCS bowl victories in 7 seasons, multiple top ten rankings, and cult following to boot - loved watching WVU play ball with players like White, Slaton, Noel Devine, Geno Smith, Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin. Things were better than ever, although WVU had lost all of our natural rivals with Pitt & Syracuse leaving to join the ACC in 2011, and Maryland & Rutgers jumping to the Big Ten. What was WVU to do? Everyone panicked, but then....
2012 WVU joins the Big 12. Was this a natural fit? NO. Is it awkward at times? YES. Was it a great move for WVU at the time it was made? ABSOLUTELY. We stumbled uphill, and fell into a P5 league where teams now make upwards of $30 million-$40 million per annum in revenue. We've replaced old foes Pitt, Penn State, Syracuse and VT with Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor. We've had epic games - winning once in front of over 100,000 fans on national TV in Austin. It's been great for WVU football and basketball both. Press Virginia was an absolute stroke of genius (hint, hint). But, now, here goes realignment once again, rearing its head when WVU seemingly is finding comfort. So, what are we to do?
2022 - Chaos is a Ladder. I was thrilled to see that, after Texas and OU left for the SEC - that now USC and UCLA are going to be conference mates with Rutgers and Maryland. Let the reshuffling begin. Currently, we're in a reconfigured Big 12, which is OK. However, when the dust settles on this thing, WVU will come out in a better position. We always do. It's not just dumb luck and whistling through the Graveyard. WVU has too many people in high places who care. WVU has too passionate a fanbase. WVU has folks like Bob Huggins, E. Gordon Gee, Jerry West, Ken Kendrick, and even new era players like Mike Gansey and Pat McAfee, who will help sway influence. Shane Lyons needs to prove he's up to the task, but from personal interaction I've had with him, I think he is.
When the dust settles, I fully expect everyone to be happy with where we land. The more chaos, the better for us. And I've been saying for years that all WVU needs is an opportunity to compete and we'll thrive.
And not for nothing - don't sleep on how important it was to land the combo of Graham Harrell and JT Daniels this offseason. WVU needs to get back to being a high flying FUN offense again. WVU was appointment television for years. The Neal Brown-Jarrett Doege combo has squandered that somewhat, despite the fact that we've played rock solid "D" over the past three seasons. But, this 2022 season is important for the idea of WVU becoming a fun watch again, being on the minds of many in high places, winning important games (BACKYARD BRAWL), and continuing to "fall uphill" as we always have during Realignment Chaos.
