13-9 was not as poorly coached as many thinks

[JohnnyDrama388]

I did a little digging to see if the narrative that RR "cost us the Pitt game" was true OR if he was getting scapegoated for things out of his control (the media's favorite trick)

well ....

He ABSOLUTELY DID NOT cost us the game for 2 reasons.

1.) How can he control a talented kicker (McAfee) missing TWO 20 yd field goals? That right there is 6 points.

2.) How can get control the best QB in WVU history missing 1.5 quarters worth of action? He was out for 3 CRUCIAL drives that ended in punt, punt, fumble + was obviously was still a bit dinged up when he came back in the 4th. A healthy Pat White is worth at least another 7 points.

20-13 final. Not pretty, but doesn't matter.

WVU vs. Ohio St in New Orleans.

Rich Rod is beloved forever.

 

[GetYaNumbersUp]

If we had Deforest back then Macafee makes those kicks.

 

[Pushingtin]

All the things being true to what you post...in the end it was a poorly coached and prepared game against a team we were much more talented than..

 

[Jakey_John]

Pitt did not miss one tackle that night. If that game was played 99 more times that probably wouldn't have happened again. Wannstedt knew what a victory would mean that night and he had the team prepared for it. There was not much RR could do. They could have handled anyone that night and your ranking at the time proved it.

 

[ThePunish-EER]

All the things being true to what you post...in the end it was a poorly coached and prepared game against a team we were much more talented than..

no, it was Paul Rhodes figuring out how to stop our one dimensional offense. He had his safety play up on our receivers to stop the bubble screen while stacking the box up front. We had no answer.

 

[LowFatMilk]

no, it was Paul Rhodes figuring out how to stop our one dimensional offense. He had his safety play up on our receivers to stop the bubble screen while stacking the box up front. We had no answer.

He had the answer... ...RRod's ego ( which typically helped him win) just refused to use it.

I mean you, as average Joe Poster, just posted what went wrong.... ....and I know that you understand what should have eventually happened to fix it.

 

[GoWVU]

Despite being heavily criticized at the time as a scheme that left us unable to rally from large deficits, the irony is that RR's one-dimensional offense was responsible for both the second-largest and third-largest comebacks to win in WVU history.

Not what you'd expect from a run-heavy attack, but it's the truth.

 

[WVUroller]

no, it was Paul Rhodes figuring out how to stop our one dimensional offense. He had his safety play up on our receivers to stop the bubble screen while stacking the box up front. We had no answer.

Yes a lot of truth here...That is why you let your receivers go 15 yards down field and get behind a stacked line and a good coach would have done this at half time and a great coach after the first offensive series!

 

[Jakey_John]

That would have worked but neither QB had the time that night.

 

[The Bell Tolls for Thee]

no, it was Paul Rhodes figuring out how to stop our one dimensional offense. He had his safety play up on our receivers to stop the bubble screen while stacking the box up front. We had no answer.

Bingo! On multiple occasions during that game Pitt had 8 guys in the box in 3 receiver sets and the guy covering the slot was close to the line and positioned half way between the receiver and the offensive line. Check out of the run and send the WR deep and the slot on a quick out route. Easy completions were available all day, but WVU just refused to throw. anything other than the bubble screen.

 

[Mountain Man]

Rods failure to go for the TD on those 4th and short goals had something to do with it too.

 

[EnginEER 89]

For one, he should have kept the defense in when Pitt had 4th and one on our forty. The whole country knew that was going to be a fake.

Lgm!!

 

[dogeered_again]

Where was the "tight end" in these scenarios? Perhaps a more valuable tool. RR didn't develop or utilize it.

 

[There goes the Major]

I did a little digging to see if the narrative that RR "cost us the Pitt game" was true OR if he was getting scapegoated for things out of his control (the media's favorite trick)

well ....

He ABSOLUTELY DID NOT cost us the game for 2 reasons.

1.) How can he control a talented kicker (McAfee) missing TWO 20 yd field goals? That right there is 6 points.

2.) How can get control the best QB in WVU history missing 1.5 quarters worth of action? He was out for 3 CRUCIAL drives that ended in punt, punt, fumble + was obviously was still a bit dinged up when he came back in the 4th. A healthy Pat White is worth at least another 7 points.

20-13 final. Not pretty, but doesn't matter.

WVU vs. Ohio St in New Orleans.

Rich Rod is beloved forever.

 

[There goes the Major]

If you lose to, what, a 28 point underdog, its coaching. Unless you have like +5 turnovers and your 3 best players go down in the first quarter.

 

[ThePunish-EER]

If you lose to, what, a 28 point underdog, its coaching. Unless you have like +5 turnovers and your 3 best players go down in the first quarter.

or your star qb gets hurt and your kicker misses 2 short field goals. Oh wait, that did happen.

 

[There goes the Major]

or your star qb gets hurt and your kicker misses 2 short field goals. Oh wait, that did happen.

yeah, I know that happened. That is something an average coach would overcome in this situation. And PW was healthy most of the game.

 

[ThePunish-EER]

yeah, I know that happened. That is something an average coach would overcome in this situation. And PW was healthy most of the game.

lol he missed significant time and came back but wasn't the same either. And no an average coach is not guaranteed to overcome that. It's called an upset. It happens. To bad, good, and even great coaches. Learn football.

 

[pressvirginia]

Pat or Jarrett should've been able to win that game. Pitt was turning a temporary corner that night as a program and was pretty good thereafter (they beat WVU again in 08), but WVU had the far, far superior team (see following game result in Fiesta) despite the embarrassing loss.

Five fumbles were equally a killer as were the missed chip shot FGs from a future NFL leg. Pitt took those fumbles and played keep away with McCoy -- 38 carries for 148 yards, but 0 TDs.

The D kept McCoy out of the end zone, held Pitt to 72 yards passing & picked off Bostick twice. That's more than enough to win.

Should've found a way. I blame the fumbling, missed kicks and offensive play calling collectively.

These things happen though: on 12/2/2006 - almost the exact day a year prior - a 6-5 UCLA team beat No. 2 USC, 13-9, knocking the Trojans out of the BCS championship game. Both games were the biggest upsets of their respective seasons, both bounced the No. 2-ranked team from the national championship and both occurred with the exact same score.

 

[There goes the Major]

lol he missed significant time and came back but wasn't the same either. And no an average coach is not guaranteed to overcome that. It's called an upset. It happens. To bad, good, and even great coaches. Learn football.

"Learn football"--Really, dude?

 

[wbgvwbgv]

I did a little digging to see if the narrative that RR "cost us the Pitt game" was true OR if he was getting scapegoated for things out of his control (the media's favorite trick)

well ....

He ABSOLUTELY DID NOT cost us the game for 2 reasons.

1.) How can he control a talented kicker (McAfee) missing TWO 20 yd field goals? That right there is 6 points.

2.) How can get control the best QB in WVU history missing 1.5 quarters worth of action? He was out for 3 CRUCIAL drives that ended in punt, punt, fumble + was obviously was still a bit dinged up when he came back in the 4th. A healthy Pat White is worth at least another 7 points.

20-13 final. Not pretty, but doesn't matter.

WVU vs. Ohio St in New Orleans.

Rich Rod is beloved forever.

Even though WVU beat Pitt 2 out of every 3 times played during the last 20 years of the series, our game every season was always the biggest one on Pitt's schedule and the outcome wasn't always indicative of either team's record.

 

[HurdyGurdyEer]

Rod ain't coming back ... at least not anytime soon.
13-9 was a perfect storm that, among other factors, included a stubborn head coach.