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LET'S BE BRUTALLY HONEST

Cuyahoga Falls Eers

All-American
May 29, 2001
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The first 3 games WVU did better than the final score indicated (yes, even the Virginia Tech game, without Simms or Long).

Against Kansas, WVU did worse than the final score indicated.

My alma mater got breaks on penalties at crucial times for Kansas or my fingernails would have been chewed down to my first knuckle.

But Will Grier looks like a better QB than Geno Smith to me (you know, the guy who got paid for his professional sports opinion for decades) and I can't think of a higher praise for Grier than to write that.


It also was still another reminder that you cannot take ANY team for granted. Not even the worst team in the Big 12, which lost 2 games to teams in the Mid-American Conference. You know, the conference that WVU, in its long history, has NEVER lost a game to.

So the Mountaineers are 3-1 and get a, as it turns out, a timely week off and rest before TCU and Texas Tech come rumbling down the runway. Let's hope Will Grier's right hand isn't hurt seriously. Without WG, WVU is SOOL.

And you can take that to the bank from an ancient sportswriter who damn near joined his wife in Northlawn Memorial Gardens cemetery while watching this game.


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia Tech, 31-24
O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20
U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16
N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34
T errorize TCU
A nnihilate Texas Tech
I ncinerate Baylor
N ullify Oklahoma State
E rectile dysfunction Iowa State
E masculate Kansas State
R eam Texas
S hock Oklahoma
 
The first 3 games WVU did better than the final score indicated (yes, even the Virginia Tech game, without Simms or Long).

Against Kansas, WVU did worse than the final score indicated.

My alma mater got breaks on penalties at crucial times for Kansas or my fingernails would have been chewed down to my first knuckle.

But Will Grier looks like a better QB than Geno Smith to me (you know, the guy who got paid for his professional sports opinion for decades) and I can't think of a higher praise for Grier than to write that.


It also was still another reminder that you cannot take ANY team for granted. Not even the worst team in the Big 12, which lost 2 games to teams in the Mid-American Conference. You know, the conference that WVU, in its long history, has NEVER lost a game to.

So the Mountaineers are 3-1 and get a, as it turns out, a timely week off and rest before TCU and Texas Tech come rumbling down the runway. Let's hope Will Grier's right hand isn't hurt seriously. Without WG, WVU is SOOL.

And you can take that to the bank from an ancient sportswriter who damn near joined his wife in Northlawn Memorial Gardens cemetery while watching this game.


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia Tech, 31-24
O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20
U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16
N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34
T errorize TCU
A nnihilate Texas Tech
I ncinerate Baylor
N ullify Oklahoma State
E rectile dysfunction Iowa State
E masculate Kansas State
R eam Texas
S hock Oklahoma

Arguing from authority? Well more people who "get paid for their opinion" disagree with a majority of your opinions. If being a former sports commentator reinforces your arguments, how do you counter the current sports writers who disagree? Lee Corso gets paid for his opinion as well.
 
It’s simple really - while Geno was not better than his receivers....Grier is
 
Most of WVU's problems are that they haven't had to play or practice hard since playing VT. Of course, they think they are going full steam, but today the team was obviously not at it mental or physical peak because of another weak opponent. As Yogi Berra once said, sports are 90% mental and the other half is physical.
 
It’s simple really - while Geno was not better than his receivers....Grier is
Too many dropped passes that hit their hands. I agree with that. We can't have that against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech. Simms has great speed. Sills has great hands, but not always today. Without Grier, we lose this game.

Hopefully, this will make the defense and receivers and linebackers (all 3 of them) step up their game for the rest of the season.

After all, Florida State lost today and Oklahoma State is battling for its life against TCU (our, yikes!, next opponent).


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia
Tech, 31-24

O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20

U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16

N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34

T errorize TCU

A nnihilate Texas Tech

I ncinerate Baylor

N ullify Oklahoma State

E rectile dysfunction Iowa State

E masculate Kansas State

R eam Texas

S hock Oklahoma
 
Team has major issues on defense and special teams...and coaching. No excuses needed. Looking at 6-6 unless things improve dramatically.
 
Team has major issues on defense and special teams...and coaching. No excuses needed. Looking at 6-6 unless things improve dramatically.
6-6? My, aren't we grouchy today. Only 8 games left so that means 3-5 for the rest of the season. Iowa State, Baylor and only one other victory, huh? And losses to 5 of these 6: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas State?

I don't think so. Not with Will Grier already having 1,027 passing yards, 11 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs, Crawford getting 100+ rushing yards every game, Simms a blur going downfield for passes and returning kicks.

Take 2 aspirin, get a good night's sleep and you'll be less grouchy in the morning, particularly when you see how #4 Penn State, #24 Oregon, #3 Oklahoma, #5 Southern Cal, #6 Oklahoma State, #12 Florida State, #20 Florida, #22 San Diego State, #25 LSU, #23 Utah did.
They didn't all lose, but 10 of the top 25 teams did NOT have a cakewalk. They all had closer games than WVU did, or lost.

Their fans are probably grouchier than even you are.


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia
Tech, 31-24

O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20

U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16

N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34

T errorize TCU

A nnihilate Texas Tech

I ncinerate Baylor

N ullify Oklahoma State

E rectile dysfunction Iowa State

E masculate Kansas State

R eam Texas

S hock Oklahoma
 
6-6? My, aren't we grouchy today. Only 8 games left so that means 3-5 for the rest of the season. Iowa State, Baylor and only one other victory, huh? And losses to 5 of these 6: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas State?

I don't think so. Not with Will Grier already having 1,027 passing yards, 11 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs, Crawford getting 100+ rushing yards every game, Simms a blur going downfield for passes and returning kicks.

Take 2 aspirin, get a good night's sleep and you'll be less grouchy in the morning, particularly when you see how #4 Penn State, #24 Oregon, #3 Oklahoma, #5 Southern Cal, #6 Oklahoma State, #12 Florida State, #20 Florida, #22 San Diego State, #25 LSU, #23 Utah did.
They didn't all lose, but 10 of the top 25 teams did NOT have a cakewalk. They all had closer games than WVU did, or lost.

Their fans are probably grouchier than even you are.


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia
Tech, 31-24

O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20

U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16

N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34

T errorize TCU

A nnihilate Texas Tech

I ncinerate Baylor

N ullify Oklahoma State

E rectile dysfunction Iowa State

E masculate Kansas State

R eam Texas

S hock Oklahoma

Is that so unreasonable? 4 games in and little evidence suggests WVU has a good chance against OU and TCU on the road. OSU is no slouch and won't let Grier drink coffee in the pocket. Texas will likely be better at the end of the season. Baylor just showed they have some life despite their horrendous start because they still have some good talent in the cupboard and we play them on the road. (Kind of like the 2002 Mountaineers that started 1-3 with a loss to a bad Cincy team before going 8-4). Texas Tech won't be as forgiving as Kansas. So 6-6 isn't likely, it's still far more plausible than WVU playing for the Big XII championship. I see 3 highly probable losses in OU, OSU, TCU. 1 likely loss at KSU. 2 likely wins with ISU at home and Baylor on the road. 2 toss ups against TTU and Texas. Anything can happen in sports, but WVU is unlikely to be outside of 6-8 wins this season.
 
Is that so unreasonable? 4 games in and little evidence suggests WVU has a good chance against OU and TCU on the road. OSU is no slouch and won't let Grier drink coffee in the pocket. Texas will likely be better at the end of the season. Baylor just showed they have some life despite their horrendous start because they still have some good talent in the cupboard and we play them on the road. (Kind of like the 2002 Mountaineers that started 1-3 with a loss to a bad Cincy team before going 8-4). Texas Tech won't be as forgiving as Kansas. So 6-6 isn't likely, it's still far more plausible than WVU playing for the Big XII championship. I see 3 highly probable losses in OU, OSU, TCU. 1 likely loss at KSU. 2 likely wins with ISU at home and Baylor on the road. 2 toss ups against TTU and Texas. Anything can happen in sports, but WVU is unlikely to be outside of 6-8 wins this season.
You mean the Oklahoma team that only beat Baylor, which beats no one this season, by 8 points? The Oklahoma State team that lost to TCU?

WVU will come closer to first place in the Big 12 than 6-6 for the season. T

hese are 18 to 22 year olds. The same age group in this country that is dying of opioid use, cruises for chicks who aren't always cooperative with their goals of getting another notch on their bedposts, that has the same mentality we did at that age: It seemed like a good idea at the time.



The #1 character of this age group: Unpredictability. That is what makes college football so much more fun than the NFL.

On the same day, Kansas scared the poop out of WVU and Baylor did the same to Oklahoma.

WVU has as good a chance as any team of winning the Big 12 this year, IF Grier stays healthy.

I believe in my alma mater. Doubting Thomases can come along later and say they knew all along WVU could do it. I say it now.



M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia
Tech, 31-24

O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20

U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16

N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34

T errorize TCU

A nnihilate Texas Tech

I ncinerate Baylor

N ullify Oklahoma State

E rectile dysfunction Iowa State

E masculate Kansas State

R eam Texas

S hock Oklahoma



 
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"The #1 character of this age group: Unpredictability."

Yet you can confidently say that WVU won't go 6-6. Seems that is counter to your statement. Also, WVU struggles vs a poor Kansas squad and it's not indicative of WVU's flaws as a team, but Oklahoma struggling with Baylor Is? Seems you are selective in your analysis.
 
"The #1 character of this age group: Unpredictability."

Yet you can confidently say that WVU won't go 6-6. Seems that is counter to your statement. Also, WVU struggles vs a poor Kansas squad and it's not indicative of WVU's flaws as a team, but Oklahoma struggling with Baylor Is? Seems you are selective in your analysis.

As Justice Learned Hand said: "A prejudiced person is someone whose bias differs from yours."
OK, yes, WVU's struggles against Kansas exposed the Mountaineers' flaws WHILE PLAYING WITH 7 DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OUT WITH INJURIES BY THE END OF THE GAME. And, yes, with those players in the game in the beginning, Kansas out-coached WVU. The Mountaineers' defensive weakness is that it lost 8 starters from a 2016 team that had FOUR players drafted in the first 4 rounds of the NFL draft.
The point I made, and repeat, is that NO team in the Big 12 is immune to losing to ANY other team in the Big 12. Kansas and Baylor proved that. TCU proved that.

I will repeat another statement I made: Beating another Big 12 team is tougher than beating Ohio State. Ask Oklahoma. Baylor gave Oklahoma fits and the Buckeyes didn't. That's great for the Big 12 although we do tend to eat our own in conference play. That's what makes it a great conference!


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia
Tech, 31-24

O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20

U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16

N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34

T errorize TCU

A nnihilate Texas Tech

I ncinerate Baylor

N ullify Oklahoma State

E rectile dysfunction Iowa State

E masculate Kansas State

R eam Texas

S hock Oklahoma

 
Team has major issues on defense and special teams...and coaching. No excuses needed. Looking at 6-6 unless things improve dramatically.

Yep. The past couple of weeks have been giving me that "It's gonna be a long season." feeling. You can't lose eight starters two years in a row on defense and not have it bite you.

When a five foot ten inch true freshman nose guard in the two eighty range is getting a sizable number of the snaps at the position that anchors your d-line, despite what his future potential may be, and I like him, you've got big trouble.
 
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This team will get better but unfortunately the competition is getting better too...or already are. The injury to Grier although not bad is a scary thing. Without him our chances of outscoring others goes down.One hit away from really funky things.
 
This team will get better but unfortunately the competition is getting better too...or already are. The injury to Grier although not bad is a scary thing. Without him our chances of outscoring others goes down.One hit away from really funky things.
WVU's season record will depend, above all, on keeping Grier healthy. If Grier stays healthy, and Marcum Simms, Sills and Crawford keep doing their thing, then there is NO team in the Big 12 that WVU can't beat ... or lose to.


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia
Tech, 31-24

O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20

U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16

N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34

T errorize TCU

A nnihilate Texas Tech

I ncinerate Baylor

N ullify Oklahoma State

E rectile dysfunction Iowa State

E masculate Kansas State

R eam Texas

S hock Oklahoma
 
"thenthere is NO team in the Big 12 that WVUcan't beat ... or lose to."

If that's truly the case then your assessment that WVU is more likely to compete for Big XII title than go 6-6 Is erroneous. If that's true, just splitting the difference puts WVU at 7-5. There is more evidence based upon the product on the field to support 6-6 than competing for Big 12 title. Sure things can change and the team can improve. But defensive woes have been present even when most everyone is healthy. Offense going cold or massing yards without points has been a problem. Special teams have been atrocious. I'm all for being optimistic, but I'm not for calling blind optimism objective truth or "expert" opinion.
 
I prefer to be loyal to my family, my friends and my alma mater.
I think WVU CAN win the Big 12 title. Will it? Who knows?
But Baylor proved that Oklahoma is beatable. TCU proved that Oklahoma State is beatable. Those are the top 2 teams in the Big 12 by all the experts' opinions. So why not WVU? Till the Mountaineers lose, I expect them to win. Grier, Simms, Sills and Crawford are good reasons for WVU to win. Tony Gibson eventually will get the defense in gear. After all, he lost 8 starters from the 2016 team. It's taking time to get them up to speed. And WVU has not lost since Simms returned. And if David Long gets healthy and can play, the defense will be incrementally better. I prefer to laugh over crying. I don't have blinders; just gold and blue glasses.


M angy special teams + absence of Simms & Long = loss to Virginia Tech, 31-24

O bliterated East Carolina, 56-20

U nhinged Delaware State, 59-16

N ot pretty but we’ll take it, over Kansas, 56-34

T errorize TCU

A nnihilate Texas Tech

I ncinerate Baylor

N ullify Oklahoma State

E rectile dysfunction Iowa State

E masculate Kansas State

R eam Texas

S hock Oklahoma

 
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Reactions: Phil
I think it is a little too early for these type projections. Other than VT, our games have not really been a good indicator of anything. Our defense looked very good at times against VT and after things got started, our offense had its way with a very good VT defense.

Of course, I wasn't sleeping Saturday and did see reason for concern when we can't stop a bad Kansas team. Ok, I know they are improving but they still have lost to two non power 5 teams already this season.

My concern is, Big 12 defenses appear to be getting better, especially at the top of the conference, while our defense does not seem to be going in that direction. We have wasted some very good offensive teams in the past with some bad defenses.

In my opinion, the TCU game will give us an indication of where this team stands. We do not have to win for our season to be successful, but we cannot get embarrassed either. I hold out hope that with returning players on defense and some coaching, things will improve. The VT game gives us reason to be optimistic.

Team has major issues on defense and special teams...and coaching. No excuses needed. Looking at 6-6 unless things improve dramatically.
 
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