--West Virginia head coach Neal Brown thanked the fans that were here for the game BYU and there was a great energy in the stadium. This can be one of the toughest places to play in the league. The Mountaineers played very well on offense and defense and they got a lot of people in the game. The procedural penalties and the special teams with the return unit were struggles. He was very disappointed with kickoff team they had short kickoffs with low hangtime which is hard to cover. Field goal block team they continue to get pressure which affected the kick they missed. They need the core players to play better on special teams. West Virginia only allowed 67 yards rushing and they were very good on end of possession downs. The defense flew around and tackled better but they need to improve on the pass rush. They got pushed by the quarterback too much and the zone drops were better but they're still off the landmarks. On offense, 336 yards rushing and they only had five negative yards the whole game. They need to fix the penalties and the red zone they had to settle for field goals but they need to get better on third down. They left a ton of passing yards out there in the game.
--Zach Frazier graded out 96-percent and was offensive lineman of the week. Long snapper Austin Brinkman was special teams player of the week. On defense it was Anthony Wilson. Offensive player of the week was Jaheim White and he played well with and without the ball. The blue collar award goes to Brandon Yates playing three positions and the other was Preston Fox on offense and Ben Cutter and Jalen Thornton on defense. Sean Boyle, DJ Cotton and Derek Berlitz were scout team players of the week.
--Brown said Oklahoma is one of the best program's in the country. He's gone against Brett Venables several times and has great respect for them. They are dangerous at returner and have some really good kickers, including a left footed and right footed punter. Offensively, they play as fast as anybody in the country so alignment will be critical. Drake Stoops is their jack of all trades, he does everything and they are balanced. They are always good up front. This is the fourth potential first rounder they're going to play on a potential opponent's offensive line. They use RPOs to challenge with the run and the pass. Dillon Gabriel has played at a high level at QB. Defensively they are multiple and going to put pressure on you while mixing up the coverages. They are attacking and you can see they are enjoying playing for him and will get hats to the football.
--Doug Nester moved around today and they will know more as the week goes. He is questionable but definitely could play. Hudson Clement could have played, he practiced a little bit but he dressed and made the decision not to play him until he is 100-percent. They are hopeful he can play.
--Kole Taylor had a nice run after the catch on his touchdown, but this would be the first time Brown has had a tight end lead his team in catches.
--Why throw it underneath if the completion percentage is the same so let's throw it further down the field? The completion percentage needs to be closer to 55-60 percent. Garrett Greene needs to get his body aligned and he falls off to the left. He does it and he's not as consistent with it. The ball to Preston Fox on the touchdown was as good as any you'll see this year, but he needs to correct his fundamentals all the time.
--Brown believes that motivation is important when using the 14th selection pre-season. It all starts with that's what people thought of them and the program at the starting of the year and they are up to prove that wrong until the end. They were picked to finish last and that's what it is.
--The last time West Virginia traveled to Oklahoma they got beat on a walk-off field goal and it left a sour taste in the mouth. Brown doesn't care who they play in the league and as long as they don't have to do back-to-back in the West Coast he doesn't care.
--Brown doesn't think it was anything deep, you play your best players. If you have the choice between talent and experience, you're going to take talent although there will be some lumps. He felt good about the evaluation process. Some of them got here in the spring and they needed to put them in the position to have success.
--Traylon Ray has done well and with Jaheim White Brown isn't surprised. Rodney Gallagher has played well. Sometimes we forget people that don't play immediately and some of the players that are redshirting have bright future as well such as James Heard.
--Rodney Gallagher played more true wide receiver in this game. He's going to be a guy as he progresses and really learns how to run routes and be good in the middle of the field in options routes. They're going to get him the ball handing it to him. He can play some wildcat and things as he gets thicker. He has great ball skills.
--Brown said they tried to do Donaldson and White on the field at the same time against BYU but he got stepped on. If you're going to play both running backs they have to block.
--DJ Oliver has played four games right now, they will meet with him and figure that out. He started on three special teams units and they really like him. That was by far the best special teams. If he's going to play for the rest of the year, they need to use him.
--It's like anything else with the portal they have some hits and misses. West Virginia added guys that have made contributions and have been important in the locker room. West Virginia is going to be aggressive again in the portal and you have to work to retain the best players and at the positions of need be aggressive. You will see more players that are younger that can have big impacts.
--Zach Frazier graded out 96-percent and was offensive lineman of the week. Long snapper Austin Brinkman was special teams player of the week. On defense it was Anthony Wilson. Offensive player of the week was Jaheim White and he played well with and without the ball. The blue collar award goes to Brandon Yates playing three positions and the other was Preston Fox on offense and Ben Cutter and Jalen Thornton on defense. Sean Boyle, DJ Cotton and Derek Berlitz were scout team players of the week.
--Brown said Oklahoma is one of the best program's in the country. He's gone against Brett Venables several times and has great respect for them. They are dangerous at returner and have some really good kickers, including a left footed and right footed punter. Offensively, they play as fast as anybody in the country so alignment will be critical. Drake Stoops is their jack of all trades, he does everything and they are balanced. They are always good up front. This is the fourth potential first rounder they're going to play on a potential opponent's offensive line. They use RPOs to challenge with the run and the pass. Dillon Gabriel has played at a high level at QB. Defensively they are multiple and going to put pressure on you while mixing up the coverages. They are attacking and you can see they are enjoying playing for him and will get hats to the football.
--Doug Nester moved around today and they will know more as the week goes. He is questionable but definitely could play. Hudson Clement could have played, he practiced a little bit but he dressed and made the decision not to play him until he is 100-percent. They are hopeful he can play.
--Kole Taylor had a nice run after the catch on his touchdown, but this would be the first time Brown has had a tight end lead his team in catches.
--Why throw it underneath if the completion percentage is the same so let's throw it further down the field? The completion percentage needs to be closer to 55-60 percent. Garrett Greene needs to get his body aligned and he falls off to the left. He does it and he's not as consistent with it. The ball to Preston Fox on the touchdown was as good as any you'll see this year, but he needs to correct his fundamentals all the time.
--Brown believes that motivation is important when using the 14th selection pre-season. It all starts with that's what people thought of them and the program at the starting of the year and they are up to prove that wrong until the end. They were picked to finish last and that's what it is.
--The last time West Virginia traveled to Oklahoma they got beat on a walk-off field goal and it left a sour taste in the mouth. Brown doesn't care who they play in the league and as long as they don't have to do back-to-back in the West Coast he doesn't care.
--Brown doesn't think it was anything deep, you play your best players. If you have the choice between talent and experience, you're going to take talent although there will be some lumps. He felt good about the evaluation process. Some of them got here in the spring and they needed to put them in the position to have success.
--Traylon Ray has done well and with Jaheim White Brown isn't surprised. Rodney Gallagher has played well. Sometimes we forget people that don't play immediately and some of the players that are redshirting have bright future as well such as James Heard.
--Rodney Gallagher played more true wide receiver in this game. He's going to be a guy as he progresses and really learns how to run routes and be good in the middle of the field in options routes. They're going to get him the ball handing it to him. He can play some wildcat and things as he gets thicker. He has great ball skills.
--Brown said they tried to do Donaldson and White on the field at the same time against BYU but he got stepped on. If you're going to play both running backs they have to block.
--DJ Oliver has played four games right now, they will meet with him and figure that out. He started on three special teams units and they really like him. That was by far the best special teams. If he's going to play for the rest of the year, they need to use him.
--It's like anything else with the portal they have some hits and misses. West Virginia added guys that have made contributions and have been important in the locker room. West Virginia is going to be aggressive again in the portal and you have to work to retain the best players and at the positions of need be aggressive. You will see more players that are younger that can have big impacts.
