WVU vs. Colorado: Position Grades (And Recap)

by The Double U on Oct 2, 2009 11:00 AM EDT Comment 31 comments

Good Lord, what a game.

Colorado is not good and, unfortunately, we're only a Noel Devine better than them. I'll have to admit, for as dumb as Jeff Mullen is, at least he learns (slowly) from his mistakes. After he blew the Auburn game by keeping the ball in the hands of a... (cough)... uhh.... "below-average" quarterback, he decided to win this game by just giving the rock to Noel Devine on every single play in the clutch. I advise everyone to look at the play-by-play from the time Brown went "Incomplete-12yd Sack-13yd Sack" in the 3rd Quarter. After that atrocious drive, which ended with the offense being booed off the field, the offense ran 21 plays, 20 of them rushing plays. We piled up 14 points and ate a huge amount of time off of the clock. Three cheers for Jeff-boy, he can learn.

Of course, he's still stupid enough to keep the ball in the air early in the game. Our passing figures look average (12/19 for 148 and 2 TDs) until you include the 7 scrambles for -15 and a fumble. Once you put those numbers in, it's 26 pass plays for 133yd, 2 TD and a turnover. That ain't pretty. That also changes the rushing stats to 35 for 272 and 3TD. For everyone keeping score at home, the ground game has given away the ball 0 times in the past 8 quarters. The passing attack has turned the ball over 9 times. At any rate, hopefully the brain trust on the offensive side of the ball figures out that we're fucking Nebraska and we roll the rest of the season. I doubt it.

Defensively, we played another good game. The boys on D kept us close enough to let Noel Devine win it. Usually these short passing attack teams are big trouble for us and this was no different at first. Hawkins was completing 5yrd outs on us at will. Casteel called a good adjustment where the outside linebacker flared out under the route and almost picked on off (I think it was about 9min to go in the 1st quarter. After that Hawkins was a little more unsure of himself and starting making big mistakes. Really, when a QB puts the ball up 52 times and we pick off 3 and hold him under 300yd, that's a win for the defense. They got their running game going against us a bit, but aside from the 36yd run, it was held in check. Anyways, grades...

QB - D- I don't know what to say. He shouldn't be starting if there's any possible backup who can run with the ball tucked and complete bubble screens. His protection of the ball is just atrocious, I've never seen anything like it on a Mountaineer team. It has already cost us the Auburn game and will probably cost us more. He takes some of the most hideous coverage sacks I've ever seen and those single plays end drives. I don't know how he can't understand, "Protect the ball, always gain some yardage, the big plays will come. And protect the ball" We would have lost this game if we hadn't have abandoned Jarrett Brown in the 3rd quarter. He's now cost us one game and nearly cost us a second.

RB - A+ Noel Devine is really good and this Clarke kid can flat out run the ball. We're still Nebraska East, it's just a question of if the dumbass OC is willing to admit it yet.

WR - D+ Hey guys, hold on to the fucking ball. I don't know if Brown is contagious or if Mullens really just doesn't care about turnovers, but for fuck's sake put some glue on those hands and squeeze the ball.

OL - A- I'm a little peeved that Stewart said he got frustrated with pass protection. The OL played the best game I've seen in a long, long time. It was Brown's fault for dropping back, locking on to one guy (covered) then start running out of the pocket and taking the sack.

DL - C+ While I'd love to see the DL create pass pressure, I'm happy when they can just do a good job slowing the running game.

LB - B I thought they played well. We need more speed at this position, but that's what all these can't-miss recruits are bringing, right?

DB - B Sands played a good game keeping almost everything in front of him. Very active player. This game on the defensive side of the ball was really all about coverage. I thought our LBs and DBs did a good job tackling and taking a few shots at picks.

Special Teams - C+ (or A++ on the "Mountaineer Scale") Nothing exploded and no one died.

Defensive Coordinator - B- Good adjustments, wish he would have sent some of the LBs from time to time. Typical Casteel night.

Offensive Coordinator - C- Run the ball, you simpleton.

Head Coach - C Force the OC to run the ball, you simpleton. Nice sweater-vest. Win the Big East.

Anyways, a win is a win, no matter how disturbing. Bring on 'Cuse.

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NO PASS RUSH

Hawkins had all night to throw the ball, fortuanately he sucks or he would have picked us apart. I agree, JB is subpar.I said that on another forum and got taken apart, acused of not being a true fan. I stand by what I said, and agree with you that maybe its time to see what Gino Smith is all about. I would also like to see more of Tavon Austin.

KEN

by KENH on Oct 2, 2009 11:01 AM EDT reply actions

Partially blamed on no Scooter Berry.

When you lose your best defensive lineman to injury, you can expect a drop-off at that position. Unfortunately, our depth at DL is worse than anywhere else on the field.

by Dr. Charley West on Oct 2, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions

In fairness to the DL, I think Colorado’s passing attack is so quick to get rid of the ball that it becomes VERY hard to get any pressure. So many throws were 5yd outs off of 3-step drops. Would have been nice to get some pressure on those deep fades that they were throwing, but I think the DL did what it could.

by The Double U on Oct 2, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

You'd think if that was their plan...

…we could use some press coverage at corner. Is that impossible at WVU?

by Dr. Charley West on Oct 2, 2009 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions

You do have to wonder why there’s a twelve yard cushion on wide recievers who are killing us five yards at a time…. Like I said, “typical Casteel night” just enough to get the job done and just enough to make me sweat.

by The Double U on Oct 2, 2009 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

I find it funny that everyone talks now about how Tony Gibson was just rich rods lackey and couldn’t coach, and the corners are no better now than they’ve ever been. Right now I miss the days of nflers PAC man, lance Frazier and Dee mccann.

by The 25314 on Oct 2, 2009 4:57 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

to me

Hogan got better as the year went on last year…then “whatever” happened around the bowl….and he hasn’t been quite the same since.

by WVUIE97 on Oct 2, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

So you would be willing to throw away this season?

We are 3-1. Would we be 3-1 with a true freshmen starting QB? Probably not

by 5th Year Senior on Oct 2, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Then you would call for the coach to be fired

by 5th Year Senior on Oct 2, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

More Jock...

He lost a fumble, but he is too good not to be getting more touches. He and Devine should be touching the ball almost every play. Mix in a couple of Clarke power runs and a couple of Austin or Arnett bombs and that should do it. Nothing more.

by IB4WV on Oct 2, 2009 11:24 AM EDT reply actions

My bitch with this game is

inconsistency on the OL. I don’t know what game you were watching, but on run plays they looked great…ask ’em to pass block and they get run over. JB had NO time to go through progressions.

OL – B (Run game A+, pass plays D+, approx. average of the two)

by WVUIE97 on Oct 2, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions

Well, I saw Brown get through his drop, stare a guy down, then take off in a panic. I thought most of his sacks were coverage sacks. I really did think the OL was pretty consistent, I thought Brown was horrific.

by The Double U on Oct 2, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Hmmmm

I really disagree with your thoughts on the o-line play. There were at least 3 times where JB did not finish his drop before he had to react to a guy in his face. Our o-line failed to pick up the blitz time after time.

On one occasion he saw it coming, threw to where the blitz came from and Starks scored the TD. I thought JB was solid, other than the fumble.

by 5th Year Senior on Oct 2, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

and in fairness

one or two of the sacks, Ryan Clarke completely whiffed on a blitz pick-up

by WVUIE97 on Oct 2, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions

JB

If you have never seen someone carry the ball like JB you did not see Major Harris play. Major carried the ball like a loaf of bread too. In all of his highlights he had the ball at arms length about half the time

Not defending it but JB is not the only guy to ever not protect the ball as a WVU QB.

by 5th Year Senior on Oct 2, 2009 11:49 AM EDT reply actions

the "loaf of bread" play

I remember Major at Penn State for the only time I could ever remember WVU being favored to win (and yes, we lost). I recall him channeling Johnny U. and carrying the ball in one hand even as he was flushed outta the pocket and trying to gain yards. A couple of fumbles resulted there too.

This game, I wouldn’t be nearly as hard on JB as I was for the Auburn game. His passes were better (particularly in the first half) and as many times as he was hit, I’d say he protected pretty well.

For those two sacks in a row, they musta seen something on tape – they were in the backfield before the ball was.

by phucoffaholic on Oct 4, 2009 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions

anyone who thinks the coaching staff doesn't care about TO's

didn’t listen to the post game presser. Stew made a point that they were going through more fumble prevention drills (I can’t remember the exact term he used).

by WVUIE97 on Oct 2, 2009 11:55 AM EDT reply actions

"some old blaster drills" was the term

by WVUIE97 on Oct 2, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

and Stew did make the call to start pounding it in the 2nd half

by WVUIE97 on Oct 2, 2009 11:57 AM EDT reply actions

You Sure Do A Good Job....

…of insulting people who know more about football than you will ever forget. You are just the kind of fan that….well, we’re all playing nice here these days. So, nevermind. Four or five hundred yards per game, and the OC is a dunce. Whatever. If we just hold on to the ball, we are unstoppable.

by JP Fanshawe on Oct 2, 2009 11:59 AM EDT reply actions

That's what this site is all about.

If we didn’t know it all, why would we even bother commenting?

by Dr. Charley West on Oct 2, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions

That “if” is whole reason we are stoppable. Don’t get me wrong, this game offensively was a massive improvement over the Auburn debacle. It was a big improvement because Mullen accepted that five hundred yards of offense and winging the ball downfield is not going to win games when Brown gets picked time and time again. He learned from last week and closed this game out by running and controlling the ball. I can’t wait for the week (and it’s coming) where he pounds the ball from the start and calls conservative plays that keep the ball in safe hands. We could, literally, beat anyone in the nation on that week. Like I’ve said before, he’s learning and someday soon he’ll be an OC with neutral VORP (shoot, he’s a C- now!). It’s only mildly frustrating that one of the top offenses in the country was turned over to a guy who has to learn on the job for two years.

by The Double U on Oct 2, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

He is a dunce. Who else would come in and overhaul an offense that just needed a few more downfield passes. And who who have to be told by bill Stewart to give one of the beat running backs in the country the ball.

Andhe has yet to call a ame where we scored 40 points on a d1 team. The difference between a top 10 team and us is they don’t make those mistakes. This has been a year and a half now where we ae " close" at some point a good team fixes the problems.

by The 25314 on Oct 2, 2009 5:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I Guess I Just Disagree...

…having watched a few Mountaineer teams in the past that just could not move the ball at all. I think Mullen’s offense is pretty dynamic. I think it is an oversimplification to say that all our offense needed was “a few downfield passes.” For one thing, it is a whole lot different for the OL when they are pass-blocking — something we are clearly still struggling with. Further, even though JB missed on some deep throws last night, Colorad, and future opponents, will respect the threat, which means the running game opens up. We’ve gone from 85 percent run, to 50-50 and I think that makes us very, very dangerous to every team we play.

Turnovers are a solvable problem, and last night’s were substantially different than those in the Auburn game. Woulda coulda shoulda, I know, but had we not turned it over in either of the last two I think we would have crested 50 points! I don’t think it is fair to label the guy a dunce…were he a dunce we would be scrapping to win 17-14 games, I think.

by JP Fanshawe on Oct 2, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions