The Shotgun/Throwdown: Tuesday (10/4/11) Edition

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's nationally recognized best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions.  We're being brought to you today by Hofbrau Octoberfest.

Before we get started, let me say that despite all of the chatter last night on Twitter regarding WVU and conference alignment...NOTHING IS OFFICIAL UNTIL IT'S OFFICIAL.  I'm just as guilty as the next guy retweeting rumors; probably more so, given our position as a known source of quality information.  I apologize sincerely if anything passed around last night by us was taken as gospel.  I tried to balance the good with the more cautious, but many people tend to overlook the cautious.  I'm sorry and I'll try not to participate in the rumor spreading in the future.

Anywhooo...the football team is in full preparation mode for UConn this week.  There are several notebooks and the usual features today.  Garrison is rightfully garnering a lot of attention and a freshman linebacker had a good day in his first start of his career.  And back on the basketball side, Kevin Jones has been added to the Wooden Award watch list.  See you on the other side...

What You May Have Missed:

Gold And Blue Now: Tuesday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
One of UConn's beat writers talks about how the Huskies are doing following their loss to Western Michigan, Kyle Wiggs gives an update on the Big East and Hoppy Kercheval gives his take on what is going on with the conference shakeup.

Miller and Garrison Named To Honor Roll - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Big East weekly awards

Video: One Good Thing - Big East Blog - ESPN
Andrea Adelson points to the play of two running backs as the one good thing in the Big East from Week 5.

On The Mark - ESPN
Garrison get's a mention in the weekly column

NCAA College Football Power Rankings Week 5 - ESPN
#18 here

A Major Push For Another Conference - WVMETRONEWS.COM
“Hopefully we can jump ship like all of these other schools and get into a good conference,” stated Harris.  “[I’m] not saying the Big East is a bad conference, but the way you see teams jumping ship it’s almost like it’s in a sinking ship.” - includes video

Men's Basketball: Jones Named to Preseason List - MSNsportsNET.Com
West Virginia men’s basketball senior forward Kevin Jones has been named to the 2011 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced today.

West to Participate in Festival of Ideas - MSNsportsNET.Com
West will speak as part of the David C. Hardesty Jr. Festival of Ideas on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the WVU Coliseum on his new book West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life.

VSR: Schwindel Named Student-Athlete of the Week - MSNsportsNET.Com
Varsity Sports Report

News of Note:

Hurting Huskies - Times West Virginian
Struggling UConn next up for WVU

Holgorsen: UConn's Record Deceiving - MSNsportsNET.Com
Antonik's Notebook

WVU remembers 2010 meeting with UConn - Charleston Daily Mail
Casazza's Notebook

Bad memories for motivation - Charleston Gazette
Holgorsen hopes last year’s loss to UConn will inspire Mountaineers

WVU offensive line confident heading into Big East play - Daily Athenaeum
"Everybody was doing their job," Garrison said.  "Linemen were finishing blocks, receivers downfield were finishing blocks, and that's what happens when everyone works together."

Defense has something to build on - Daily Athenaeum
The breakout game was bound to happen sometime.  The defense got the most pressure on an opposing quarterback it has gotten all season.  The defense recorded two sacks on Bowling Green quarterback Matt Schilz – one by redshirt senior defensive end Julian Miller and the other by junior safety Terence Garvin.

Special-team auditions moved to Saturday? - Charleston Gazette
Over the course of 10 kickoffs in that 55-10 rout, the personnel on West Virginia's kickoff team changed almost every time.  Holgorsen changed the inside guys, the outside guys, even the kicker.

Finding A Rhythm - BGN
In the immediate aftermath of his team’s 55-10 win over Bowling Green on Saturday, Dana Holgorsen declared West Virginia had “found a running back” in Dustin Garrison.  And while Holgorsen has continued to praise Garrison since, he acknowledged the crowded battle at that position made it hard to find a clear winner early.

It's WVU ... and everybody else - Big East Blog - ESPN
Now that we are near the midpoint of the season, it is easy to see why West Virginia was the preseason favorite to win the conference.

More Snow predicted at WVU - Register-Herald
Freshman has 9 tackles in first start of career

Faking injuries issue should be dealt with - Charleston Daily Mail
"It's a cheap way to do things," WVU quarterback Geno Smith said, "but it happens because there's no rule against it."

WVU Music Video Highlights: Bowling Green Game - WV Illustrated
The Mountaineers got back on track Saturday with a win over the Falcons.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Big East turned out OK in '03, can survive this time, too - Sporting News
Um....ok

Louisville football team, coach Charlie Strong not in tune - Courier-Journal

Jones: ‘UC playing with a hard edge’ - Cincinnati Enquirer

Syracuse University football coach Doug Marrone moves to correct breakdowns on field-goal team - Post Standard

UConn Huskies football team learning they need to finish strong - Hartford Courant

Rutgers defense will pose problems - PPG

Rutgers' Khaseem Greene ready to tackle his brother, Pittsburgh's Ray Graham - Star Ledger

Video of Interest:

MSN's weekly look into WVU football. Host Tony Caridi and analyst Dwight Wallace break down the Mountaineer's 55-10 Homecoming victory over Bowling Green

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is Czech beauty Linda Vojtova.  Click on her picture for a 6 page mega-gallery.

Hofbrau Octoberfest image via www.aatiffany.com