I'm sitting here replaying the game over and over in my mind looking for things that happened Wednesday night to criticize. There isn't much. WVU's allowed a big run in the first quarter and let Sammy Watkins get behind them once...that's about it. That said, let's just agree to give the whole team an A+ for the greatest bowl game performance in history. Um K? K. We will still take a look at each unit, so let's get started.

Quarterbacks

Geno Smith played his best game of the year, earning MVP honors. Records were set or tied for touchdown passes and total offense by Geno Wednesday. He used his feet when necessary and didn't take any sacks (that I can recall). This seemed to be his best overall game in his decision making. The only black mark on the quarterbacks was an interception thrown by Paul Millard that meant virtually nothing (but led to a Clemson score) in terms of the outcome of the game.

Running Backs

When Dustin Garrison went down with a knee injury during an Orange Bowl practice session, many people wondered if WVU could run the ball effectively enough to keep Clemson's defense honest. Shawne Alston and Andrew Buie stepped in and helped the Mountaineers run up almost 200 yards on the ground (with some help from Geno and Tavon).

Receivers

Tavon Austin stole the show setting records with 11 catches, 4 TD receptions and 280 all purpose yards, giving Geno a run for his money for MVP honors. Stedman Bailey and Willie MIlhouse also chipped in TD receptions. In all, seven different receivers caught passes on Wednesday night with no obvious drops coming to mind.

Offensive Line

Best game of the season they've played since LSU. No sacks come to mind and Geno was only hurried a couple times, but was able to escape for positive yardage. The running backs also clearly benefited from their outstanding performance. I said from the beginning, if the line held up, WVU had a chance. Well, they did and 70 points later...

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I came across this yesterday:

And it looks...vaguely familiar. Like I've seen it, or something like it, somewhere before. Of course, we all know what it is. It's an ESPN SportsNaiton map, where the country is invited to vote on the outcome of upcoming sporting events. And in this particular poll, the ENTIRE COUNTRY, save one state (the greatest state in the nation, West Virginia), thinks Clemson is going to beat WVU. Yeah, there are some scattered votes in favor of the underdogs that skew the percentages a bit. But all in all, SportsNation spews nothing but doubt at the Mountain State.

Sure, I've voted in these polls from time to time. Heck, I even voted in this one. But something about the colors of the states, and the percentages. Oh yes, I have seen something like this before. It was almost two years ago, in March:

via kentuckysportsradio.com

And do you know what happened after that poll was taken? I do:

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32 carries for 291 yards and 2 TD.  Raise your hand if you saw that coming.  I mean, yeah, Dustin Garrison looked like he was starting to figure some things out last week against LSU.  The line had protected well, and Garrison hit some holes, but still the WVU attack mostly relied on the arm of Geno Smith to move the chains just as it had in every single game to date.  And Bowling Green wasn't exactly billed as a pushover, holding opponents to less than 300 yards of total offense per game coming in and limiting conference opponent Miami (Ohio) to 42 yards rushing. So on a cold, wet day in Morgantown, you had to figure BG would load up to stop the run and make Smith overcome the elements to win through the air, right?  Heh.  

Garrison ripped off big gain after big gain en route to gashing the Falcons for 291 yards on 32 carries, 233 of which came before halftime.  I knew he was having a decent game, but the 233 number really caught me by surprise.  Even given how cold, wet and drunk I was during the first half, I was shocked to hear that.  233?  That's absurd.  The offense didn't appear to be solely relying on him like it did with Avon Cobourne back in 2002, and there were no lengthy touchdown runs like we saw with Noel Devine and Steve Slaton in recent years.  Take away the 50 yards he gained on 3 consecutive carries to end the half, and he still had 173 yards, which is more than any other single-game rushing total for WVU this year.  And he did it with consistency and little flash, in chunks of 7, 10, 12, and sometimes 25 yards, until before you knew it, he had blown by the 200 yard mark before the half.  So, what happened?  And what should we expect from here?

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Phil Steele, one of the leading preseason publication publishers (put that on a business card), is out with his 2011 All-Big East Team.  And guess what?  WVU is all up in it.

First-teamers include (obviously) Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, Don Barclay and Bruce Irvin.  Those were absolute givens.  Somewhat more surprising starters are Joe Madsen and Josh Jenkins on offense and Julian Miller, Najee Goode, Keith Tandy and Terence Garvin (AKA "My Man Terence!") on defense.   That makes a total of 10 players on a first-team with only 22 spots (not counting special teams, which we're forfeiting this year).

And while 10 out of 22 is awesome, Mssr. Steele doesn't foresee a lot of depth on this year's Mountaineer squad, as beyond those first 10, we only place a total of three players on the next three teams.  Yikes.

Still, that's a strong showing for the Mountaineers and a very strong endorsement of Jeff Casteel's defense.  Incidentally, "Casteel's Defense" is the name of my promising thoroughbred horse.  I expect it to win the Triple Crown, sire many stakes winners, and eventually make the stickiest of glues.

Six catches for 145 yards and four touchdowns.  That's the total contribution this season from Bradley Starks, WVU's most veteran deep threat.  After being held out or limited for the first four games of the year by a hip flexor injury suffered in the preseason, Starks exploded against UNLV, snaring four Geno Smith passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns.  He followed that performance by catching two passes for 45 yards and a touchdown in a 20-6 win against a stingy USF defense.  And against Syracuse this weekend, Starks looks to continue that outburst.

Starks first came in as a quarterback but found himself behind Pat White and Jarrett Brown and was forced to make the switch to wide receiver, putting him behind the curve from the outset.  Additionally, because he has been hampered by injuries throughout his career and never quite lived up to some fans' expectations, Starks is an enigma at this point.  Sure, he seems to have potential.  But where is the production?  As a redshirt freshman in 2008, he caught 17 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown.  Last year as a redshirt sophomore, he hauled in 29 passes for 405 yards and two touchdowns. Both years, he missed significant time due to injury.  But even when he was on the field, he seemed to disappear at times.  So what does the (re?) emergence of Starks as a viable deep threat do for WVU's offense?  Let's break it down after the jump.

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I want to jump for joy after we destroyed the Runnin' Rebels on Saturday. We put our foot on the gas and did not let up until the final musket sounded.  Having said that, one great performance against an inferior opponent does not call for much excitement. A tempered enthusiasm for things to come is much more appropriate. Correct?

You know what, screw it, I'm pumped and ready to see what this team can do in the Big East! Sure, the conference is the weakest it has been since the split, but our performance Saturday makes me think we can run through it even easier than first expected.

With our nemesis USF coming to town Thursday night, my theory will be quickly put to the test. But before we get to that game, let's review Saturday's performance...

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Some people say procrastination is the sincerest form of flattery (ed. I don't know of anyone who says that), so you all should feel very loved.  Game week is upon us and I have been somewhat silent as to my season prognostication. It is not because of a massive amount of research or my busy work schedule. Nope, I'm just a lazy bum, but what do you expect from a guy that was a 5th year senior?

This season is a make or break year for HCBS and very important for the Mountaineer football program as a whole. We have 18 returning starters, a somewhat favorable schedule, but question marks in some key areas. If we have any hope of regaining the momentum and attention of the Fraudriguez era, it is now or never.

As you all know, I'm a fan of HCBS, but I still have some questions about his coaching abilities. Which is why, I think, at the end of the season our record could be between 8-4 and 12-0. Let's get on with the predictions...

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Fall-practice is upon us and, despite my steady buzz from starting tailgating in mid-July, I can't help but think forward to see what this version of the Mountaineers might become.

I'm not talking recruiting or potential rules violations, just the 2010 Mountaineers.  A nine win team in 2009, we return a ton of starters and have new talent across the board, usually a good recipe for a improving on a previous years' win total.  Yet WVU was only voted to finish in a tie for second this year in the Big East.  It's a curious vote, considering the mentions I just made.  Jock Sanders seems to agree with me:

Hands down [we're the best team in the Big East], and we'll show that this year. It is all about politics. For Pitt to get all those [first-place] votes and we got just as much back as them, it is crazy, but, like I said before, at the end of the year after we play them, they'll regret [being the favorites]. They'll regret it all.

Big words, certainly considering that Pitt will be a very talented team this year.  But I applaud Sanders' swagger, mostly because it doesn't seem misplaced.

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