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 Port Brewing's Mongo IPA, in honor of our new head coach (sorta, kinda...but definitely not in honor of THIS...ok, maybe that too).
Yes, By-Godders, this is the first official Shotgun/Throwdown under new Head Coach Dana Holgorsen. It is a time to celebrate and unite as Mountaineers. There has been much division amongst our fan base the last few years and probably still a bit more to come. But, I'm imploring everyone to put aside the divisiveness and unite behind this team. We're not celebrating the demise of any person. We're trying to move forward and put the last few weeks' awkwardness in the past, and at the same time be hopeful for the future (that was my soapbox moment for the month). Complete coverage is inside, as always.
What You May Have Missed:
Football Press Conference - YouTube
Director of Athletics Oliver Luck and new football coach Dana Holgorsen address the media at the Milan Puskar Center on Friday, June 10, 2011. - For those of you who missed it Friday night
Football: Luck/Holgorsen Quotes - MSNsportsNET.Com
Here are quotes from Friday's presser for those who can't watch the video
Oliver Luck on Decision Makers - WVillustrated.com
Caleb shared the Holgorsen segment yesterday, here's the three parts to ADOL's interview
Must-win nonconference games - Big East Blog - ESPN
WVU/LSU tops this list
Vegas has early line on WVU - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Four of West Virginia's 12 games made the Golden Nugget's Games of the Year list.
VIDEO: Former Mountaineer Devin Ebanks Interview - WVillustrated.com
Ebanks stopped by Huggs' fantasy camp over the weekend and gave this interview
Knee healed, Butler set for NBA shot - Times West Virginian
Da`Sean was also back in town participating as a "counselor" at Huggs' fantasy camp
News of Note:
Injury Updates - BGN
Updates on several Mountaineers who missed time during the spring drills sessions
WVU Linemen Barclay and Braun Getting Ready for the Season - WVillustrated.com
Off-season shoulder surgery has limited physical reps for these guys, but the film work and rehab/conditioning work has not been lacking.
WVU Players Ready to Move on From Distractions - WVillustrated.com
Aren't we all? Well, most of us at least.
WVU ready to move past awkward period - Charleston Gazette
Yes, the HCIW scenario is a mightily flawed one, but one WVU does not have anymore. I think we all just want to put this all behind us and get back to winning football games (that are fun to watch, too).
Return to normalcy for WVU players - Charleston Gazette
Tandy is really the first Mountaineer player to flat-out admit that the arrangement whereby Stewart was the head coach for one more year and Holgorsen was already on staff and set to replace him was awkward, at best.
Irvin: Nothing Changes - MSNsportsNET.Com
“They already got their whole system up and running and our whole (defensive) staff is still here,” Irvin said Saturday afternoon inside the Milan Puskar Center. “It’s just going to be another face talking at the end of practice pretty much.”
WVU players: Stewart 'told us to move forward' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Bill Stewart stood before the West Virginia football team Saturday morning for what is expected to be the last time. - Now it's Dana's turn (cue Viking horns)
Spring Game Motivates WVU Defense - WVillustrated.com
Watch out, there's a pissed off Bruce on the loose!!
Inside Receiver Tyler Urban - Mountaineer TV
Tyler Urban talks about the coaching change, and helping the younger players get a step ahead.
VIDEO: WVU Football Player Interviews - WVillustrated.com
The Tandy, Braun, and Bruce
WVU fans shouldn’t celebrate - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
As I said above, I'm not celebrating Stew's demise, I'm celebrating the end of the awkwardness of the recent situation and the possibility of the future.
West Virginia, Bill Stewart fiasco textbook coach-in-waiting botch - Andy Staples - SI.com
HERTZEL COLUMN - For coaches, great rookie year not norm - Times West Virginian
Based on history, Bob warns us to temper our expectations...several examples are included to illustrate, but these examples also went on to much success
HERTZEL COLUMN: The USS Mountaineer hit an iceberg - Times West Virginian
Bob makes a point to mention the support staff that many do not know and how they will possibly be affected by the coaching change.
Berry Tramel: Mike Gundy lucked out with Dana Holgorsen; West Virginia might not - NewsOK.com
This guy argues that Gundy handled and used Holgorsen brilliantly and based on recent local events and Luck won't be able to say the same. I say let's let the DH actually coach a game and see what happens.
What's next for West Virginia? - Big East Blog - ESPN
‘I would fight a war for that man’ - Times West Virginian
Despite all that's happened recently, the players are still very loyal to Bill Stewart. But, don't take that as not willing to follow Holgorsen.
Scout.com: Changed Man
In 2006, I met and interviewed a man named Bill Stewart for the first time. On Friday, Stewart lost his job as head football coach at West Virginia. The two men shared a name and a common history, but by the end, not much else, as the trappings and pressure of the job Stewart coveted forever altered his reputation and legacy.
Taking a look at Stewart's legacy - Charleston Gazette
And, truthfully, at times, it was difficult to watch. There were many, many winces.
Starkey: Teaching moments at WVU, Pitt - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"When you cede the conference to Cincinnati and Connecticut, you have failed. That is not debatable." - This is one Starkey quote that I can get behind
West Virginia's Bill Stewart & Ohio State's Jim Tressel: Hypocrites or Scapecoats? - LostLettermen.com
Lost Letterman claims these two are the unlikeliest controversial coaches
WVU football: Stewart and WVU have had plenty of deja vu recently - Charleston Daily Mail
Other than the hiring of Bob Huggins, not much has gone smoothly in the hiring and resignation process at WVU of the two major sports the last few years.
Enemies' POV
Stewart Fired By West Virginia: Funny Face-Making Coaches In Big East Decrease By 33% - Voodoo Five
And then there were two...
A Guide To Big East School Area Casinos For Dana Holgorsen - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
The most important thing Holgorsen needs to figure out, however...where is the nearest casino to each Big East school? SO important, you guys. If Daddy Dana doesn't get his Pai Gow fix on a weekly basis, someone's gonna be running sprint drills until they vomit an internal organ, and it ain't gonna be Dana Holgorsen.
Around the League (and Beyond):
TCU 10th in 2012 Football Recruiting - Big East Coast Bias
No. 79: Louisville - Pre-Snap Read: A College Football Blog
The 2nd BE member to be seen in their countdown
Syracuse Spring Football: Report Card - Offensive Line - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
UConn Football Player In The Spotlight: End Marcus Campbell - Hartford Courant
Yankee Stadium, Army to gouge Rutgers fans - On the Banks
Another reason I'm proud to be a Yankee fan
Varsity Numbers: Fourth-and-15 - FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis
A statistical breakdown of Schiano's kickoff replacement proposal
Pitt Football: Dave Wannstedt Still Impacting High School Athletes - Cardiac Hill
...and they mean that in a nice way
Early look: returning minutes in the Big East - Rumble In The Garden
St. John's is the only one lower than WVU
Mark Emmert plans summit on future of Div. I sports - ESPN
Pay-For-Play is tops on the agenda
Jerry Tipton: NCAA, UK still at odds over Cal's 500th - Lexington Herald-Leader
This is hilariously awesome
Cliff Harris Rental Car Paid for by University Employee - KEZI
Records indicate the vehicle Oregon All-American football player Cliff Harris was driving early Sunday morning, when he was cited for driving 118 mph, was paid for by a university employee.
Alabama's Experiment with the Head Coach In Waiting - Roll 'Bama Roll
Here's a case where the HCIW worked, but that was over 80 years ago
What's On Tap:
Awesomeness like THIS (we all sincerely hope).
Video of Interest:
If any of our readers have been participants (this year or any other), please let us know what the experience was like.
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Thanks to @JimmyTraina of SI's Hot Clicks for this one:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown made her name from the updated iteration of 90210. Here's 5 pages (1st page trumps the other 4) of Jessica Lowndes and a video.
Mongo IPA image via atlantabeermaster.com