Mountaineer Morning Links: Oklahoma State Pre-Game (11/9/12) 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 Natural Ice, for tomorrow's tailgate.

What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Now: Friday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
WVU Head Football Coach Dana Holgorsen previews this weekend's game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Oklahoma State Sideline Reporter Robert Allen gives his take on this weekend's game

Copeland's Exit Surprises Holgorsen - WVMETRONEWS.COM
West Virginia football coach Dana Holgorsen said Travares Copeland's decision to leave the team midseason boiled down to the freshman receiver "just didn't want to play football here anymore, I guess."

Men's Basketball Minis to Go on Sale - WVU Athletics
Monday, Nov. 12, at 9 a.m. at the Mountaineer Ticket Office.

Preseason Bracketology: Louisville is your (very late) preseason top team - SBNation.com
#11 East

WVU hoops team circling back to Zags - Charleston Gazette
the basketball season will start for the Mountaineers against the team that ended their 2011-12 season: Gonzaga.

West Virginia men's basketball: 3 keys to the 2012-13 season - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

WVU opens women’s slate at home today - Times West Virginian
West Virginia University's women's basketball team, again in survival mode after losing yet another key player for the year even before the season even started

News of Note:

PRE-GAME RUN THRU: POKE EM IN THE EYE EDITION - TheSignalCaller.com
Welcome to the PRE-GAME RUN THRU

WVU set to take on Cowboys - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Geno Smith has thrown 29 TDs this season

West Virginia offense can't shake its funk, regain previous efficiency - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Why? The reasons range from obvious to inexplicable and have been gnawing away at the confidence of a group once brimming with it.

WVU needs fast start in order to regain swagger - Charleston Daily Mail
Stop me if you've heard this before. A West Virginia team has a coach who has flashed offensive ingenuity throughout his career and coached in such a way that makes his players play a way like few others do.

Mountaineers preaching attitude, confidence, effort - Charleston Gazette
"We just have to go out with the mentality that we're going to score,'' Smith said. "We've got to be confident, we've got to play fast and we've got to play hard.

Big 12: Who will transform tomorrow? - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
They can't do this forever, can they? The West Virginia Mountaineers are just too talented to not break out again and showcase the offense that had them in the top 5 in September.

WVU’s defense preparing for three-headed quarterback at OSU - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Now, WVU's much maligned prevent unit is faced with another daunting task-slowing down an Oklahoma State offense that has had three different quarterbacks under center.

Holgorsen makes return to Stillwater as Mountaineers take on Oklahoma State - Daily Athenaeum
For the second time this season, West Virginia head football coach Dana Holgorsen will lead his Mountaineers into familiar territory as they travel to his old stomping grounds to take on Oklahoma State.

DeForest back in familiar place - Times West Virginian
WVU assistant faces old team on Saturday

Special teams have been highlight to WVU’s offense - Register-Herald
Notebook

All-Purpose Austin - WVU Athletics
Tavon Austin is having a career for the ages.

Alston Still Fighting Through Injured Thigh - WVillustrated
Alston needed nearly six weeks to recover enough from a deep thigh bruise to get back on the field with the Mountaineers. He said he never considered an injury redshirt.

HERTZEL COLUMN: WVU seniors Braun, Jenkins try to move on - Times West Virginian
“You realize at this point that (winning) the Big 12 is out of our reach,” Braun would admit.

WVU Seniors Playing for Pride - WVillustrated
Smith, Austin try to keep West Virginia focused in their final stretch as Mountaineers.

WVU nears record for most points allowed in season - Register-Herald
And there’s still at least four games left.

Joseph stands out on WVU defense - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Freshman ranked 11th in Big 12 with 61 tackles

Mistakes still haunt WVU secondary - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Mountaineers lost last week to TCU in overtime

WVU trying to right the ship - Inter-Mountain
Dana Holgorsen knew things would get tougher for his West Virginia University football players when they made their debut run through the Big 12 Conference gamut, but he said things get even tougher when everybody isn't on the same page.

Opposing view: OSU writer Gina Mizell - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Today we're joined by Gina Mizell of The Daily Oklahoman, for whom she covers Oklahoma State.

Recruiting:

WVU Lands Commitment From 3-Star Linebacker - WVillustrated
Marvin Gross (6-foot-4, 225 lbs.) has reportedly given his verbal commitment to WVU.

WVU Lands Defensive End Recruit - WVMETRONEWS.COM
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior from Dunbar High also has 10 other FBS offers, including Purdue, Washington, Rutgers, UConn, Colorado, and Marshall.

Around the League (and Beyond):

What to watch in the Big 12: Week 11 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Big 12 by the numbers: Week 11 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Is Clint Chelf OSU's Savior? - Cowboys Ride For Free

Getting off field big step forward for Baylor defense - Waco Tribune

Sooners Looking For Some Revenge Saturday Against Baylor - Crimson And Cream Machine

2012 Game X: Iowa State vs Texas Preview - Wide Right & Natty Lite

Texas Pregamer: Iowa State - Barking Carnival

Kansas vs. Texas Tech: Jayhawk Player Presser - Rock Chalk Talk

Taking Notes | Kansas Jayhawks vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders - Viva The Matadors

Keys to the Game: TCU vs. Kansas State - Frogs O' War

Sams prepared as K-State back-up -Topeka Capital Journal

Why Texas Won't Play The Aggies In The Cotton Bowl - Barking Carnival

Tastes of Texas: The Basics of Bourbon - Burnt Orange Nation

College GameDay Kickoff: Week 11 preview - ESPN

What's On Tap:

Links below are StatMilk previews. CLICK HERE for ESPN.com previews.

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
3:30 pm ET Saturday from Boone Pickens on ABC/ESPN2. Pokes are giving 8.5.

Iowa State Cyclones vs. (17) Texas Longhorns
Noon ET Saturday from DKR on LHN. Horns are giving 10.

Kansas Jayhawks vs. (22) Texas Tech Red Raiders
Noon ET Saturday from Jones AT&T on FSN affiliates. Matadors are giving 25.5.

Baylor Bears vs. (12) Oklahoma Sooners
3:30 pm ET Saturday from Oklahoma Memorial on FSN affiliates. Land Thieves are giving 21.5.

(2) Kansas State Wildcats vs. TCU Horned Frogs
7 pm ET Saturday from Amon Carter on Fox. Cats are giving 7.5.

College Football TV Schedule
All times listed here are CT

Video of Interest:

The Buzz around campus this week revolves around the Cross Country and Volleyball Teams. And join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the Men's Basketball Team's recent photo and video shoot.

Tailgate Recipe of the Week:

Cowboy Chili

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Servings: 10-12

Ingredients

Meat:
-1 lb sirloin steak, cubed bite-size
-Seasoning (see recipe below)
-4 strips of streaky bacon (or 3 Tbsp vegetable oil)
-1 lb chorizo (or ground pork)
Aromatics:
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 sticks celery chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 habenero pepper, minced (optional - it really brings the heat!)
Vegetables:
1 can diced green chilies
2 16 oz cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 16 oz can corn (optional)
16 oz of Harpoon Octoberfest (or other dark beer or ale)
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
Seasoning:
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp dark (or espresso) roast coffee beans, freshly ground fine
1 tbsp each: ground cumin, paprika and brown sugar
1/2 tsp each: salt, dry mustard, ground coriander and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

Instructions

1. Turn the crockpot on to high.
2. Place cubed steak pieces in bag with the seasoning mix and shake until they are thoroughly coated.
3. In a large, heavy fry pan over medium high heat, brown off the bacon (if using) until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels or clean newspaper, reserving the drippings.
4. Brown the coated cubes of steak in the bacon drippings (or oil), working in batches if necessary. Transfer browned steak to the crockpot.
5. Add the chorizo and cook it down, stirring, for about 5 minutes . Transfer the chorizo to the crockpot.
6. Add all the "aromatics" to the fry pan and sweat them down, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to the crockpot.
7. Stir in all the other ingredients to the crockpot. Break up the reserved bacon and add it as well. If there’s not enough liquid to cover, add some beef stock or more beer or tomato/vegetable juice. Put the lid on.
Let the mixture come to a simmer, taste and adjust the seasoning to taste and let it simmer at least another hour. It’s ready to serve then or reduce the power to low and it will feed your hungry crowd all day if it lasts that long.

If going "old school" with a cast iron pot, simmer the chili in a large heavy pot on your stovetop or grill. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, turn the flame down to its lowest setting. Stir frequently to keep it from sticking.

Reprinted from FootballNation.com

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is one of the biggest supermodels in the world (and another Brazilian). CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Gisele Bundchen.