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 Medina Moroccan Saison, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.
The off-week continues with Coach Holgorsen's presser (the whole thing, not just the awesome ending) and assistants interviews. We also have the requisite player features and a few notebooks. Heisman updates galore today and Geno is getting plenty of attention already. We also have a couple very interesting statistical breakdowns in the WYMHM section. All of this, your daily Big 12 roundup and much more.
Happy Birthday Country Roads!!
What You May Have Missed:
Leach V. Holgorsen, Week 1: The Pupil Thrives - Football Study Hall
Each week at Football Study Hall, we will take a look at what charting data tells us about two of the game's most interesting offensive coaches: West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen and Washington State head coach Mike Leach.
THE RETURN OF SPIKE FACTOR - Every Day Should Be Saturday
Most impressive of all was West Virginia, coming up with Spike Factor plays only 12% of the time on offense. Seven of their thirteen drives didn't even have a single S.F. snap.
First-and-10: Scandals show NCAA and its mission as big jokes - Sporting News
Weekly rundown and WVU checks in at #7 (nothing to do with the headline, though)
College football entrance vids: Our favorites - ESPN
WVU made the cut
McCoy Named Athlete of the Week - WVUsports.com
Varsity Sports Report
Bob Huggins Speaks from Fish Fry - WVillustrated
See what the Mountaineers head coach said about his team and its latest addition in Volodymyr Gerun.
'81 Peach Bowl Standout DT Dies - WVUsports.com
Calvin Turner played four years for West Virginia from 1978-81, helping the Mountaineers to a victory over Florida in 1981 Peach Bowl.
Rankings, Polls, Awards, Etc:
2012 Heisman Watch - Heisman Trophy Candidates - ESPN
Geno up to #2 here now
2012 Heisman Horse Race, Week 1: Geno Smith, Le'Veon Bell Win The Intro - SBNation.com
In Week 1 of the Heisman Horse Race, the big points go to Geno Smith, LeVeon Bell and Marqise Lee.
Heisman Watch Week 2 Rankings - Yahoo! Sports
#2
Heisman Watch sees Le'Veon Bell, Taylor Martinez rise after Week 1 - SI.com
#2
Smith, Bruce and Van Der Kamp Named Big 12 Football Players of the Week - Big 12 Conference
Geno Smith (West Virginia), Isaiah Bruce (West Virginia) and Kirby Van Der Kamp (Iowa State) have been named the season's first Big 12 Conference Football Players of the Week, as selected by a media panel.
Alabama, LSU hold top spots in Week 1 Power Rankings - Andy Staples - SI.com
#7
NCAA College Football Power Rankings Week 1 - ESPN
#8, up one
One poll voter misses WVU's beauty - Charleston Gazette
Ray Ratto of Comcast Sports Bay Area (San Francisco) voted the Mountaineers No. 24.
News of Note:
Holgorsen says JMU won't be a pushover - Register-Herald
WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen explained that lighting up the scoreboard at the home of the Washington Redskins may not be as easy as many think.
Holgorsen Reviews Film, Readies for Bye - WVillustrated
Mountaineers head coach reflects on what went well and what can be improved heading into off week.
WVU coaches grasping tackling problems - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Defensively we've got to tackle better, we've got to be better on third down,"
Holgorsen pleased with defense’s growth against Marshall - Daily Athenaeum
"We lined up good. We played physical; we played fast, and our first downs were great,"
Quite the debut for Bruce - Charleston Gazette
Freshman wins Big 12 weekly defensive honor
Bruce A Quick-Hit at Linebacker - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Though Bruce sensed he did a good job pursuing the ball on almost every play of WVU's 69-34 victory, he was staggered to see his postgame stat sheet.
HERTZEL COLUMN: Bruce off to flying start at LB - Times West Virginian
"BRUCE! BRUCE!" they seem sure to be shouting, just as they did these past two years for Bruce Irvin, whose defensive heroics led him into the NFL via the first round of this year’s draft.
WVU football: Buie punishing foes - Charleston Daily Mail
By every metric available, Andrew Buie is a far better player this season than he was last season for West Virginia.
Buie a big hit in WVU opener - Times West Virginian
Hertzel's Notebook
Who will emerge as third threat in passing game? - Daily Athenaeum
Who else will be able to step up and provide consistent production on a weekly basis from the wide receiver position?
Blog: Football - WVUsports.com
HCDH presser quotes, assistants quotes, top 10 rankings, Big 12 honors
Dunlap Knows His Way Around - - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
'I've been through this transition many times."
Got the Bye-Week Blues? - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Notebook
Video: Football Interviews 9/4 - BGN
Holgorsen's presser, Dunlap, DeForest and Spavital
WVU Football Offensive Assistants Interviews - WVillustrated
Bedenbaugh, Dawson, Gillespie and Spavital
WVU Football Defensive Coaches Interviews - WVillustrated
Slaughter, Dunlap, DeForest and Patterson
Around the League (and Beyond):
How the Conferences Rank, 1-12: Week 2 - Pre-Snap Read
2012 Baylor Bears Intro Video - Our Daily Bears
Evidently we're not the only Big 12 school using the remix/cover of the White Stripes
Iowa State football: There's a reason A.J. Klein sees red at times - Des Moines Register
How serious are the pass defense issues? - Bring On The Cats
Return to Kansas ‘weird’ for Rice GA AJ Steward - KUsports.com
Bob Stoops irritated by questions about Roy Finch, Trey Millard and running up the score - Oklahoman
Oklahoma State football: Defense coaches trying to compensate for Bill Young's absence - Oklahoman
David Ash Grades Out Well, Still Has Room For Improvement - Burnt Orange Nation
Skye Dawson Out for Grambling Game - Frogs O' War
Stats That Matter | Texas Tech vs. Texas St. - Double-T Nation
I'm betting Ray Ratto is pulling for Texas St. again to justify his ranking them ahead of WVU
Big Man On Campus weighs in on Week 1 of college football - ESPN
The Alphabetical, Week 1: Alabama, Again - SBNation.com
What's On Tap:
Are you a Mountaineer Fan? Well here's your chance to show your pride. Help WVU celebrate Mountaineer Nation Day and our first Big 12 Road Trip by registering your game watch party for the WVU at Texas game on Saturday, October 6. When you register, you have a chance to win officially licensed WVU prizes. Look for West Virginia University on Facebook to learn how to be named the Ultimate Mountaineer Fan. Let's Go Mountaineers! Visit www.mountaineernationday.wvu.edu
Video of Interest:
Holgorsen's Presser courtesy of BGN:
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Hump Day Video of the Week:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is an American model and actress. CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Erika Medina.