Mountaineer Morning Links: Monday (2/25/13) 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 Oakshire Brewing's Ill Tempered Gnome Winter Ale.

What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Now Monday, Feb. 25 - WV MetroNews
we look at Geno Smith, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin’s workout at the NFL Combine, Bob Huggins talks about this season, Kevin Noreen says some Mountaineers still don’t know offensive sets.

No. 1 Rifle Wins GARC Title - WVU Athletics
The No. 1 WVU rifle team won its fourth straight GARC title today.

Pitching Woes Hurt Mountaineers - WVU Athletics
WVU allowed nine runs in two innings, faltering on Sunday.

Catching Up With Kevin Jones - WVillustrated
Former WVU Forward Kevin Jones returned to the Coliseum during the NBA All-Star break

Former standout Witting pays Tribute to WVU - Register-Herald
"All of the good things that happened in my life were a result of my going to WVU,"

Leonard owns record as first 3-point shooter - Register-Herald
Leonard completed his four-year career with an even 200 three-point goals and a total of 1,255 points. His remarkable percentage accuracy average is a school-record .417.

Furfari a man of his words - Martinsburg Journal
He'll be in Martinsburg to pull out his pens and sign copies of the book, which are for sale, from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. March 4 at the United National Bank on Edwin Miller Boulevard.

NFL Combine:

Off to the Races - WVU Athletics
Austin, Smith run fast times at NFL Combine.

2013 NFL draft combine -- Marquise Goodwin runs 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds - ESPN
Includes video of WVU Combine report

Austin's forty nabs headlines among WVU's combine participants - WVSports.com
For these former West Virginia standouts, their next step in getting to the NFL is March 14th at West Virginia's NFL Pro Day.

Austin’s 40 time confirms the quote of the Combine - ProFootballTalk
The news that West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin ran an unofficial 4.25-second 40 (which officially was adjusted to 4.34 seconds) was eye-opening but not surprising.

Tavon Austin a draft gem? - NFL Videos
Marshall Faulk thinks West Virginia University [ed.] wide receiver Tavon Austin is Wes Welker and Percy Harvin rolled into one. Can the prospect make an immediate impact in the NFL?

Tavon Austin: Despite his size, he will be an NFL star - CBSSports.com
Tavon Austin is only 5 feet 8 and weighs 174 pounds, but he can fly, which is why he will be an NFL star.

Tavon Austin's NFL Combine Results - WVU Pros
Tavon Austin was one of the most anticipated participants at this year's NFL Combine. As it turned out, Austin may have boosted his draft stock more than any other skill position player at the combine. Here's the results.

VIDEO: Stedman Bailey speaks at the NFL Combine | WVU Pros
Stedman Bailey spoke with reporters at the NFL Combine. Video courtesy of WVSports.com.

Film Room: Stedman Bailey WR West Virginia - Top Tier Football
Top Tier Football breaks down the tape on wide receiver Stedman Bailey and projects him for fantasy football.

Stedman Bailey's NFL Combine Results - WVU Pros
Stedman Bailey came into Indianapolis with something to prove at the NFL Scouting Combine. How did he perform? Find out here.

Geno Smith fastest quarterback at the NFL Combine - WVU Pros
Geno Smith surprised people at the NFL Combine by running a 4.56 in his first 40-yard dash attempt.

Geno Smith's NFL Combine Results - WVU Pros
Geno Smith came into the NFL Draft Combine as one of the top quarterback prospects. Did his performance put him on top?

Fan Pass: A day in the life of Gino Smith - NFL Videos
West Virginia quarterback Gino Smith signs his first endorsement deal and goes through the rigors of training for the NFL Scouting Combine.

Geno Smith confident he can handle 'any offense' at QB - NFL.com
West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith doesn't want to be labeled as a read-option quarterback. He explained Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine that he brings much more to the field.

Favorable combines for Smith, Austin - WV MetroNews
A sampling of reactions to the NFL combine workouts by Geno Smith and Tavon Austin on Sunday in Indianapolis.

NFL Combine Wrap-Up - WVU Pros
Four Mountaineers descended upon Indianapolis for the 2013 edition of the NFL Scouting Combine.

NFL combine QB recap: Tyler Bray rises, Geno Smith holds steady | Audibles - SI.com
The QB group worked through its on-field drills on Sunday, two days after meeting with the media.

Geno Smith strengthens first-round status; No. 1 overall another matter - Sporting News (autoplay video)
NFL teams like Geno Smith, but he still needs to find one that loves him.

Geno Smith tops QB class, but still a work in progress - USA Today
Smith put on the most impressive showcase, but he didn't knock it out of the park in distancing himself from a group known more for its warts than its merits.

EJ Manuel, Tavon Austin rise; Geno Smith maintains status quo - NFL.com
Daniel Jeremiah assesses surging draft stocks and provides a sleeper alert.

NFL Combine Thoughts From Saturday - College Football News
The buzz, scuttlebutt, rumors, and straight dope surrounding Saturday at the NFL combine. Here's what everyone is talking about.

NFL Coaches, GMs Talk Mountaineers in the League - WVillustrated
League's decision makers talk about the Mountaineers who will make up the NFL future.

News of Note:

WVU plagued by missed opportunities - Charleston Gazette
There was a sequence in West Virginia's loss to No. 14 Oklahoma State Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum that pretty much summed up the game, if not the season itself.

Huggins said he can't reach his team - Charleston Daily Mail
"For some reason, I haven't been able to reach these guys, which is my fault. I should have been able to find a way to reach them."

Nobody saw this season coming - Daily Athenaeum
Barring an unthinkable run at a Big 12 title in Kansas City in a couple of weeks, there will be no NCAA tournament and, quite possibly, no postseason appearance at all.

Huggins is deserving of a pass - Register-Herald
"I’ve been embarrassed since the first game," said head coach Bob Huggins

HERTZEL COLUMN: Disappointing season stuns Huggins - Times West Virginian
The truth is that Huggins has lost the heart of three straight recruiting classes, players he thought might have been the heart and soul of this year’s team.

WVU trying travel changes - Times West Virginian
Athletic director Oliver Luck says the league offered no guarantees because "scheduling is always a challenge" but the league has agreed to attempt to make life on the road easier in a number of areas when it can.

WVU hopes Big 12 can help with how far away Big 12 is from WVU - SBNation.com
The Mountaineers will work with the league to address some of them, but how much can they do, really?

New WVU Coach Crook Has Roots at WLU - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
Crook twice coached at West Liberty - 1990-92 and 2000-2001 - and had stints at two other West Virginia Conference schools in Glenville (1997-98) and W.Va. Tech (1999).

Ranking the Big 12's top 25 players: No. 4 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
No. 4: Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia

Ranking the Big 12's top 25 players: No. 2 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
No. 2: Tavon Austin, WR/RB/KR/PR, West Virginia

The best individual games of 2012: No. 2 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
No. 2: West Virginia QB Geno Smith vs. Baylor

Recruiting:

Carozza joins WVU football program - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Accepting invited walkon invitation fulfills lifelong dream of PHS lineman

Richard Yeargin recruit scouting report: talented 2014 defender shows potential - SBNation.com
Richard Yeargin is one of the fastest-rising recruits in the 2014 cycle, and he is collecting major BCS offers by the day.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Trio Of Seniors Pushes Oklahoma Over Baylor 90-76 - Crimson And Cream Machine

Post Game Thoughts | Texas Tech 66, Iowa St. 86 - Viva The Matadors

Rocked, Chalked and Jayhawked: Kansas 74, TCU 48 - Frogs O' War

Texas Basketball Falls to Kansas State, 81-69 - Burnt Orange Nation

Markel Brown: OSU's Unheralded Star - Cowboys Ride For Free

What's On Tap:

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. (13) Kansas State Wildcats - Preview - ESPN
7 pm tonight from the Octagon of Doom on ESPNU

(9) Kansas Jayhawks vs. Iowa State Cyclones - Preview - ESPN
9 pm tonight from Hilton Coliseum on ESPN/ESPN3

Video of Interest:

Tavon and Stedman running the 40 yesterday:

Video of (Dis)Interest:

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is the Brazilian brunette in the video below. CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Talita Correa.