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 Klinskoye Svetloe, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.
What You May Have Missed:
Gold and Blue Now: Wednesday, Sept. 25 - WV MetroNews
Dana Holgorsen says his team is bouncing back to face Oklahoma State, and David Ubben of Fox Sports Southwest discusses why the Big 12 is disappointing this year.
Stadium Cell Service Improving - WVU Athletics
Improvements have been made to overall mobile phone service.
Inside the 18 - WVU Athletics
This week's inside look at Mountaineer men's and women's soccer, with Adam Zundell.
Year after 70-63, fun has left West Virginia - AP via Kansas City Star
It was just about a year ago that Morgantown, W.Va., was the happiest place in college football.
News of Note:
Dana Holgorsen News Conference - WVU Athletics
Video and transcript here, video also embedded below
Resilient Mountaineers get back to work - Charleston Daily Mail
Casazza's Notebook
Holgorsen: ‘We’re THAT close’ - WV MetroNews
Reaction from Tuesday's news conference, where WVU's coach discussed ways to fix his 2-2 team.
Ugly stats hinder West Virginia Mountaineers offense - ESPN
Inept. Lethargic. Uninspired. Or, quite simply, bad.
Dawson: Offense must ‘suck it up and do something’ - WV MetroNews
West Virginia hadn’t been blanked for a stretch of 150 games, and the fact a shutout occurred under the watch of Dana Holgorsen and Shannon Dawson was the most stunning aspect of a 37-0 loss to Maryland.
Will looser attitude help WVU? - Charleston Gazette
"What I saw was when a couple of things happened early in that football game, our guys kind of got a little wide eyed and said, 'Oh, crap,' '' Holgorsen said. "And that can't happen. We can't play like that.
‘You have to believe’ - Register-Herald
WVU’s Holgorsen trying to stay positive after Mountaineers’ lopsided loss to Maryland’s Terps
Mountaineers Preach Power of Positive Thinking - WVillustrated
Holgorsen telling the troops to look in the mirror in effort to right the ship after blowout loss.
Holgorsen still has faith in WVU offense - Pittsburgh Tribune Review
The thing is, he believes West Virginia is closer than it looks to being a good offense.
WVU struggling to replace offensive weapons - Daily Athenaeum
Saturday’s 37-0 loss to Maryland was a historically bad offensive performance for the Mountaineers – literally.
Holgorsen acknowledges challenges Mountaineers are facing - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"I'm sick to my stomach with what happened offensively Saturday," Holgorsen said.
Holgorsen finds positives in blowout loss - Times West Virginian
And, he says, his team, his players have responded as well as they could, right up and through Saturday’s debacle.
HERTZEL COLUMN: ‘Inept’ WVU offense is in good company - Times West Virginian
True, scoring the football has been a major problem and the 108 ranking is well deserved, but the fact that WVU stands 69th in rushing offense, 74th in passing offense and 72nd in total offense — while not exactly the results WVU expected when it ransomed its short-term profits to hire Holgorsen — weren’t at the bottom.
Crook vows no panic on line personnel - WV MetroNews
As badly as West Virginia’s offensive line appeared to struggle in realtime Saturday, the ensuing day’s click-and-rewind film study proved equally brutal.
Multiple Positions, Multiple Struggles - BGN
There’s no hiding the lack of effort and execution along the offensive line. The coaches know it, the players know it. And they seem to hint at knowing how to fix it. But asking about specifics renders CIA-like responses.
The Takeaway: A historically bad offensive performance - WV MetroNews
two guys who witnessed a street fight in Baltimore last Friday (started by, of all things, a thrown Slurpee) but saw not nearly enough fight from the Mountaineers on Saturday—break down the Maryland film, chat about WVU’s inept offensive production, and discuss this weekend’s Oklahoma State game.
Barber laments two that got away - WV MetroNews
Notebook: In perfect coverage position, linebacker says dropped interceptions
Oklahoma State wide receiver benefits from life experiences - Charleston Daily Mail
Beneath the helmet is a mind and under the shoulder pads is a heart. They are what make Oklahoma State's Josh Stewart one of the very best at what he does.
"Mad Men" and West Virginia both slink into the Bottom 10 feeling the burn of being shut out - ESPN
#5
WVSports.com TV: Assistant Coaches - WVSports.com
Dawson, Crook & Patterson
BGN Video: Dawson and Rowell - BGN
Coach Dawson and Rowell
WATCH: WVU Assistant Coaches Talk Before Game Against Oklahoma S - WVillustrated
Crook, Slaughter & Dawson
Coaches, Players talk OK State - DA Sports Blog
Coach Slaughter, Rigg & Shorts
WATCH: WVU Players Prepare for Oklahoma State at Home - WVillustrated
Eger, Rose & Myers
Football Player Quotes: Oklahoma State - WVU Athletics
West Virginia University football players and assistant coaches addressed the media.
Recruiting:
Hoops recruiting, clarification and a farewell to Wilbur - Charleston Gazette
Ye olde notebook
Around the League (and Beyond):
Baylor Offense By The Numbers in 2013 - Our Daily Bears
Third Storm Bowl Downgraded to "Tropical Depression Bowl" - Wide Right & Natty Lite
Loss of Combs far from devastating for KU football - Lawrence Journal World
Two QBs remain a work in progress for K-State - Salina Journal
Sooners trying to shake 'overrated' label - Oklahoman (autoplay)
Oklahoma State CB Tyler Patmon, DL coach Joe Bob Clements have experience in Morgantown - Oklahoman
The walking wounded: Assessing the Texas injury situation - Burnt Orange Nation
TCU Returns Home Saturday to Face SMU - TCU Horned Frogs Official Athletic Site
Tech Football: No time to rest - Lubbock Avalanche Journal
What's On Tap:
Men’s Soccer Hosts Penn State - WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University men’s soccer team will host Big Ten foe Penn State on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Videos of Interest:
Dana Holgorsen's Tuesday afternoon news conference at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Shaq Rowell discusses the improvements the defense is making after a 37-0 loss to Maryland last weekend. The Mountaineers welcome the Oklahoma State Cowboys to Morgantown this Saturday, Sept. 28, at 12pm.
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Double DUH WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE
Hump Day Video of the Week:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a Russian model and former Playmate of the Month. CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Irina Voronina.
More from The Smoking Musket:
- West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys: Game Day Information, Television, Radio, Gamewatches & More
- Recap: Game Four - Back To The Drawing Board
- Mountaineer Morning Links: Tuesday (9/24/13) Edition
- West Virginia Football Coaching Approval Meter: Post-Maryland Edition
- Mountaineer Morning Links: Monday (9/23/13) Edition