Mountaineer Morning Links: Thursday (7/16/15) Edition

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Crank Shaft IPA from Braxton Brewing Company.

Lyons Reveals 2015-16 Rifle Schedule | WVU Athletics
The 2015-16 WVU rifle schedule is set.

Skyler Howard focused on winning title, not QB job | WV MetroNews
After making a significant leap during his first season, Howard aims to lift WVU's uncertain offense.

Three Named Preseason All-Conference | WVU Athletics
Three Mountaineers Named Preseason All-Conference

Mike Casazza: ADs will need time to reignite WVU-Pitt series | Charleston Daily Mail
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — What we know about the Backyard Brawl is talkers at Pitt and West Virginia want to bring back the rivalry. Actually, the Mountaineers, in the words of director of football operations Alex Hammond, would "love to reignite" it. If Hammond is saying that, believe his boss, coach Dana Holgorsen, echoes it.

Prized WVU hoops recruit Ahmad cleared to play | The Charleston Gazette
West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins’ summer received a little sunshine on Wednesday. According to the coach, prized 2015 recruit Esa Ahmad, Ohio’s back-to-back player of the year, was officially cleared by the NCAA to play in the upcoming season.

Around The Big XII:

Texas Tech HC Kliff Kingsbury talks summer workouts, social media, NFL | Dallas Morning News
Texas Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury is selective about voicing his opinions but Monday night the head coach joined former Texas Tech coach Tim Siegel during an interview on KTTU-FM (104.3) in Lubbock to dish on a variety of topics ranging from the summer workouts to Red Raiders in the NFL.

OU football: Running back Samaje Perine wasn't thrilled about 'no contact' in spring game | News OK
Perine, who was the Big 12’s leading rusher as a true freshman last season, only carried the ball three times for four yards in the spring game and defenders weren’t allowed to hit him. He wore a red jersey with blue numbers, signaling "no contact" to defensive players.

Kansas State must reload without Waters, Lockett | The Daily Athenaeum
After registering his third nine-win season in four years, head coach Bill Snyder has a major rebuilding process on his hands this season at Kansas State.

TCU’s Doctson heads up Big 12 receiving class | The Daily Athenaeum
From West Virginia’s Kevin White’s earth-shattering senior season that made him a Biletnikoff finalist and top-10 pick, to Tyler Lockett re-writing the record book at Kansas State, the wide receiver talent in the Big 12 in 2014 was some of the best in the nation.

Examining trends of Big 12's top offenses | ESPN
Before the 2015 season gets underway it is a good time to examine the past and what things helped lead to success in the Big 12.

Predicting the 2015 season: Week 12 | ESPN
Season predictions in July might sound like a fruitless endeavor, but we just can’t help it. We’re too ready for this season to begin. And this time last year, we did boldly and correctly project TCU would beat Oklahoma as well as a West Virginia upset of Baylor. So what have we cooked up for 2015?

Texas AD Steve Patterson reportedly ordered to change management style | Sporting News
Texas athletic director Steve Patterson has reportedly been told by the school president to change his ways.

Around The NCAA:

SHUTDOWN FULLCAST 3.11: THE MYANMAR OR ALABAMA EPISODE | Every Day Should Be Saturday
FEARLESS LEADER RETURNS TO TALK ABOUT OPIUM CAMPING

6 charts that show college football conferences have their own offensive identities | SBNation
As you'd expect, the big conferences don't all play exactly the same kind of football.

College football’s opening week has plenty of intrigue | Bluefield Daily Telegraph
College football is back. Here is a look at Week 1 of the 15-week season that awaits.

No excuses, Saban: Ohio State was better than Alabama | Sporting News
A strange thing happened when Nick Saban, king of all things SEC and the state of Alabama, arrived at the Hyatt hotel for his annual coronation at SEC Media Days: the adoring hoard of fans that showed up the previous eight years for but a glimpse of the gleam in his eye weren’t around.

USC Trojans explore selling naming rights to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | ESPN
For the past several months, USC has been exploring the possibility of selling naming rights to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Officially in. I will be in Morgantown this weekend #Mountaineers 〽️

— Esa Ahmad (@IDoIt_Nike23) July 15, 2015

Today's Miss Throwdown is Hugh Hefner's third (we think) wife, and I have to say he picked a winner this time. CLICK HERE for Crystal Hefner's Instagram .

Love this suit #lookscouldkyll

A photo posted by Crystal Hefner (@crystalhefner) on Jul 9, 2015 at 8:52am PDT