Mountaineer Morning Links: Thursday (7/23/15) Edition

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Oklahoma State Tickets on Sale Thursday | WVU Athletics
Tickets for West Virginia’s football matchup with Oklahoma State on Oct. 10 will go on sale to the public through the Mountaineer Ticket Office on Thursday, July 23, at 9 a.m.

Football:

WVU football: David Sills' long recruitment finally ends | SI.com
More than five years after he committed to USC as a seventh grader, David Sills is finally set to become a college quarterback.

Smallwood’s versatility a big plus for West Virginia | Charleston Gazette-Mail
It actually began two years ago when Smallwood arrived on campus, but he’s ramped up the praise considerably of late. Sometimes Smallwood wonders just who Holgorsen is talking about.

Holgorsen on ESPN: Defense Wins Championships | EerSports
West Virginia Head Coach Dana Holgorsen made his way through Bristol, Connecticut as part of the "Car Wash". (See our Video of Interest below)

WVU LB Kwiatkoski says depth is key | Beckley Register-Herald
The story for West Virginia University on Monday and Tuesday at Big 12 Media Days in Dallas, Texas, was all about the defense and the returning experience. The stat that was thrown out over and over was that the Mountaineers are returning nine of 11 starters on defense and adding to the mix Jared Barber, who was a starter before missing last season with a knee injury that forced him to use a medical redshirt.

FURFARI: Dunlevy was an outstanding receiver at WVU  - Times West Virginian: Sports
Well-known Bob Dunlevy, of Wheeling, was an outstanding wide receiver at West Virginia University in 1963-64-65.

Around The Big XII:

What we learned at Big 12 college football media days | ESPN
A look at five key things we learned in Dallas.

Poll: Big 12 players want to see expansion | ESPN
In an anonymous poll of more than 20 Big 12 players, 88 percent said they want to see the league expand beyond 10 teams in the future.

Should the Big 12 expand? Coaches weigh in | FOX Sports
In a nutshell, where does each Big 12 coach stand on expansion?

Big 12 has host of intimidating defenders | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Every year it seems, the Big 12 can be counted on to have some of the best individual offensive talent in college football.

Quarterbacks’ style all relative in Big 12 | The Dominion Post
"Have It Your Way" might have petered out as Burger King’s slogan late in 2014, but it’s still an appropriate mantra for defining Big 12 quarterbacks. Special order one with speed, or select one who prefers a cozy pocket and have a nice day.

College Football Playoff: Briles says brand names cost Baylor, TCU | SI.com
Baylor head coach Art Briles said Baylor or TCU would have made the 2015 College Football Playoff if one of the schools had an older brand name.

Playoff committee partly to blame for Big 12 drama, but not how you'd think | SBNation
The committee picking Ohio State over Baylor and TCU wasn't the problem. Explaining that choice in increasingly confusing terms was.

Oklahoma football: Will Bob Stoops ever turn Sooners into a powerhouse again? | FOX Sports
FOX Sports Southwest Big 12 reporter David Ubben joins Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel on The Audible to discuss if Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops can ever turn the Sooners back into a national power. Ubben explains why he doesn't see it happening.

Sooners are ultimate wild card in Big 12 | The Exponent Telegram
If TCU and Baylor are the aces in the 10-card deck that is the Big 12 this football season, the two wild cards are West Virginia and Oklahoma.

Bob Stoops reveals he's had 'many more than 5 offers' while at OU | Sporting News
On Wednesday, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops told ESPN.com's Brett McMurphy that he's had multiple offers over the years.

Charlie Strong says 'find somewhere else to play' if you hit women | Sporting News
We know Charlie Strong has strong convictions.

Losses, not wins, are the lasting memory for Oklahoma State Cowboys | ESPN
It's easy to remember the joys of Oklahoma State's finish to the 2014 season. Yet the players remember something different.

Texas Tech football player ruptures spleen in crash | Sporting News
Kyle Heffron, a sophomore football player at Texas Tech, is in stable condition after rupturing his spleen in a single-car accident Wednesday morning.

Nebraska back in Big 12? Bill Snyder would be good with that | Sporting News
The notion is a romantic one, at least: Conference powerhouse returns to its longtime home after a separation of several years. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder floated one such notion this week: Nebraska as part of any Big 12 Conference expansion.

Former TCU star DeVonte Fields working to get eligible at Louisville | Sporting News
Former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year DeVonte Fields is still not cleared academically to play at Louisville this season, coach Bobby Petrino confirmed (via the Louisville Courier-Journal).

Around The NCAA:

SHUTDOWN FULLCAST 3.12: HERE LIES FOOTBALL EROTICA | Every Day Should Be Saturday
THIS EPISODE COVERS THE TRULY AROUSING MOMENTS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Kentucky tells Drake to cease and desist | Sporting News
Ready for a weird and wacky NCAA violation story?

Spurrier not heehawing around anymore: Tired of 'enemies' talking bad about him, Gamecocks | Sporting News
At 3:12 Wednesday afternoon, South Carolina sent out a release that Steve Spurrier wanted to meet with media members at 4:30. Of course, that set of a flurry of speculative tweets. Was he announcing his retirement? Was there a health issue?

Kennedy McKoy happy to be a Mountaineer | Scout
Kennedy McKoy committed to West Virginia a few weeks ago. Scout caught up with the three-star running back at last weekend's Shrine Bowl Invite-Only practice.

Top NFL Training Camp battles among WVUPros | College To Pro Sports
NFL Training Camps begin soon. Here is a look at a few of the top position battles among West Virginia Mountaineers in the NFL that we will be watching.

NFL.com: Seahawks' Bruce Irvin has 'make-or-break' year ahead
With training camp right around the corner, the long lists by the national media are being released for the masses.

Tavon Austin Poised To Break Out For St. Louis Rams In 2015 | RantSports
The St. Louis Rams are expected to have a much improved offense in 2015, and wide receiver Tavon Austin is poised for a breakout season.

At this point, I should just rename "Tweet of the Day" to "Dana Holgorsen Spittin' Hot Fire"

Dana Holgorsen to coaches who believe game should be slowed down: "Tackle better"

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) July 22, 2015

Dana Holgorsen on Pitt: "We’re begging 'em to play. They chose to play Okla. State instead. It makes no sense why it’s not being played"

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) July 22, 2015

Today's Miss Throwdown is a Playboy Playmate who is not afraid to get her hands, and uh, other parts of her body dirty. CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Jessica Burciaga.