West Virginia Preparing For Georgia Southern In Mock Game Week

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions.

Football:

West Virginia football team preparing as if this was game week | Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Entering the second week of classes, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen told reporters, "I've never had three weeks of school prior to the first game in my 20 years of coaching. It feels like this should be game week."

Holgorsen putting Mountaineers through ‘mock game week’ | Charleston Gazette-Mail
West Virginia is pushing through the prolonged practice period before the start of the regular season with a "mock game week." It began Tuesday and will fill the tedious time that stands before the Sept. 5 game against Georgia Southern.

It's mock game week for WVU | The Exponent Telegram
Dana Holgorsen is turning the extra week between the end of preseason camp and the September 5th opener against Georgia Southern into a "mock game week", complete with all the trimmings - except for the game.

Georgia Southern poses unique challenges in WVU’s season opener | The Daily Athenaeum
What do you know about the Georgia Southern Eagles? If you’re the average college football fan, you probably mainly remember them driving Florida absolutely mad with their triple option offense two years ago, forcing the final nail into Gator head coach Will Muschamp’s coffin in one of the most stunning upsets of the decade.

West Virginia’s take-charge QB has the attention of those who matter | WV MetroNews
With his fall semester composed entirely of online courses, Skyler Howard skirts the daily notoriety of being a big man on campus. Sometimes the attention finds him nonetheless.

Nonconference schedule gives JUCO CB Rasul Douglas time to play catch-up | WV MetroNews
West Virginia cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell plans to have newly cleared junior college signee Rasul Douglas up to speed during the three-game nonconference schedule.

Changing of the (right) guard: O-line spot still open | The Dominion Post
Tyler Orlosky doesn’t care who will flank him at right guard when Georgia Southern visits WVU on Sept. 5. If the standout center does possess a leaning toward either Kyle Bosch or Tony Matteo, he sure isn’t about to divulge it.

Dana Holgorsen sees no need to change vetting program | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
West Virginia’s coach will stick with his approach to vetting players even in light of Baylor’s sexual-assault scandal.

Could this be Worley’s last WVU go-around? | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Will Daryl Worley be ready to move on to the NFL after his junior season?

Unique coal touch inside the Mountaineers’ locker room | WV MetroNews
West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen isn’t big on pregame speeches, figuring even the best speech is no match for the previous six days of preparation. However, this year Holgorsen will give his final remarks in front of a shiny wall of black bricks made from West Virginia coal.

West Virginia Athletics:

Around The Big 12:

Big 12 supports prohibiting transfers for violence issues | FOX Sports
Big 12 Conference athletic directors are unanimously backing a proposal that would prohibit schools from accepting transfers who were disciplined for violent acts at their previous schools.

Big 12 may discuss adopting SEC transfer policy after Baylor scandal | SI.com
In meetings this week, Big 12 athletic directors could discuss adopting the SEC's transfer policy regarding domestic and sexual assault after Baylor transfer Sam Ukwuachu was convicted of rape on Friday.

WhatIfSports 2015 Big 12 Football Projected Standings | FOX Sports
Which team will take the Big 12 crown this college football season? WhatIfSports.com played every game of the 2015 season 101 times to generate game-by-game predictions for each Big 12 team, as well as projected conference standings.

How Charlie Weis left Kansas football in ruins | ESPN
Kansas has just four returning starters from last season's 3-9 squad -- by far the fewest of any Power 5 program.

Boise State denies knowledge of Sam Ukwuachu's history of domestic abuse | Sporting News
Boise State issued a statement to the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday night claiming the university had no knowledge of former football player Sam Ukwuachu's violent history with women.

Around The NCAA:

7 coaches explain what goes into game week | SBNation
7 coaches explain what goes into game week

Predicting the Playoff and every bowl | SBNation
Predicting an Ohio State-Alabama title game and every other 2015 bowl

Heisman Trophy: Defensive players face long odds to win award | SI.com
In era of hurry-up offenses, defensive players are less likely to win the Heisman Trophy.

Rutgers coach Kyle Flood responds to report of alleged rules violations | Sporting News
Rutgers coach Kyle Flood is being investigated for possible impermissible contact with a faculty member.

Mountaineers make offer to highly touted long snapper | Charleston Gazette-Mail
When Dana Holgorsen arrived in Morgantown, he made a decision on scholarships that was not normal in the world of college football. Rather than force his special-teams coach to work almost exclusively with walk-ons, he set aside three scholarships to use for the oft-neglected third side of the ball.

Phil Simms expects Jets to give Geno Smith a chance to be 'the man' again | Newsday
Geno Smith might not be the Jets' starting quarterback in his injury related absence, but that will change at some point this season. Of that, Phil Simms has little doubt.

Injured Chicago Bears WR Kevin White a first-round thumbs down so far | ESPN
Receiver Kevin White's rookie season is in jeopardy because of a stress fracture he suffered in his left shin during organized team activities.

Gyorko’s two homers can’t stop Nationals | Press Enterprise
Jedd Gyorko homered twice, including a solo shot off Casey Janssen in the seventh, but San Diego lost a second straight game following five consecutive wins.

Today's Miss Throwdown is a Danish model and was featured on the 2014 SI Swimsuit Edition cover. CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Nina Agdal.