Elite Kickers Set For Showdown In Maryland Game

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

Football:

Special teams of Terps are Likely to cause WVU problems | Beckley Register-Herald
Players and coaches alike are confident that Saturday’s 3 p.m. kickoff against Maryland will provide the West Virginia University football team with the most difficult test it’s faced so far. The Terrapins (2-1) looked much better on offense last week in a win over South Florida, and new quarterback Caleb Rowe seems to have taken control. Defensively, the Terps are strong up front and love to put pressure on the quarterback. But in film review this week, it was the always important "third side of the ball" that jumped out to head coach Dana Holgorsen and his WVU assistants in preparing for Maryland. Special teams for the Terrapins this year have been exactly that — special.

Special Teams Stars Headline 52nd Border War Rivalry Game | WV Illustrated
All coaches will tell you the same thing. "We’re looking to improve on all three sides of the ball; offense, defense and special teams." Yeah, special teams – the one part of the game where some fans will get up from their seat to run to the restroom or grab a hot dog from the nearest concession stand. However, on Saturday afternoon, a majority of the fans inside Milan Puskar Stadium will remain seated when the kickers and returners sprint onto the field.

Elite kickers set for showdown | The Exponent Telegram
There are any number of ways to look at this weekend’s regional showdown between Maryland and West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium but, in the end it seems almost certain to come down the two placekickers — the Terps’ Brad Craddock, winner of last year’s Lou Groza Award as the game’s best placekicker — and WVU’s Josh Lambert, a finalist for the same award.

Maryland has own golden toe, but game holds merry memories for Lambert | WV MetroNews
As the final play of last year’s game at Maryland unfolded, West Virginia’s Josh Lambert wasn’t widely hailed as an elite kicker, much less a Lou Groza contender. He was just a sophomore trying to make amends.

In WVU/Maryland game, special teams will indeed be special | Charleston Gazette-Mail
If ever there were a college football game in which you’d drag out an octagon and place the special teams inside, Maryland at WVU is it.

West Virginia prepares for Saturday’s game against Maryland | The Daily Athenaeum
Once again, it’s game week for West Virginia’s football team, and the buzz around Mountaineer Field is noticeable.

2 years later, WVU's Holgorsen seeks redemption for 'worst defeat' in Maryland game | Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Two years after the "worst defeat I've ever taken," West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen considers Saturday's 3 p.m. game against Maryland at Milan Puskar Stadium to be another opportunity for redemption and to gauge the Mountaineers' progress since then.

Maryland rivalry important to WVU | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ask any college football coach or administrator about scheduling and in all likelihood, the first thing they will do is explain how difficult it is. A task that seems easy enough on paper is much trickier in practice as schools are forced to balance dates and priorities to cobble together a workable deal.

Terrapins tougher than they look | Times West Virginian
West Virginia plays traditional rival Maryland this Saturday in a game many assume the Mountaineers will win easily, the Terrapins having lost to Bowling Green, a team that runs a similar offense to WVU’s, earlier this season. But WVU coach Dana Holgorsen warns that it might not be that easy.

WVU must fight to preserve local rivalries | The Daily Athenaeum
n Saturday, the West Virginia Mountaineers will take the field against one of their most constant rivals: Maryland, their border foe, a team they’ve played 51 times in their history. Afterward, the two teams will not meet each other again until 2020. Although the rivalry hasn’t been much of a rivalry in recent years, it’s a rivalry that means something, and the absence of another of West Virginia’s local enemies from their upcoming schedule will be a hard pill for fans to swallow.

Receivers have chance to prove themselves vs. Terps | The Exponent Telegram
West Virginia’s young group of receivers have been able to get off to a good start so far this season.

Maryland game important to WVU's Orlosky | The Exponent Telegram
Flashback to two years and two days ago — Sept., 2013. A series of busses rumble across I-70 from Baltimore, toward Morgantown. Rain is pouring. The sky is black, and so is the mood inside the buses as West Virginia University’s football team riding silently along with an embarrassing 37-0 loss to Maryland. Tyler Orlosky sits in his seat, staring out the window, headphones playing music that he really isn’t hearing at all.

West Virginia Athletics:

WVU Baseball Reveals 2015 Fall Schedule | WV Illustrated
The WVU Baseball team will play five games during the fall season, beginning with Potomac State on Sunday, September 27 from the Monongalia County Ballpark.

Mountaineers Sit at No. 12 | WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University cross country team is ranked No.12 in the second United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Poll, released on Tuesday.

Cleary brings Mountaineer spirit to cross country | The Daily Athenaeum
West Virginia women’s cross country coach Sean Cleary was not born in Morgantown, but his history here makes him a proud Mountaineer.

WVU rebounds with back-to-back wins over Lehigh | The Daily Athenaeum
After a disappointing 0-2 start in its opening weekend, the West Virginia men’s D1 club hockey team grabbed two wins against Lehigh University in back-to-back games.

Around The Big 12:

Texas Tech Red Raiders haven't forgotten blowout loss to TCU | ESPN
TCU's romp over Texas Tech got so out of hand last year, the Horned Frogs burned through their fireworks cache. For the whole season. This weekend, the two longtime rivals will meet again in Lubbock in a key Big 12 opener. And while the Horned Frogs have tried to put last season’s historic 82-27 blowout out of their minds, the Red Raiders still remember it vividly.

Gary Patterson says Mike Tuaua arrest 'not even close to what happened south of here' | ESPN
TCU coach Gary Patterson defended Horned Frogs defensive end Mike Tuaua, who was arrested Monday on a complaint of felony robbery, while also taking an apparent swipe at a rival.

Around The NCAA:

Selection Committee, Week 3: Which 4 would be in the College Football Playoff right now? | SBNation
The season's ending right now! You better change your Thanksgiving plans! Here's who's going to the Playoff!

Undefeated Miami just beat Nebraska ... and made fans want rid of Al Golden even more | SBNation
Elsewhere: Georgia looks like Georgia, Week 3 was the best of the season so far, Stanford took down USC by finally finishing, and more behind the numbers.

Bret Bielema's gone from SEC dark horse to the Hot Seat Watch in only 2 weeks | SBNation
The first three weeks have at least a couple jobs on full alert, while some coaches both very new and very old need a lot of Ws.

2015 college football advanced statistical profiles - Football Study Hall
Advanced statistical profiles for all 128 FBS college football teams (West Virginia ranked No. 12)

HATIN' ASS SPURRIER EATS SOME TWIZZLERS | Every Day Should Be Saturday
WEEK THREE WAS TERRIBLE AND LET'S PRETEND IT NEVER HAPPENED FOR HATIN' ASS SPURRIER

PODCAST AIN'T PLAYED NOBODY, Episode 5: In which Georgia ain't played nobody | SBNation
In the fifth episode of PAPN, Bill and Godfrey talk about how Georgia ain't played nobody, (gulp) defend ESPN, discuss luck vs. opportunity in turnovers, and ask ... what's up with the Pac-12? How's it going out west?

WVUPros: NFL Recap Week 2 | Blue Gold Sports
Week 2 overall was a quiet week for Mountaineers in the NFL but that will likely be the exception in 2015 as several WVUPros look to be just warming up. See how all your favorite players performed in week 2.

Geno Smith has lost his job to Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jets' Todd Bowles says | NJ.com
Geno Smith's return is getting closer but with Ryan Fitzpatrick as the Jets' efficient (if imperfect) signal caller, Smith won't be getting his job back whenever he is ready sometime in the weeks ahead.

Eagles sign LB Najee Goode | Philly.com
With the status of inside linebackers Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks uncertain, the Eagles signed Najee Goode on Tuesday morning.

It's that time again. Here's Dan Rubenstein with his picks for Week 4 in this week's Easy Call.

Today's Miss Throwdown is USC Trojan's QB Cody Kessler's girlfriend. Despite losing to Stanford this past Saturday, I'd say he's doing pretty well for himself. CLICK HERE for Tabitha Grayston's Instagram.