West Virgina's Offensive Line A Focus During Spring Practice

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

Football:

WVU will use spring to sort out offensive line | Charleston Gazette-Mail
West Virginia didn’t throw the football too often last season, passing on just 42.43 percent of downs. That ranked No. 100 out of 128 teams. But there was a justification, and not just the presence of quarterback Sykler Howard and running backs Wendell Smallwood and Rushel Shell in the backfield.

Big 12 Tuesday mailbag: Spring games, coaching changes | ESPN
Coach Dana Holgorsen's future is a hot topic as West Virginia enters the season once again considered a possible contender in the conference.

Basketball:

WVU’s Williams declares for the NBA Draft | Charleston Gazette-Mail
West Virginia forward Devin Williams, who had 16 double-doubles and was second-team All-Big 12 this season, announced Tuesday he’s entering the NBA draft and suggested he’s not coming back for his senior year.

A hard look at Devin Williams’ pro status | Charleston Gazette-Mail
When WVU released news that junior Devin Williams would "make himself available for the 2016 NBA draft," an important nugget was left out of the announcement. There was no mention of an agent.

Huggins says Williams leaving West Virginia not a done deal | WV MetroNews
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins says there’s a chance forward Devin Williams returns to school for his senior season based on feedback from NBA draft advisors.

Gold & Blue Lunch Report: What the loss of Williams means for next year | WV MetroNews
Where does the departure of Devin Williams leave West Virginia basketball next season? Probably out of the preseason top 15, though this year’s team proved how irrelevant such projections are.

Williams' work ethic one of a kind | Exponent Telegram
Guys like Devin Williams don’t come along very often. We’re not talking talent, although he was always shortchanged by the public for the talent he had. The problem was it just wasn’t as big and as bold as Williams was.

Williams' Place Among Top Power Forwards Secure | WVU Athletics
A new NCAA rule put in place in January means Williams is permitted to go through the draft process, including attending draft camp (if invited), but he can pull out by May 25th as long as he doesn’t sign with an agent. So far he hasn’t, I am told.

Center situation looks dire without Williams | The Daily Athenaeum
With the loss of Devin Williams, the West Virginia University men’s basketball team is losing its foundation. While Williams’ announcement that he will forgo his senior season and declare for the NBA Draft hurts the Mountaineers tremendously, it also doesn’t do much for Williams’ NBA hopes.

Paige To Play in Reese's All-Star Game | WVU Athletics
The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) today announced rosters for the 2016 Reese’s Division I College All-Star game, which will be played on Reese’s Final Four Friday® as part of the 2016 NCAA® Division I Men’s Final Four®.

Baseball:

WVU Falls in Extras to Golden Griffins | WVU Athletics
For the third time in five games at home this season, the West Virginia University baseball team played extra innings in a 7-5 loss to Canisius on Tuesday evening at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Wildness bites West Virginia during 7-5 loss to Canisius | WV MetroNews
West Virginia pitchers issued 11 walks, including two that forced home the go-ahead runs in extra innings, leading to a 7-5 loss against Canisius on Tuesday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Walks doom WVU to midweek letdown against Canisius | The Daily Athenaeum
The little-known Canisius Golden Griffins headed into Morgantown as a bit of an afterthought for the West Virginia University baseball team, as the Mountaineers headed into a long homestand and a crucial weekend series against Oklahoma State.

Around The NCAA:

Will Muschamp can handle cleaning up South Carolina's biggest mess | SBNation
The Gamecocks head coach faces a handful of major concerns, but the most critical is his specialty.

How a smartphone app and $15 piece of cardboard are taking on football concussions | SBNation
Concussions and their symptoms are hard to diagnose with the naked eye, resulting in a lot of players playing when they shouldn't be. A new app hopes to change that.

Meet the 2016 McDonald's All-Americans, where stars are hiding in plain sight | SBNation
Basketball's future will be on display at the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game. Get to know 'em before anyone else.

Today's Miss Throwdown is a Canadian fashion model and former SI Swimsuit Edition Rookie of the Year. CLICK HERE for Kate Bock's Instagram.