Profiting On Takeaways The Next Step For West Virginia

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

Football:

Profiting on takeaways next step for West Virginia Mountaineers | ESPN
West Virginia did a great job with takeaways last season, but they didn't do well with returning them or turning them into points on offense.

Mountaineers want to do more with turnovers | Exponent Telegram
For the most part, West Virginia’s defense in the Gold and Blue Spring Scrimmage was what you’d expect a defense that lost nine significant players to be — not very good.

Spring Game shows secondary has a long way to go | The Daily Athenaeum
In the aftermath of the Gold-Blue Spring Game on Saturday, most of the headlines were based around an explosive performance from the WVU offense, which dropped 49 points at the Greenbrier. The offense earned attention, but usually when an offense scores 49 points, it’s at least partially at the expense of a defense that wasn’t up to snuff. And on Saturday, the Mountaineer pass defense showed it still has quite a long way to go.

Simms "does everything wrong," but makes big plays | The Daily Athenaeum
True freshman receiver Marcus Simms does everything wrong. Nothing seems to resemble what the coaches ask for. He doesn’t know what he’s doing a majority of the time. But he also does everything right in terms of the box score. He scored two touchdowns in Saturday’s Gold-Blue Spring Game, a critical piece in the offense’s 49-46 victory over the defense.

West Virginia spring game: What we learned | ESPN
What did we learn from the Mountaineers' spring game? ESPN's Brandon Chatmon breaks it down.

Baseball:

Marshall Game Moved to Wednesday Due to Rain | WVU Athletics
Tonight’s West Virginia University baseball game against in-state rival Marshall has been moved to Wednesday, April 27, due to inclement weather expected in the area. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. ET at Monongalia County Ballpark

Zarbnisky, WVU look for season sweep of rival Marshall | The Daily Athenaeum
The West Virginia University baseball team will take on the Marshall Thundering Herd for the second time this season. Wednesday also marks a chance for the Mountaineers to take the season series from their in-state rival.

Grove Earns Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Honors | WVU Athletics
After pitching 8.1 scoreless innings in relief, West Virginia University freshman right-handed pitcher Michael Grove has been named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, the league announced on Monday.

Grove Named Student-Athlete of the Week | WVU Athletics
Following his first career win in a 12-7 victory at Oklahoma, freshman Michael Grove of the West Virginia University baseball team has been named the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by University Apartments.

West Virginia Athletics:

Mountaineers return plenty of experience heading into 2016 | The Daily Athenaeum
The West Virginia men’s soccer team finished the spring with a 3-1-1 record after posting a 7-12 record in 2015. Coach Marlon LeBlanc’s team closed out last season having made the MAC Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament as the No. 4 seed but fell to eventual conference champion Akron in the quarterfinals.

Around The Big XII:

Kansas State Wildcats spring game: What we learned | ESPN
If the spring game was any indication, the winner Kansas State's QB derby will have plenty of dangerous options to throw the ball to.

Around The NCAA:

The SEC makes more money than every other conference, and it's not close | SBNation.com
A lot of schools are making major cash, but the financials aren't so rosy for some power conference teams.

At Ohio State, Greg Schiano will coach the Buckeyes' defense much like Chris Ash did | SBNation
The Buckeyes lose most of their defense and have a new coordinator, but the system hasn't changed.

Department of Justice investigating NCAA satellite camp ban | SBNation
Of course, why not?

DeAndre Ayton is the best basketball prospect on Earth. Only one school is recruiting him | SBNation
There's already a circus around the gifted 7-footer, and his recruitment is just getting started.

Today's Miss Throwdown is an American comedian and the winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing. CLICK HERE for Iliza Shlesinger's Instagram.