West Virginia's Season Opener Comes With A Little Guess Work For Dana Holgorsen

The 2016 season will likely decide Dana Holgorsen's future at West Virginia University, and to kick it off he's playing a team that the Mountaineers don't see or play often.

By Michael Miller@uncle_drank Aug 31, 2016, 11:08am EDT

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Football:

Season opener comes with a little guess work for Holgorsen | The Exponent Telegram
In many ways, Dana Holgorsen has to feel like Pablo Picasso moments after he has strung a canvas around a frame, looking at it sit there in its virgin white form, not knowing where he might be led. His opening game of the 2016 season — a season that will probably decide his future at West Virginia— is no longer months nor weeks away. Instead it is mere days away against a team he doesn’t play often in Missouri from a league he also doesn’t play often, the powerful Southeastern Conference.

West Virginia prepares for unknown with Missouri | Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Dana Holgorsen and his West Virginia football team have had months to focus on what they're going to do and who they're going to be. Now with the season opener days away, they have to focus on an opponent — and they're trying not to draw a blank.

WVU’s Holgorsen happy to be playing but not starting so many freshmen | Charleston Gazette-Mail
West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said he’ll let 10 true freshmen dress for Saturday’s season-opening game against Missouri. Two are certain to play while the rest will be available for backup snaps, special teams action or an emergency situation.

Unfamiliar view: Joe Wickline moving on up to coaches’ booth | WV MetroNews
There’s a seat in the West Virginia coaches’ box reserved for offensive coordinator Joe Wickline. That’s newsworthy because during 34 seasons of college coaching, Wickline has coached precisely one game from upstairs. More precisely, one half.

Gold & Blue Lunch Report: Season ticket sales dip again | WV MetroNews
After a brief summer hiatus, the Gold & Blue Lunch Report returns for the debut of Mountaineers football in 2016.

WVU LB Arndt: Size 'Just a Number' | WVU Athletics
There are a few new names at the top of West Virginia’s depth chart heading into Saturday’s season opener, and one of those new guys on the defensive side of the ball just happens call the Mountain State his home.

West Virginia Athletics:

Buchanan wins Big 12's top defender for week | The Exponent Telegram
West Virginia University women’s soccer senior defender Kadeisha Buchanan has been named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

WVU Ranks No. 7 in Mid-Atlantic | WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University cross country team is ranked No. 7 in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the preseason U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) regional rankings, announced on Monday, August 29.

Around The Big XII:

East Carolina, which literally @'d the Big 12, is out of the expansion sweepstakes | SBNation
The Pirates had no problem pitching, but they've become the first Big 12 aspirant publicly eliminated from the expansion race.

Around The NCAA:

FSU football’s Travis Rudolph brightens a young man’s day | Tomahawk Nation
Kinda dusty in here.

NCAA, please just let LSU and Wisconsin players do the Lambeau Leap | SBNation
Just let us have this.

UCLA's sophomore QB doesn't think Texas A&M's stadium will be especially loud | SBNation
UCLA plays at Texas A&M on college football’s opening weekend, in what could be the week’s best quarterback duel. One of the participants in that showdown, Bruins signal-caller Josh Rosen, sounds not especially worried about playing a game like this one on the road. We'll see how this shakes out.