The Shotgun/Throwdown (11/13/18): Dana Holgorsen is on the Winning Side of the Transfer Game

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

Football

WV MetroNews – Gundy decries transfers as ‘snowflakes’ while Holgorsen builds an igloo
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy believes the increased number of transfer players is a cultural issue. West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen is glad to take them in.

Sills V Named Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist - West Virginia Athletics
West Virginia senior wide receiver David Sills V has been named one of 11 semifinalists for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award.

WV MetroNews – Help wanted: Plotting a course for WVU to make College Football Playoff
A College Football Playoff berth is within West Virginia's reach, but the Mountaineers could still use plenty of help from outside sources in upcoming weeks.

WVU football notebook: Sills makes an impact on special teams | WVU Gameday | wvgazettemail.com
West Virginia wide receiver David Sills V is widely known as one of the best in the country at his position, and with good reason. But Sills has served as WVU’s primary punt returner recently, and he has also made his presence on special teams felt as a gunner on punt coverage.

WV MetroNews – Three Guys Before The Game – Post TCU (Episode 66)
Tony Caridi, Hoppy Kercheval, and Brad Howe break down WVU's win over TCU on this episode of Three Guys Before The Game.

Mountaineer Success Starts At The Top - West Virginia Athletics
How does a team with so many four-year and junior college transfers have such great chemistry Well, it starts at the top with Dana Holgorsen.

WVU-OK State to Be an Afternoon Affair - The Smoking Musket
West Virginia will take on Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m. ET this Saturday. The game will be nationally televised on ABC.

Basketball

WV MetroNews – WVU basketball unranked in AP top 25 for first time since 2015
WVU's loss to Buffalo ended a streak of 55 consecutive weeks in the Associated Press top 25 poll.

WVU has plenty of time to put Buffalo loss in the rearview mirror | Sports | thedaonline.com
The Mountaineers lost their season opener last season, but still made it to the Big 12 Championship game and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, so this WVU team has time to recover from the opening loss to Buffalo.

Davenport Earns Big 12 Honor - West Virginia Athletics
Mountaineer senior Naomi Davenport has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week.

West Virginia Athletics

WVU Men’s Soccer Selected for NCAA Tournament - The Smoking Musket
The Mountaineers are back in the postseason for the first time in seven years, and they will host LIU Brooklyn in the first round on Thursday.

Around the Big 12

Big 12 schedule may hurt College Football Playoff chances
A backloaded schedule may backfire on the Big 12 and its College Football Playoff hopes as Oklahoma and West Virginia could play twice in eight days.

Kansas sweeps Big 12 weekly honors - Kansas Jayhawks
Dedric Lawson and Quentin Grimes earn first Big 12 weekly awards of the season.

Around the NCAA

College Football Playoff race lacks drama? New Year’s 6 race has some! - SBNation.com
There is always excitement in college football. The race for New Year's 6 bowl games could provide some drama and excitement. Who are the Mountaineers matched up with, as of now?

College football 2018 strength of schedule rankings by Bill Connelly - SBNation.com
Near the bottom of this post: an improved way of thinking about strength of schedule rankings. And first, an explanation. Where does WVU land in the 2018 Resume S&P+ rankings after 11 weeks of football?

NCAA basketball rankings: Duke Blue Devils jump to No. 1 in AP Poll - SBNation.com
Kansas drops to one spot and Kentucky falls even further, as Duke jumps to the top of the national rankings.

Fun college football rankings: If you’re bored with 2018, that’s your fault - SBNation.com
The "Top Whatever" is the only ranking of teams that considers a crucial factor: must this team be ranked right now?

NFL playoff picture 2018: Colts and Titans have shot at the postseason - SBNation.com
The Colts and Falcons both started 1-4 while the Titans started hot and fizzled out. Do these three teams still have a chance to make the playoffs?

Does Carmelo Anthony leaving the Houston Rockets mean his NBA career is done? - SBNation.com
Reports suggest Carmelo Anthony’s brief time with the Houston Rockets is coming to an end.

Caris LeVert injury: Nets star suffers gruesome ankle injury on block attempt - SBNation.com
Brooklyn’s brightest young star suffered a devastating ankle injury on Monday.

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