The Shotgun/Throwdown (11/27/18): Great Offense or Bad Defense?

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

Football

WVU football: After bending at times, Mountaineers' defense finally broke down the stretch | WVU Gameday | wvgazettemail.com
Much of the buzz surrounding the aftermath of last week’s West Virginia-Oklahoma football game has followed one of two narratives — the Mountaineers and Sooners are two outstanding offensive teams or they are two very bad defensive teams.

WV MetroNews – Three Guys Before The Game – Post Oklahoma (Episode 70)
Tony Caridi, Hoppy Kercheval, and Brad Howe discuss the major storylines from Friday’s game and look ahead to a series of topics ranging from Dana Holgorsen’s interest in other programs, and whether Will Grier and others will play in the bowl.

West Virginia Stays In Top 15 - The Smoking Musket
The West Virginia Mountaineers dropped three spots in the latest AP poll to #15. In the Amway Coaches poll, the Mountaineers fall to #16.

WV MetroNews – West Virginia’s most exciting bowl game possibilities — and the worst
West Virginia doesn't know where it will go bowling yet, but some attractive matchups are among the possibilities, along with a very depressing option.

Bowl SZN: Projecting WVU’s Bowl Scenarios - The Smoking Musket
Some variables remain, but four options seem to be most likely.

Basketball

Improving WVU Needs to Continue Improving - West Virginia Athletics
Bob Huggins has had to fix one problem at a time for his youthful Mountaineer men's basketball team this season. WVU is now coming off an 88-76 victory over Valparaiso this weekend.

Smith Earns Share of Big 12 Honor - West Virginia Athletics
Following her performance at Junkanoo Jam last week, West Virginia women's basketball guard Madisen Smith has been named the Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Week.

West Virginia Athletics

Newcomers Wasting No Time Settling In - West Virginia Athletics
The WVU swimming and diving program is receiving help from freshmen this season.

Around the Big 12

Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners in Big 12 championship put an exclamation point on the most fun conference
The Big 12's nine-game conference schedule may not be the best setup for College Football Playoff placement, but with rivalries and rematches every year, the conference title game is never boring.

Mike Leach going back to Texas Tech isn’t THAT crazy of an idea - SBNation.com
There is one big, obvious stumbling block, but Leach-to-Lubbock might suit both sides’ goals.

Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray, Texas QB Sam Ehlinger trade subtle shade ahead of Big 12 Championship Game - CBSSports.com
Texas topped Oklahoma 48-45 in the first round of the Red River Rivalry earlier this season.

KU's Dedric Lawson earns second Big 12 player of the week honor of 2018-19 season | KUsports.com
After posting a pair of double-doubles in New York last week, Kansas junior Dedric Lawson earned Big 12 player of the week honors for the second time this season.

Around the NCAA

NCAA basketball rankings: Gonzaga takes over as No. 1 in AP Poll - SBNation.com
The Zags climb and the Big Ten makes a power move in the rankings.

Mack Brown to UNC: Heels really hiring back their old coach - SBNation.com
The former Heels coach, who is better known as the former Texas coach, is reportedly going back to Chapel Hill.

Khalil Tate transfer? What a weird 13 months for Arizona star - SBNation.com
This season at Arizona just didn’t pan out for the one-time Heisman hopeful.

LSU-Texas A&M fight: Ranking the incredible photo’s characters - SBNation.com
Each week, the Top Whatever ranks only the college football things that must be ranked. This week, every deserving item happened all at once.

Hiring an old college football coach? Here are recommendations - SBNation.com
If college football really wants to lean back into the Baby Boomer head coaches, SB Nation has some suggestions.

Here’s everything that happened in the Jaguars-Bills fight - SBNation.com
Leonard Fournette and Shaq Lawson got ejected. The Jaguars scored zero points.

NFL playoff picture 2018: Which team is going to win the NFC East? - SBNation.com
The Giants are out, but the three-team race for the NFC East title is wide open.

2019 NFL Draft order: An updated look at where teams are picking - SBNation.com
Here is an updated look at where NFL teams are picking in the first round of next April’s draft.

How Mike McCarthy is ruining the Packers and wasting Aaron Rodgers - SBNation.com
Retired NFL lineman Geoff Schwartz has a look at the Packers’ sinking hopes, the rising fortunes of the Seahawks and the Panthers’ last chance.

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