The Shotgun/Throwdown (12/10/18): West Virginia holds first official visit weekend ahead of the early signing period

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Football

WVU recruiting: Football holds first visit weekend of 2018 | Charleston Gazette-Mail
West Virginia University’s football program held its first official visit weekend of the year this past weekend, hosting nine recruits on campus. The group spent time together taking photos, touring the school, watching a practice and talking with the coaches about their futures with the program.

Will Grier finishes distant fourth in Heisman voting | WV MetroNews
Though Will Grier wasn’t among the three Heisman finalists invited to New York, his fourth-place finish matched the second-best of any West Virginia player.

2 reasons Will Grier skipping WVU’s bowl game can be a win-win | SBNation
Grier has more value to West Virginia as a high draft pick than he does playing in the Camping World Bowl. On top of that, his likely successor will get important reps.

Don’t know Jack? Meet West Virginia’s presumptive new quarterback | WV MetroNews
Fans and pundits will continue debating West Virginia quarterback Will Grier’s decision to sit out the Camping World Bowl, but at this point that’s of no matter to the Mountaineers themselves.The future is now, and it is in the hands of backup-turned-presumptive starter Jack Allison.

Long Jr., Sills V Named Walter Camp All-Americans | West Virginia Athletics
West Virginia University senior wide receiver David Sills V and redshirt junior linebacker David Long Jr. were named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America second team, as announced by the organization.

From the AD’s Desk: Many Notable Accomplishments For Mountaineer Football in 2018 | West Virginia Athletics
Shane Lyons gives his evaluation of the 2018 WVU football season

Basketball

Mountaineers wouldn’t back down from Pitt’s physicality | WV MetroNews
It could have been the little bumps and shoves or chest-to-chest meetings between players that can come in the heat of a rivalry basketball game.

Behind Konate, WVU finds its emotion, swagger | Times West Virginian
The fire has been lit. Now, the question is can Bob Huggins keep throwing logs on that fire.

Konate’s intensity gives WVU a bump in Backyard Brawl | WV MetroNews
After two MRIs, a string of absentee practices, and legions of doubters suddenly wondering whether NBA ambitions were interfering with his college team’s mission, Sagaba Konate reclaimed his rightful place Saturday. At the rim.

Rivalry or not, modern edition of West Virginia-Pitt did not lack intensity | WV MetroNews
It sounded like a rivalry. Well before the ball was tipped, Pitt players were loudly advised to dine on fecal matter by the West Virginia student section. On the off chance the Panthers forgot, the chants popped up again every five minutes or so.

Konate Blocks Panthers in 10-Point WVU Victory | West Virginia Athletics
Sagaba Konate's 16 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks powered West Virginia to a 69-59 victory over Pitt in a turnover-plagued, foul-marred basketball game Saturday afternoon at the WVU Coliseum.

WVU Rolls Past Pitt in Backyard Brawl | West Virginia Athletics
Redshirt junior guard Tynice Martin drained six 3-pointers on her way to 26 points as the West Virginia University women's basketball team downed rival Pitt, 77-43, on Saturday afternoon at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh.

Around the NCAA

Option football: The history and how it works | SBNation
Football’s option tactic is part of almost every offense in football, with most of its innovations coming at the college level. Here’s how the option went from rugby to the classic triple to RPOs, with some other reads along the way too.

6 winners and 6 losers from college football’s quietly busy Week 15 | SBNation
It wasn’t a full week of college football, but it was a big one.

How Kyler vs. Tua became one of the best Heisman races ever | SBNation
The Heisman finalists and Playoff opponents are both amazing, in ways similar and not. Let’s take a close look at their games.

Gary Andersen topped some big-name coaches for Utah State job | SBNation
The Aggies are going back to 2012 in an effort to replace Matt Wells.

After a 14-year losing streak, Army’s now beaten Navy 3 times in a row | SBNation
The Black Knights have opened up a new era in one of sports’ greatest rivalries.

Atlanta United Win First MLS Cup | Dirty South Soccer
Them. Five. Stripes. Is. Hell. Don’t. They?

Harold Baines and Lee Smith are going into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the system is broken | SBNation
Even Big Hall people are flummoxed by Harold Baines and Lee Smith getting in, so let’s scrutinize how that happened.

The Dolphins gave the Patriots a taste of their own medicine with the ‘MIAMI MIRACLE’ | SBNation
The Monday Morning Pleighbook is a collection of the best things in the NFL from week to week.

Patrick Mahomes II Just No-Look Passed His Way Back to MVP Front-runner | The Ringer
The Chiefs second-year superstar led a late comeback against the Ravens on Sunday as he posted one of his best games and put Kansas City firmly in control of the 1-seed

The Cowboys — not the refs — are the reason the Eagles won’t repeat as NFC East champs | SBNation
While the officials gave the Eagles reasons to feel slighted, the Cowboys played the better game and Amari Cooper was unstoppable.

Superheroes Who Care: What the Year’s Best Action Movies Taught Us About Empathy | The Ringer
‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ ‘Deadpool 2,’ and ‘Mission: Impossible — Fallout’ made billions of dollars at the box office. They also suggested a new way to save the world.

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