The Shotgun/Throwdown (5/2/18): Maybe West Virginia’s Defense Isn’t Going To Be As Bad As We Think

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

Football

WVU defense on the brink of a breakout | The Times WV
OK, you’ve heard it before.We all have. It goes something like this: As West Virginia goes into the 2018 season next fall the big question is whether or not the defense is good enough to win. Nothing new there, right?

Holgorsen Feels Good About WVU Defense | West Virginia Athletics
Last week on the Big 12 coaches' teleconference, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen noted the big boost his defense received at the beginning of the semester when a number of midterm players enrolled in school in January and were available to participate in spring football drills.

Mission for WVU's Dana Holgorsen: Find best understudy for QB Will Grier | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Knowing his starter post-spring hasn’t been Holgorsen’s biggest question as the Mountaineers enter the offseason. He’s known that answer for the last few seasons. Holgorsen believes his important task will be preparing a quarterback behind Grier to step in if necessary and keep West Virginia’s powerful offense rolling.

Basketball

Report: WVU's Jevon Carter gets NBA combine invite | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Sagaba Konate reportedly could have some West Virginia University company at the NBA draft combine. Guard Jevon Carter also received an invitation to the combine, according to 247Sports.com.

Ahmad Returns for Senior Season | West Virginia Athletics
West Virginia University forward Esa Ahmad has withdrawn his name from the 2018 NBA Draft and will return for his senior season at WVU.

Brown Hired as Strength Coach for Men’s Basketball | West Virginia Athletics
Shaun Brown has been named the strength and conditioning coach for WVU men's basketball and brings 30 years of experience to Mountaineer basketball.

WVU hoops hires veteran strength coach with deep ties to college, NBA | WV MetroNews
The muscles and hustle behind “Press Virginia” are now the domain of Shaun Brown.

Baseball

Mountaineers Strike Early in Win | West Virginia Athletics
Back-to-back four-run innings to open the game propelled the West Virginia University baseball team to a 9-5 victory over Maryland on Tuesday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Around the Big 12

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger doesn't expect Mason Rudolph era to begin in Pittsburgh anytime soon | Diehards
Mason Rudolph would certainly like to think that he will be the “next big thing” for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But as much as Oklahoma State fans may hope to see #Rudolph2Washington become the next trending hashtag in the NFL, the veteran that has already been under center in Pittsburgh for over a decade has other plans.

Roundtable: Which Big 12 draftee will have biggest 2018 season? | Diehards
Which Big 12 draftee will have the best 2018 season? Big 12 Diehards writers make their case.

Around the NCAA

Where do blue-chippers (and future pros) come from? | Football Study Hall
The most blue-chippers come from the South. But the region doesn’t produce pros at the same rate.

TODAY’S FBS TEAM PREVIEW BY BILL C

As always, SB Nation’s Bill Connelly is working his way through every Division I FBS football team, from Georgia State to Alabama. Check out the teams Bill has already previewed by clicking HERE.

No conference, no long-term goals, no matter — Liberty’s an FBS team now | SBNation
Turner Gill makes his return to the FBS ranks with a team that should be able to pass and defend the pass. (Just don’t ask about the ground games.)

Cavaliers steal Game 1 on road against Raptors | SBNation
Can the Raptors finally dethrone LeBron? It doesn’t look good after they melted down in crunch time again and lost Game 1 in overtime.

LeBron James carrying the Cavaliers through the NBA Playoffs is getting sad | SBNation
Not even James can win a championship all by himself.

Gerrit Cole Was Always Supposed to Be the Best Pitcher in Baseball | The Ringer
Five weeks into the 2018 season, the Houston Astros starter might finally be living up to his impossible potential

A TV Critic Reviews the Marvel Cinematic Universe | The Ringer
The MCU is often compared to another popular serialized medium: television. But is it good television?

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