The Shotgun/Throwdown (8/7/18): Will Grier Named Third Best Player in College Football

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

Football

College football preseason player rankings Ed Oliver leads way
Alabama and Clemson dominate this list of college football's best, but the Mountaineers also have a couple of players high on the list.

WV MetroNews – Omitted from Butkus Award watch list, Long says watch him on the field
David Long is not worried about being left off of the Butkus Award watch list, which is given to the nation’s best linebacker. Long is more focused on playing to his potential this season.

WVU football: Mountaineer defensive line starting to click | WVU Gameday | wvgazettemail.com
Members of the WVU defensive line were excited to speak about the progression and the depth of their group when the media stopped in at camp this week.

WV MetroNews – McKoy expects revved-up ground game amid Grier-to-Sills mania
Kennedy McKoy and the other West Virginia runnng backs could emerge as one of the strongest groups for the Mountaineers this season, despite the lack of attention they have received this offseason.

WV MetroNews – Australian punter Angus Davies leaves West Virginia after few days
Australian punter Angus Davies has left the West Virginia football program after only a few days on campus. A source said he quickly became homesick and is not likely to rejoin the team.

WVU football notebook: McKoy says offensive line 'so much improved' | WVU Gameday | wvgazettemail.com
The play of the WVU offensive line is receiving praise as the season approaches, which could be a good sign for the Mountaineer run game.

West Virginia Athletics

Izzo-Brown Previews 2018 Season - West Virginia Athletics
Entering her 23rd season with the Mountaineers, women's soccer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown looks to take her squad to its 19th straight NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers are led by nine seniors this season.

Mountaineers Return to the Court - West Virginia Athletics
The West Virginia volleyball team began its 2018 season on Monday, returning to the court for preseason practices at the WVU Coliseum.

Around the Big 12

Big 12 Football: Predicting the Biggest Upsets in 2018
With Oklahoma as the clear favorite in the Big 12, they could be on upset alert throughout the season. What other upsets could be on the horizon for the conference?

College Sports: An updated look at Big 12 recruiting rankings; who is at the top? | SportsDay
Here is an updated look at the Big 12 recruiting rankings for the 2019 class.

Big 12 well-positioned for future television contracts
The Big 12 conference looks to be in a good position for fututre television contracts. The league is currently in contracts with ESPN and Fox through the 2025 season.

Around the NCAA

Urban Meyer the latest major college coach to be suspended - SBNation.com
Urban Meyer is among the highest-profile coaches to ever be sidelined by a school investigation. Here’s a recent history.

UNC suspends 13 players for selling team Jordans - SBNation.com
13 North Carolina players, including potential starting quarterback Chazz Surratt, will be suspended for selling shoes they received from the team in January. Nine of the 13 players will miss four games each, and four other players will miss a combined three games.

Urban Meyer rally: Ohio State fans wave signs in anger at ESPN - SBNation.com
A small group of fans met outside Ohio Stadium to support their suspended coach, but they weren't as knowledgeable about the situation as they may have thought.

NFL Fantasy Football Draft Guide 2018
Football season is also fantasy football season. Here is the SB Nation draft guide for your 2018 fantasy football league.

NASCAR CEO arrested for DUI, found in possession of Oxycodone, per report - SBNation.com
NASCAR CEO Brian France has been arrested in The Hamptons for driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance, according to a report from TMZ.

Ryan Shazier injury: What happened to the Steelers LB and how's his recovery going - SBNation.com
Shazier is making incredible progress after a terrifying spinal injury he suffered in December against the Bengals.

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