The Shotgun/Throwdown (2/18/19): West Virginia Kicks Off 2020 Recruiting Cycle

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

FOOTBALL

Mountaineers kick off 2019 recruiting campaign | Charleston Gazette-Mail
This past weekend, the Mountaineers kicked off a busy next couple of months with the first official Junior Day under new head coach Neal Brown. It was a small group, but a talented one. At least half-a-dozen recruits with offers from the Mountaineers – many of whom received scholarships within the last couple of weeks – made their way to Morgantown.

"Vibe" at WVU Unlike Any Other for Prized DL | EerSports
Arguably the biggest name to make their way up to Morgantown this weekend was Williamstown (NJ) defensive lineman Aaron Lewis. The nation's No. 21 strong-side defensive end in the 247Sports Composite, Lewis holds at least eighteen offers, with dozens of other schools showing interest. What he saw at West Virginia, though, left him stunned.

BASKETBALL

Huggins calls this 'the worst defensive team that I think I’ve ever had' | WV MetroNews
Having long ago lost patience with defensive miscues, coach Bob Huggins didn’t pin West Virginia’s latest performance on the recent dismissals of two starters.

WVU basketball notebook: Culver 'can foul anybody out at any time' | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Derek Culver’s rise to prominence for the West Virginia University men’s basketball team has provided a silver lining to an otherwise poor season for the Mountaineers, and coaches around the Big 12 have taken notice.

Wade’s status still undecided for West Virginia | 247Sports
It sounds like it could be up to Dean Wade on whether or not he takes the floor in Morgantown tonight

West Virginia recruit Miles McBride leaving a legacy at Moeller | WV MetroNews
Walk into the gymnasium at Archbishop Moeller High School and you instantly notice is a photo from the Crusaders’ 2018 state championship game. Miles McBride was in action during that championship weekend in Columbus, though for most of his junior season leading up to it, he had been bystander.

WEST VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

Floor Lineup Stuns in Second-Place Finish | West Virginia University Athletics
The fifth-best floor score in program history was not enough to give the West Virginia University gymnastics team its fifth sweep of the season, as the Mountaineers finished in second place today at the WVU Coliseum with a 195.575 total.

Papineau Leads WVU at Gator Invite | West Virginia University Athletics
Junior Etienne Papineau posted a top-15 finish to lead the way as the West Virginia University golf team capped the Florida Gators Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, on Sunday.

AROUND THE NCAA

How long it’s been since every college football team last had a 1st-round NFL pick | SBNation
Iowa State’s outlier drought should hit 46 years in 2019. Here’s how long it’s been for every team in FBS, plus a bunch of lower-level schools that have joined the fray.

Big 12 Basketball Week 7: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly | Heartland College Sports
The Big 12 race is really heating up and there are some big games ahead. We explore that and more in this week’s Big 12 Basketball Good, Bad and Ugly.

TODAY’S FBS TEAM PREVIEWS BY BILL C

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

Toledo’s retooling, but can contend in the MAC again anyway | SBNation
The Rockets’ defense will likely hold them back again, but they’ve got a run game and a home slate that could dictate another big win total.

2019 would be a great time for Chuck Martin’s Miami (Ohio) to win some close games | SBNation
Martin’s program-building bona fides are strong, but his close-game conservatism has held the RedHawks back.

Lance Leipold’s Buffalo should have a reset 2019 amid the breakthrough | SBNation
Buffalo will be led by high-upside sophomores in 2019. That probably says great things about 2020.

What’s next for Colin Kaepernick now that his collusion case against the NFL is settled? | SBNation
Kaepernick remains a free agent and a useful QB, but this settlement doesn’t mean he’ll be signed.

8 winners and 4 losers from another great NBA All-Star Game | SBNation
The new format spiced things up again, we got plenty of highlights, and we got another terrific showcase for the league.

How Jen Welter and the AAF are helping more women to coach football | SBNation
SB Nation spoke with the NFL pioneer, who’s back on the sidelines with a league that’s trying to push for diversity.

Denny Hamlin wins Daytona 500 after 3 major crashes in final laps | SBNation
The ending of the Daytona 500 was a wild one, with a massive 18-car crash at the front of the pack setting up a sprint at the end,

Massive crash at the Daytona 500 takes out 18 cars with just 9 laps to go | SBNation
A huge crash at Daytona 500 damaged 18 cars on lap 191 of 200.

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8: Arya Stark’s Kill List | The Ringer
Will the youngest Stark daughter and everyone’s favorite Faceless Man assassin check Cersei and the other remaining names off her kill list in the final season of the HBO fantasy epic?

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