The Shotgun/Throwdown (4/4/19): David Sills Relives “Horns Down” and His College Career

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

Football

WV MetroNews Three Guys Before The Game - Sills Up/Horns Down (Episode 106) - WV MetroNews
David Sills’ football career is one of the most unique in West Virginia history. The affable and articulate Mountaineer joins Brad Howe and Tony Caridi for an in-depth look at his career, his future in the NFL, as well as his infamous “Horns Down” performance at Texas and other Mountaineer memories.

WVU football: Tight end Jovani Haskins takes lessons from Wesco's rise | WVU Gameday | wvgazettemail.com
Jovani Haskins took the scenic route to Morgantown from his high school roots in New Jersey. Now that he is here, he has found himself somewhat in the spotlight for the Mountaineers.

Assistant Coaches Media Session - West Virginia University Athletics
WVU offensive assistant coaches met with the media on Tuesday at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room. See what the coaches had to say about the team's progress this spring.

WV MetroNews Notebook: Scott wants running backs to stay positive after slow scrimmage - WV MetroNews
West Virginia couldn't get the run game moving in its first spring scrimmage, but coaches are trying to set an encouraging tone.

WVU football notebook: Leddie Brown picks up on pass blocking | WVU Gameday | wvgazettemail.com
Leddie Brown proved himself to be a reliable contributor carrying the ball for West Virginia in 2018 as a true freshman. Brown was the team's third-leading rusher with 446 yards and four touchdowns last year. Now he is looking to be coming more well-rounded in the backfield, including his attention to pass blocking.

WV MetroNews Kelby Wickline adjusting well to potentially awkward coaching change - WV MetroNews
Kelby Wickline came to WVU to play for his dad, but he wasn't retained by Neal Brown. Wickline explains why he stayed a Mountaineer after that fact.

Mountaineer Football Notebook - West Virginia University Athletics
There are a lot of cat-and-mouse games going on right now with Vic Koenning's Mountaineer defense playing the role of the cat. Last Saturday, co-offensive coordinator Matt Moore was not happy with the way his offensive line struggled to block Koenning's oncoming defenders.

Basketball

Arkansas-Little Rock Graduate Transfer Rayjon Tucker Schedules Visit with WVU - The Smoking Musket
West Virginia may have found one piece for next season. Arkansas-Little Rock wing Rayjon Tucker has entered the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate transfer and is coming to visit to Morgantown next weekend.

WVU basketball: Sagaba Konate seeks evaluation from NBA | WVU Gameday | wvgazettemail.com
West Virginia men’s basketball player Sagaba Konate will test the NBA draft waters once again.

West Virginia Athletics

New Role, Same Attitude - West Virginia University Athletics
Junior Julia Merwin of the West Virginia gymnastics team plays a great role on the team. Her teammates rely on her easy, happy, bright disposition, even if they also jab her for it from time-to-time.

The Future of Jevon Carter - Grizzly Bear Blues
There has been a lot of talk about what kind of player Jevon Carter is, and what he could be. Drafted with the 32nd pick in last year’s draft, Jevon was a pretty well known commodity coming out of West Virginia. What does Carter’s role look like going forward?

WVU Professional Basketball Update - April - West Virginia University Athletics
Check out the April update on former West Virginia Mountaineers playing professionally in the States and overseas. Some of the former WVU stars in the summary include Jevon Carter, Da'Sean Butler, Joe Alexander, Kevin Jones, Devin Ebanks, and many more!

Around the Big 12

How Chris Beard Built Texas Tech Into an Unlikely Basketball Juggernaut - The Ringer
The Red Raiders were long a Big 12 afterthought. Now they’re in the Final Four. If the team wins a stunning national title, it will be a credit to a defense that’s redefining what’s possible in the modern era.

Final Four 2019: Five reasons why Texas Tech will win the NCAA Tournament Championship - CBSSports.com
This Texas Tech team is one of the best stories of this college basketball season. The Red Raiders could cut down the nets Monday, if a few things go their way.

Lady Bears Headed to Final Four - Baylor University Athletics
In easily the most dominant Elite Eight in program history, the top-seeded Baylor Lady Bears routed second-seeded Iowa, 85-53. The Lady Bears are now headed to Tampa, Florida, for the Final Four and will face Oregon.

Around the NCAA

Final Four 2019 predictions: Picks for Michigan State vs. Texas Tech, Virginia vs. Auburn in NCAA Tournament semifinals - CBSSports.com
#1 Virginia will play #5 Auburn in the first semifinal, followed by #2 seed Michigan State and #3 seed Texas Tech. Virginia and Auburn both won its Elite Eight games in overtime, while Michigan State and Texas Tech both beat #1 seeds in games that came down to the wire.

Women's Final Four primer -- What to watch for in Baylor-Oregon and Notre Dame-UConn
Baylor, UConn, Notre Dame, and Oregon will square off the title. Check out each team's chances of winning, the biggest questions in Tampa, and more.

Texas A&M hires Va. Tech's Williams as coach
Texas A&M has hired Virginia Tech's Buzz Williams as its next head coach. The Hokies' season ended with a loss to Duke in the Sweet 16 last Friday.

Final Four 2019: 10 facts to make you sound smarter than your busted bracket - SBNation.com
Get yourself properly educated before the action tips off in Minneapolis.

11 things the Final Four teams do and don’t share with their football teams - SBNation.com
The men’s NCAA tournament is down to the Final Four. Auburn will face Virginia and Michigan State will get Texas Tech, with national title game berths on the line. Maybe you’re a college football fan who just tuned into hoops for the first time all year. Let’s look and see how similar and different these schools’ teams are to their football counterpart.

2019 NBA Playoffs race: Which borderline East team needs it most - SBNation.com
The bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff race is three times wilder than the top. While the Bucks, Raptors, 76ers, Pacers, and Celtics have secured their place, the Magic, Heat, Hornets, Nets, and Pistons have not. Those are the are five teams jockeying for three playoff spots.

Warriors vs. Refs is this season’s biggest NBA rivalry - SBNation.com
This Golden State regular season has been defined by technical fouls and ref beefs. The regular season for the Warriors has been a months-long slog, with players seeming disinterested in anticipation of the postseason.

The AAF’s dramatic collapse, explained - SBNation.com
The AAF went from the hottest thing in sports to gone in a matter of weeks. How did it happen?

3 easy ways the NFL could turn practice squads into development league - SBNation.com
Following the AAF’s likely demise, retired NFL lineman Geoff Schwartz has a few ideas for how a "development league" could work.

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