West Virginia Coaches Looking for Consistency from Stills Brothers

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

Football

WVU D-Line coach Jordan Lesley seeking ‘consistency’ from Stills brothers

West Virginia defensive line coach Jordan Lesley has seen the big plays from the Fairmont Senior products, Dante and Darius Stills, but he knows consistency is key in their development. The Stills brothers have professional potential and have shown the ability to dominate games, so now they need to show their ability on a more consistent basis.

Matt Moore hoping to make up for lost time with the WVU offensive line

The West Virginia football team was only able to take the field for two of their 15 scheduled spring practices prior to college campuses around the country being shut down due to COVID-19. WVU assistant head coach and offensive line coach Matt Moore says time off the field could limit what he will be able to do with his Mountaineers on the offensive line.

Mountaineer Memories: 2005 Triple-Overtime Louisville Thriller

Freshman Steve Slaton ran for 188 yards and scored a school-record six touchdowns to lead #25 West Virginia to a 46-44, triple-overtime victory over #19 Louisville. Check out this radio replay of that unforgettable game.

Mountaineer Sports Network from Learfield IMG College to Air More Classic Games

The Mountaineer Sports Network from Learfield IMG College has announced that classic West Virginia radio broadcasts from recent history will continue to be made available to fans through a combination of terrestrial radio and on-demand digital platforms. Check out the upcoming schedule here.

Three Guys Before The Game – Happy 200th Episode

The “Guys” celebrate their 200th episode with a special show flashing back to their favorite interviews and incidents in the show’s history.

Three Guys Before The Game – WVU’s Kevin Koken (Episode 201)

The captain and starting center of West Virginia’s 1988 Fiesta Bowl team, Kevin Koken, joins the show to reflect on that special team and why he chose WVU.

Basketball

Oscar Tshiebwe returning to WVU for sophomore season

Oscar Tshiebwe, who entered his name into the NBA Draft earlier this month, announced Sunday that he was officially returning to West Virginia for his sophomore season. During his freshman season at WVU, Tshiebwe averaged 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

REPORT: WVU Men’s Basketball to Play Georgetown in Big East-Big 12 Battle

West Virginia will be on the road again for the Big East-Big 12 Battle next season. It has been reported that the Mountaineers will be facing off against Georgetown in the second iteration of the cross-conference games.

WVU’s Carey Likes Roster Additions for 2020-21

West Virginia women’s basketball coach Mike Carey is encouraged with the direction his program is heading despite losing one of the school’s all-time great players in senior guard Tynice Martin, who was recently selected in the third round of the WNBA Draft.

West Virginia Athletics

WVU Athletics announces nominees for Blue and Golden Globe Awards

The athletic calendar may have been shortened for the West Virginia Mountaineers, but there were still plenty of moments, performances, and student-athletes that left an impression this year. WVU Athletics has announced the nominees for the Blue and Golden Globe Awards, which annually recognizes the best of Mountaineer sports.

Adams Captures Hardman Award

Redshirt sophomore Noah Adams of the West Virginia wrestling team has been named the recipient of the Hardman Award, given to West Virginia’s amateur athlete of the year. Adams finished the season with a perfect 32-0 record.

Hours from competing for NCAA title, WVU rifle team now looks ahead to 2021

The West Virginia rifle team was just hours away from competing for the program’s 20th national championship when COVID-19 caused college athletics to stop in March. Now the Mountaineers will have to look ahead to next season, when they will have another chance to reclaim the national title.

WVU gymnastics team still looking to stay busy amid quarantine

West Virginia gymnastics coach Jason Butts said that his team was just hitting its stride as the season ended abruptly in the middle of March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WVU was set to host the Big 12 Gymnastics Championship this season.

Six Mountaineers Earn Academic All-Big 12

Six members of the West Virginia golf team were named to the 2020 Academic All-Big 12 Men’s Golf Team. The Mountaineers included Philipp Matlari, Kurits Grant, Etienne Papineau, Logan Perkins, Mark Goetz, and Matthew Shapstene.

Swimming and Diving Mountaineers Receive Community Service Recognition

The West Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have been recognized as one of Helper Helper’s top-10 Division I swimming and diving community service teams of 2019-20.

Around the Big 12

2020 NFL Draft: 21 players from Big 12 Conference selected

At the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft on Saturday, the Big 12 Conference had 21 players selected, ranking fifth among conferences with the most draft picks. The SEC was the conference featuring the most draft picks, with 63 total players being selected.

Seventy Percent of Big 12 Teams Produce an NFL Draft Selection

70 percent of Big 12 football teams had a player taken in the 2020 NFL Draft for a total of 21 selections. The conference had five players chosen in the first round, its most in eight years since five were also selected in the 2012 draft.

K-State’s Lee Earns Fab 15 Freshman Honors

Kansas State’s Ayoka Lee was named to the Her Hoop Stats Fab 15 Freshman in conjunction with the United States Basketball Writers Association. Lee was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year this season.

Around the NCAA

NCAA moves toward allowing athletes to be paid sponsors

Recommended rule changes that would clear the way for athletes to earn money from their names, images, and likeness are being reviewed by college sports administrators this week before being sent to the NCAA Board of Governors. If adopted, the rules would allow athletes to make sponsorship and endorsement deals with all kinds of companies and third parties.

Bad Idea Time: The State Champs System

Modern college football depends upon travel to function, but what would happen in a world where that travel is impossible? What would college football be like if it had a state championship system? Let's find out!

Why gaps are the most important building blocks of every play

You don’t need to be a master football tactician to be able to see and appreciate little things on the field. Once you understand the “ABCs” of football, you can begin to understand anything else about the sport as well.

WVU considering employee furloughs as pandemic continues; Gee takes voluntary pay cut

West Virginia University is considering temporary furloughs for some workers as it faces a possible $30 million loss because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. WVU President E. Gordon Gee has also announced that he is taking a 10 percent pay cut.

Oliver Luck sues Vince McMahon

Former West Virginia University Athletic Director Oliver Luck has been fired as commissioner of the XFL and has filed suit in Connecticut against former employer and league owner Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment. McMahon hired Luck as commissioner of the now defunct league in 2018 and signed him to a five-year contract reportedly worth between $20 and $25 million.

Get to know the 2020 NFL Draft class

The 2020 NFL Draft was a little different, but just like every year, this is where it all begins for future NFL stars. Let’s get to know some of these players that could be the next stars in the NFL.

The NBA has a chemistry problem

NBA teams are struggling to create chemistry in an era where rosters are turning over faster than ever. How can chemistry be fostered in an increasingly erratic era of impatience, load management, reduced practice time, and youthful inexperience?

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