Three Things I Want Against Texas Tech

It’s Homecoming and the West Virginia Mountaineers are looking to get back to above .500, break a two-game losing streak to the Texas Tech Red Raiders and right whatever offensive woes have been plaguing the team. These are things I want to see this week.

Offensive Progress

The Mountaineers are amazing on their scripted drives this season. On their first drive of the game, the Mountaineers have (in three FBS games because LIU doesn’t count), have scored a touchdown every time, driven at least 75 yards, and twice gone at least 7 plays.

• Against the Maryland Terrapins, the Mountaineers opened the game with a 7-play, 75 yard drive for a touchdown that featured 6 Doege passes ending on a 20-yard catch and run by Leddie Brown.
• Against the Virginia Tech Hokies, the Mountaineers parted the Maroon Sea and Leddie Brown ran away for 80 yards and a score.
• Against the Oklahoma Sooners, the Mountaineers went on a 17-play, 9-minute drive that culminated in 5 consecutive runs as Garret Greene scored.

The Mountaineers generated 325 yards of offense against Maryland. 250 came after their first drive. Those 250 yards came on 11 drives, meaning the offense generated only 22 yards per drive.

Against the Hokies, the Mountaineers jumped out to a 14-0 lead quickly, on two drives eating up 135 yards of offense. West Virginia gained 366 on the day, so they only gained 231 yards in their remaining 9 drives, an average of 25 yards per drive.

Against the Sooners, West Virginia gained 247 yards on the day, leaving only 172 yards for their remaining 7 drives, generating only 24 yards per drive.

We need to see some offensive progress.

Give Green a Full Series

Garret Greene saw zero snaps against Maryland. He saw 6 against the Hokies. He saw 13 against the Sooners. He should see at least 20 against Texas Tech. In those 20, needs to be a full series. Against Oklahoma, the coaches would consistently pull Greene in third and long situations and telegraph their intentions. It backfired against the Hokies when a false start on 3rd and 5 meant Doege checked back in and then threw a nearly game-turning interception. Greene can’t sit on the sidelines on throwing downs. Let him throw the ball. Let him throw deep. Give him two reads, a short read and long read and if they are there let him pull the ball and run. Let Greene run the offense on a full series.

Fix The Run Game

Just admit it. Leddie Brown is great, potentially the best running back in the Big 12 but our run game is broken. No. BROKEN. Um, no. B-R-O-K-E-N. To borrow some stats from Mike Cassazza over at EerSports, the Mountaineers have fewer than 100 rushing yards in four of the past six games, five of the past eight, six of the past 10 and seven of the past 13. Texas Tech isn’t a good run defense team and Brown should have a good day. If he doesn’t, there are bigger problems in Morgantown. The Mountaineers need to find a way to consistently generate holes for Brown, find ways to pick up first down yardage on those running plays, and then the ability to slow down games in the second half with their run game. Right now, West Virginia can’t do any of those.