THE SHOTGUN THROWDOWN: Will Grier is a Dallas Cowboy

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

MOUNTAINEERS IN THE NFL UPDATE

After being cut by his hometown Carolina Panthers, former West Virginia quarterback Will Grier has been picked up by the Dallas Cowboys. There are probably many Mountaineer fans that are not happy to see him join the Cowboys, but as a (realistic) Dallas fan I am (cautiously) excited for him. Grier, a third-round draft pick in 2019, started in two games in 2019 and went 28-for-52 with 228 yards, four interceptions, and zero touchdown passes. He did not see any action in 2020. Now, Grier is in a great position to compete for a second-string spot at quarterback behind Dak Prescott on America’s Team.

10 other former Mountaineers are currently on NFL rosters. Another great WVU quarterback, Geno Smith, is going into his ninth season in the league and his third with the Seattle Seahawks. Tavon Austin has found a spot with the Jacksonville Jaguars, after a brief stay in Green Bay. Former Mountaineer offensive linemen Yodny Cajuste, Mark Glowinski, and Quinton Spain are returning to the Patriots, Colts, and Bengals, respectively. Trevon Wesco is also returning for the New York Jets.

On the defensive side, the are four WVU linebackers that are on NFL teams. Nick Kwiatkoski is back for the Raiders and David Long is back in action for the Tennessee Titans. Both Kwiatkoski and Long have had solid professional careers thus far. Since joining the Chargers, former Mountaineer safety Kyzir White has been playing linebacker and he returns to Los Angeles this season. And finally, Tony Fields was drafted by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, so he will start his career with the Browns this fall. Fields is also the only member of WVU’s 2020 team that is still on an active NFL roster.

#13 WEST VIRGINIA WOMENS SOCCER TEAM HOSTS #7 PENN STATE

The #13 West Virginia women’s soccer team has a huge matchup tonight when it hosts #7 Penn State. The Nittany Lions are coming to Morgantown undefeated, with a 3-0 record, and WVU enters the game 3-1 on the season. The Mountaineers’ lone loss is a respectable one, as they fell to #3 Virginia just over one week ago.

Since the loss to UVA, WVU has won two matches in a row and has momentum coming into this game. The Mountaineers will also have the benefit of their home crowd tonight. The WVU men’s soccer team enjoyed a packed house on Monday when it beat #3 Pitt in the Backyard Brawl. So hopefully the Mountaineer faithful come back out tonight to support their women’s soccer team. The match will also be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET. Ask anybody who watched the men’s match on Monday, WVU soccer on ESPN+ is becoming a must-watch for Mountaineer fans.

WEST VIRGINIA ROUNDUP

• We all know that Mountaineer fans have had a lot to say about quarterback Jarret Doege this offseason. Some fans have faith in his development, while others have complained that he will never improve. So, what has Doege been working on this preseason? The WVU quarterback has focused on his movement in the pocket and his ability to throw deep passes, among other things. Will Doege show improvement this season? Or will those who doubt him be correct?
• The West Virginia football team is preparing for its season opener at Maryland. The Mountaineers’ keys to the game tend to relate to the offense. WVU will need quarterback Jarret Doege to show improvement, which many think he will, but the Mountaineer offense will ultimately need to rely on its star running back Leddie Brown. The play of the offensive line will surely influence the play of both Doege and Brown, so the Mountaineers will also need to control the game up front.

AROUND THE BIG 12

• Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and the Big 12 Conference leaders continue to foolishly believe in the future of the league, despite its inevitable downfall following the exits of Texas and Oklahoma for the SEC. In a recent statement, Bowlsby stated that, “the eight ADs remain committed to furthering the Big 12 as one of the nation’s premier athletic conferences.”
• Senior defender Jordan Brewster of the West Virginia women’s soccer team has been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. Brewster is joined by players from Oklahoma State and Kansas on the weekly honors list.

AROUND THE NCAA

• The Florida State football team is going to honor the late Bobby Bowden in multiple ways this season. The tributes include helmet bumper graphics with Bowden’s signature, patches on the coaches’ shirts, and multiple logos featuring his signature on the field.

ODDS AND ENDS

• Despite their continued shortcomings over the years, Philadelphia center Joel Embiid denies that there is any sort of beef between himself and Ben Simmons. Although it may not matter if the two 76ers get along because reports are coming out that Simmons is requesting a trade.
• As if things couldn’t get worse for the New York Mets, the team’s acting general manager Zack Scott has been arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Scott refused a breathalyzer test, but the police were able to determine that considering they found him asleep at the wheel of his SUV at a traffic light.

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