Is TT a 'must-win' game?

[Slaton10]

I think we would be better off today had Fraud stayed, coaching changes are not usually a good time for the players or the program, and we have been through two less than ideal changes in the last 7 years, just the continuity would have helped. I think had the entire Fraud staff stayed together (they seem to want to be with him) at WVU, and Fraud and MaGee kept getting the right kids, WVU would still be mentioned with the best of the best.

I agree on one hand and disagree on another...it's just my opinion but I think one of the key reason's he left is that he felt at a disadvantage in recruiting...and I don't think Eddie P ever gave him the indication that things would improve as far as facilities...fast forwarding now I think we see how important it is..especially in Wv case when you have to cross state lines to do 90 percent of your recruiting...

At Alabama or Michigan that was never going to be an issue...what he underestimated there was hey you have all the toys you need to be successful...you HAVE to win...and do it NOW!...

BTW think about Rich's first two years in Morgantown..we were all scratching our heads...he lost 60 percent of the football team.......

Ironically at Michigan he found himself in a similar boat as Dana...an outsider, an HC looking to implement a new system and didn't have the players to run it...and they didn't give him time to build it...That's my thing with Dana, DAD...he is building this thing back...he is getting better each week and each day as a HC..he has no ego..( Something Rich had plenty of and you know I liked Rich) ...you should go back and youtube Dana's first year pressers and fast forward now...I think you would feel a little different than you do...

 

[WVUDAD]

His off the field issues resulted by a lack of control by sweatervest. He would have been a great read option QB prior to Denard Robinson.

The kid had talent, but I feel the off the field issues were going to happen regardless of where he went, he had the entitlement mentality, and would have had his hand out anywhere he could have.

 

[WVUDAD]

Fans would want his head for the drop off when entering Big 12 play....probably say things like "he can't coach anymore" or "what was he thinking running that play"...

I have thought time and time again "why did he leave?" I can never come up with a answer that actually makes me feel better about his leaving....people have come up with excuses and this and that as to why he left, but for me he turned his back on WVU. Might have been issues with AD or whatever, but if he would have stayed and fought them on some(others were against rules) we may have been better off entering the Big 12 or he may have had us in position to go to one of the better conf's....I have lightened my stance on hating RR, but I never want him to come back.

MaGee's offense and Casteel's defense were MADE for success in the B12, I agree, a lot of what Fraud was pushing for, textbook sales by players, the website, practice times, were against the rules, BUT, if he loved WVU like he said he did, and felt strongly about the other things he wanted, he should have fought for them. I think that Garrison promised him thing that Pastilong couldn't deliver.

 

[DCWV4life]

Didn't we lose Pryor before RR left?? He was never coming to Motown...

 

[mad2mc]

I agree on one hand and disagree on another...it's just my opinion but I think one of the key reason's he left is that he felt at a disadvantage in recruiting...and I don't think Eddie P ever gave him the indication that things would improve as far as facilities...fast forwarding now I think we see how important it is..especially in Wv case when you have to cross state lines to do 90 percent of your recruiting...

At Alabama or Michigan that was never going to be an issue...what he underestimated there was hey you have all the toys you need to be successful...you HAVE to win...and do it NOW!...

BTW think about Rich's first two years in Morgantown..we were all scratching our heads...he lost 60 percent of the football team.......

Ironically at Michigan he found himself in a similar boat as Dana...an outsider, an HC looking to implement a new system and didn't have the players to run it...and they didn't give him time to build it...That's my thing with Dana, DAD...he is building this thing back...he is getting better each week and each day as a HC..he has no ego..( Something Rich had plenty of and you know I liked Rich) ...you should go back and youtube Dana's first year pressers and fast forward now...I think you would feel a little different than you do...

 

[mad2mc]

Didn't we lose Pryor before RR left?? He was never coming to Motown...

Rumor had it that RR (or staff) were calling kids to tell them he was leaving. I think you are correct in that Pryor made up his mind prior to all these rumors started. I do know that he confided in Charlie Batch, during that time, as Charlie was dating one of Pryor's Aunts. It was said that he wanted to be more of a complete QB instead of just a read-option guy. He never developed that skill at a younger age as he was always that guy who was a hybrid QB/RB.

 

[WVUDAD]

Didn't we lose Pryor before RR left?? He was never coming to Motown...

I will have to do a bit of research, but I thought Pryor was a pretty firm verbal and that he was one of the first recruits that fraud called with the news that he was leaving to try and get him to come to UM. I also thought, just my opinion, that the reason Pryor ended up at OSU was to stick it to fraud.

 

[Mac_Bridger]

I have thought time and time again "why did he leave?" I can never come up with a answer that actually makes me feel better about his leaving....people have come up with excuses and this and that as to why he left, but for me he turned his back on WVU. Might have been issues with AD or whatever, but if he would have stayed and fought them on some(others were against rules) we may have been better off entering the Big 12 or he may have had us in position to go to one of the better conf's....I have lightened my stance on hating RR, but I never want him to come back.

RR left because Pastilong refused to invest in facilities to improve the program. RR had a "wish list" of facilities and facility upgrades he wanted. I don't know how long the pissing battle went on over that "wish list", but RR eventually had enough of it.

At the time I considered it childish of RR. Looking back, he was right. He wanted what Luck has been providing.

 

[WVUDAD]

RR left because Pastilong refused to invest in facilities to improve the program. RR had a "wish list" of facilities and facility upgrades he wanted. I don't know how long the pissing battle went on over that "wish list", but RR eventually had enough of it.

At the time I considered it childish of RR. Looking back, he was right. He wanted what Luck has been providing.

I do not blame any football coach for moving to Michigan, BUT, fraud had just signed a contract extension, had turned down Alabama previously, had sworn his allegiance to WVU, and had cashed the paychecks funded by people donating their last dime to keep him during his flirtation with bama. I think he had more issues with garrison and manchin than with pastilong, and had a very aggressive agent shopping him to every school who could pay more. If he had such huge issues with the AD, he wouldn't have signed the extension three months prior to leaving. The explanation I've heard that makes the most sense is that he was so dejected after 13-9 that he just wanted to escape. I heard rumors from pretty reliable sources that he had called pastilong in mid Dec wanting to come back, and was told to stick it.

 

[Mac_Bridger]

Dad, once upon a time, I had a fly on the wall of the athletic department. Several in fact. You may not believe it, but RR did in fact leave over facilities. Well, the lack of.

That's not to defend RR, that's just his reasoning for it.

 

[WVUDAD]

Dad, once upon a time, I had a fly on the wall of the athletic department. Several in fact. You may not believe it, but RR did in fact leave over facilities. Well, the lack of.

That's not to defend RR, that's just his reasoning for it.

Then why did he sign the extension three months prior? Why didn't he go to bama the year before? I'm not buying it was facilities, I think it was some kind of reaction to that loss, I heard he locked himself in his office for several days after the loss to sPitt. He'll, several of the upgrades he had asked for were being built.

 

[DCWV4life]

Dad, once upon a time, I had a fly on the wall of the athletic department. Several in fact. You may not believe it, but RR did in fact leave over facilities. Well, the lack of.

That's not to defend RR, that's just his reasoning for it.

Even if true, and I believe it is.....he still did wrong in my opinion, fact is he jumped as soon as he could after the dreadful game. If he would have kept winning, and that team the next year was just a primed to win, he could have won public favor for the changes. If RR would have stayed maybe it would have gotten "sit on my hands" Patis-here to long out earlier.

 

[bbwvfan]

A couple of thoughts about Rich and the Big 12.

1. Rich is no longer running the ball out of the zone read like he did with Rasheed and Pat. His offense is slinging the ball all over the field. More like his time at Tulane and Clemson when he was an OC.

2. Look at the defensive ranking for Arizona this year. They are lower than WVU. Casteel has been there 3 years now. While he is a good DC, the competition is brutal in the Big 12. Just as the PAC 12 has some potent offenses, his Zona team is struggling to stop 'em.

3. Had Rich never left, WVU would not have been in rebuilding mode like it has the past three years. It would not have started Big 12 play with just 65 kids on schollies. WVU would likely have been in the top half of the league in its first two years as a result.

 

[Mac_Bridger]

Even if true, and I believe it is.....he still did wrong in my opinion, fact is he jumped as soon as he could after the dreadful game. If he would have kept winning, and that team the next year was just a primed to win, he could have won public favor for the changes. If RR would have stayed maybe it would have gotten "sit on my hands" Patis-here to long out earlier.

Like I said, I'm not defending him, just stating what his reason was. I've softened a bit, but still think it was a chicken-shit, spoiled brat move.