My take on this loss

[Mike]

This loss will sting for the seniors. What I took from the game is that the special teams are still in need of a lot of work. If the special teams do not get better as the year goes on, Efore will need to go. There still is a lot of time left for them to improve, so don't take it I'm calling for his head.

I'm not sure Howard is the QB to take us to stardom, and I guess Crest is not ready yet or he would be playing. Lets just hope that Defense was that good and Howard was just having a bad day, which even the Mannings and Brady's of this world have from time to time. The knock on Howard was his arm strength and accuracy coming into the season. We need to call plays that play to his strength. Dana maned up and took the blame for that, and that is what I like about him, taking the blame for mistakes and not putting them on the players. The offensive line also needs work on the pass protection, that should get better as the year goes on. They are doing a good job in the run blocking.

I think we need to run the ball more and use the fullback in the back field more, also need to run the zone read a little more, it would be nice to see Shell and Smallwood line up in the backfield at the same time more often.

The defense is a little over rated in my opinion, but they are a good serviceable defense, not a great one but a good one. I still don't like the 3-3-5, I hope as the season continues I'm proven wrong on the 3-3-5.

Who knows how good this OK team is at this point? They could be the National Champs at the end of the year.

Next week will be in front of a national TV audience. It will tell a lot about this team how they preform next week. If they let this loss carry over till next week, and it beats them again, like they let the TCU loss last year beat them twice, then we are in for a long season. I think this team and coaches are mature enough to get over it and will show next week they have something to prove. If we can split this 4 game schedule and come out of it 2-2 we will be in good shape for the run down the road, if we go 0-4 we will be in for an average season at best.

The season is 1/4 over and we are at 3-1, I still think we will have a good year and go to a good bowl.

 

[GoldRusher]

I cant disagree with most of your post but I don't think its just Defo that will be getting the ax. The special teams, defensive breakdowns in the gimmick 3-3-5 or any other defense, the continued QB problem ever since Geno graduated, the Oline problems.... Its the same thing every year. Dana is on a short leash right now and these types of ugly loses will hasten his departure. IMO this team better hit the 8 win mark or Dana will be the one that is gone, along with some of the assistants.

 

[WVUDAD]

STs and ball security, our two familiar enemies plagued us in this game. I didnt see a big difference in talent between us and OU. I saw an OU team that was coached well, played hard and limited mistakes. I saw a WVU team making the same mistakes on STs that have been going on for years, I saw a WVU offense that couldnt hold onto the ball. Howard spent WAY to much time dancing around in the pocket, fixating on one receiver while others were wide open. If only turnovers were as easy to get rid of as some claimed a few years ago. It was a mistake to keep Efore on the staff when he was demoted after our defense turned in the worst performance in school history, I've seen nothing to make me think he can do any better.

 

[bbwvfan]

I agree with you.

I was texting slaton10 throughout the game yesterday. I cannot believe our punt return team could still be making such critical mistakes. Very frustrating.

I expected a better performance from our team. Watching them dominate Maryland in the manner they did, made me a believer in something special.

Personally, I think OU is a good team… not great. I know they have an awesome home record under Stoops, but I really thought WVU would beat them.

Yes, they had a CB returning for this game… but, their pass defense looked awful against Tulsa. I never expected to see them stay in step with our speedsters on the vertical routes.

I cannot fathom how Dana failed to game plan for Striker. Last year, he caused enough havoc Dana had to go with a 2 TE heavy set to slow him down and protect Clint.

We will see the true leadership of this year's team. Like you said, they can't let this loss result in a 2nd loss. They have to put it behind them and get ready to whoop ass against the Pokes. There is a lot of football to play, and big things can still happen for them.

 

[Bat 20]

I believe this article sums up my feelings on this game and the Big 12 much better than I could ever express myself.
Ignore the scoreboard, WVU is ready for Big 12

 

[Slaton10]

Well I had a few takes from the game..

First and foremost the one stat that I thought was amazing is that Bob Stoops has lost only 8 home games in his tenure as HC at OU..that is pretty amazing!...Just having that in the back of your mind as a OU player gives you some comfort something good is going to happen in your favor..and for the visiting team its in the back of your mind something bad is going to happen!!..

Mike I understand your message about hoping Howard just had a bad day...just wished you wouldn't have drawn the comparison to Brady and the Mannings! LOL!

Scary to say this but I agree with WVUDAD in many aspects..In the immortal words of Denny Green Skylar Howard is who I thought he was...a mediocre backup QB...AT BEST!...some of the punts he threw were not even Division III worthy! There is a reason he was not offered a Division 1 scholarship out of HS!.. He had happy feet from the very first snap!...As I told BBW he is just too short to play the position for some of the throws he needs to make in this offense..The offense sets up the middle of the field for the home run ball, remember back to how Kevin White's best route was a skinny post...Howard clearly cannot see over the Center and two guards..every ball sailed on him because he couldn't see over the line..he does not have the capability it appears to lead a receiver, he throws "On Them" 90 percent of the time..and if he does try to throw the long ball??..WOW..and I thought Trickett threw punts up!..He makes Trickett look like he threw ropes!!..if he hits Durante in any kind of stride instead of making him stop and jump at the 5 yard line who knows if that changes the tide of the game...

IMHO some of those sacks were on him...he has to feel backside pressure...As WVUDAD said he can't check down receivers...he couldn't wait to get the ball out of his hands fast enough...don't think every team they play from here on out knows that if he gets pressured or hit ...he panics and CLEARLY will turn the ball over...Dana has to be ready to pull the kid the next time this debacle happens...and it will!! Time for Crest or Sills to ramp up the learning curve and start acting like the 4 star recruits they are supposed to be...

I agreed and disagreed with BBW about Striker..IMHO I was always taught and a believer is that you run plays right at a speed rusher like that kid...he's small and if he takes enough pounding by 300 plus linemen it will take its toll by the second half..so in that regard I agreed that the way they game planned him was questionable....even going with the offense they had not to have someone chip block on the backside with Cajuste clearly having his hands full was a head scratcher...but as I mentioned some of the sacks were on the QB...his inability to read the blitzer and not having the smarts to check out of the play or check down to a hot receiver...

Positives..I thought the OLINE played pretty well..the run blocking was sound and the pass blocking for the majority of the day was solid....

On the other side if the ball...a tale of two halves...first half they played so so...second half I thought they played really well..they stop after the fumble inside their own 12 yard line I think told the story of how hard they played...Worley had a tough day...he looked slow out there..maybe his worst game in a Wv uniform..

Side note! Though BBW said that Worley should have stopped the play somehow..(and I disagree) I loved that fake slip screen that Worley bit on and was torched for a monster gain..hope Dana wrote that down..what a great offensive play!! ........sometimes you just have to tip your hat and say well done!

.Joseph on the other hand just might be playing well enough for the Jim Thorpe award this year...

Thought that the front 3 had their best game that I can remember..very active..


Special Teams.........Not so special....what else needs to be said....


Coaching...Wow..kind of hard to rate... First half the starting field position was unbelievably bad..seemed like they started every drive inside their own 5 yard line... Thought Dana lost his cool going for it on 4th down inside his own 40 yard line with the game still within reach...thought he grew out of that stuff...felt he got way too conservative in the third quarter...very predictable..and it got them in caught in 3 rd and long for the first 4 series after halftime..

BBW had a good point...and I agree.,,WV has had this problem before...the Backs don't seem to have a nose for the endzone.. If Shell could have kept his feet a couple of times he could have taken it to the house..Smallwood is fast but no vision a the second level of defenders..

Be interesting to see how they change things up for Okie State..could be a defining moment for Holgorsen..

 

[bbwvfan]

Mayfield is the same size as Howard, yet doesn't face the same problems with throwing over his line.

As I told you, Howard's throwing issues are due to mechanics and footwork. He takes too long a stride and overthrows. It is a problem addressed in the offseason, but as anyone who has played any sport can attest... making change does not come easy. Sometimes we regress to old form under pressure. IMO, that is what we saw with Howard on Saturday.

Oklahoma Notebook: Sooners Make the Critical Plays - WVU Athletics

In Gibby's postgame remarks, he specifically spoke of the misplay by Worley on the screen and go.

"Riley called a screen and go – a play West Virginia was aware of and had prepared for all week - and the Sooners executed it perfectly.

Unfortunately, the Mountaineers did not.

Durron Neal got behind everyone and all Mayfield had to do was not overthrow him. He didn’t, and Neal was able to jog into the end zone to complete a back-breaking, 71-yard touchdown.

“We were in a cover three and they ran a screen and go and we had our eyes in the wrong place and they executed and we didn’t, so give credit to them,” said West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson."

As I said Saturday, that is a play an upperclassmen HAS to make!

Of interest, watch these highlights... let me know how Striker is unaccounted for...

 

[outofyourmind]

I think you guys are over thinking it somewhat.
With a little better QB play and a couple of calls going the other way and limiting 1 or 2 mistakes, you guys win the game.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

We have two 4 stars, one 3 star and a 2 star QB who nobody recruited on the team starting. I cannot see us doing consistently well with Howard at the helm. He will have some great moments but when the day is done, he is still a 2 star QB. Hopefully Crest, Chuggs or Sills get some more reps. We need to get better at the QB position or this is a wasted season. If we are going to waste a season, throw a Freshman in there and let then get some experience.

When Dana runs on 60+% of the plays it must say something about his confidence in the QB.

Solid QB play we win this game. Never thought I would miss Trickett.

5 plays = 27 points
2 blown coverages 14 points
2 ints & fumble 13 points

If we eliminate those mistakes, we win by 7 even with Howard at QB.

 

[WVUDAD]

I think you guys are over thinking it somewhat.
With a little better QB play and a couple of calls going the other way and limiting 1 or 2 mistakes, you guys win the game.

We have lost so many games the past few years by turnovers, poor play calling, STUPID ST play, and plain old lousy defense, that it is almost comical. We have talent enough to compete with anyone, but never get any better on STs, never get the turnovers cured, and cant seem to coach a player to get any better than what he came in as.

 

[bbwvfan]

I think you guys are over thinking it somewhat.
With a little better QB play and a couple of calls going the other way and limiting 1 or 2 mistakes, you guys win the game.

You are correct in your analysis. But, this is a WVU board. When our team loses, it means the sky is falling.

So... we analyze... and analyze... what went wrong...

You can't beat OU committing 5 TO's. WVU fought back, and that was wonderful to see. Skyler had been really good at protecting the ball. Heading into the OU game, he had but 1 fumble and 1 INT. He has 5 on Saturday. Bizarre. But, give OU credit... they created chaos.

WVU had piss poor field position the entire 1st half due to stupid penalties on punt/kick returns... and stupid decisions to return the punt rather than let it go into the endzone for a touchback.

Defense did pretty well except for a couple of big plays. OL struggled at times in pass protection, but were getting good push up the middle.

Just one game...

 

[Slaton10]

Mayfield is the same size as Howard, yet doesn't face the same problems with throwing over his line.

As I told you, Howard's throwing issues are due to mechanics and footwork. He takes too long a stride and overthrows. It is a problem addressed in the offseason, but as anyone who has played any sport can attest... making change does not come easy. Sometimes we regress to old form under pressure. IMO, that is what we saw with Howard on Saturday.

Oklahoma Notebook: Sooners Make the Critical Plays - WVU Athletics

In Gibby's postgame remarks, he specifically spoke of the misplay by Worley on the screen and go.

"Riley called a screen and go – a play West Virginia was aware of and had prepared for all week - and the Sooners executed it perfectly.

Unfortunately, the Mountaineers did not.

Durron Neal got behind everyone and all Mayfield had to do was not overthrow him. He didn’t, and Neal was able to jog into the end zone to complete a back-breaking, 71-yard touchdown.

“We were in a cover three and they ran a screen and go and we had our eyes in the wrong place and they executed and we didn’t, so give credit to them,” said West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson."

As I said Saturday, that is a play an upperclassmen HAS to make!

Of interest, watch these highlights... let me know how Striker is unaccounted for...

I don't know about being the same size.......if they are Mayfield plays about a foot taller!..and don't read to me the press guide...it has little value!..and Howard's issues are more than just mechanics and footwork...

As far as Gibby's comments its EXACTLY what I said...Worely bit on the screen and got beat..what am I missing??..its got nothing to do with being an upper classman or not..

 

[Slaton10]

Mayfield is the same size as Howard, yet doesn't face the same problems with throwing over his line.

As I told you, Howard's throwing issues are due to mechanics and footwork. He takes too long a stride and overthrows. It is a problem addressed in the offseason, but as anyone who has played any sport can attest... making change does not come easy. Sometimes we regress to old form under pressure. IMO, that is what we saw with Howard on Saturday.

Oklahoma Notebook: Sooners Make the Critical Plays - WVU Athletics

In Gibby's postgame remarks, he specifically spoke of the misplay by Worley on the screen and go.

"Riley called a screen and go – a play West Virginia was aware of and had prepared for all week - and the Sooners executed it perfectly.

Unfortunately, the Mountaineers did not.

Durron Neal got behind everyone and all Mayfield had to do was not overthrow him. He didn’t, and Neal was able to jog into the end zone to complete a back-breaking, 71-yard touchdown.

“We were in a cover three and they ran a screen and go and we had our eyes in the wrong place and they executed and we didn’t, so give credit to them,” said West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson."

As I said Saturday, that is a play an upperclassmen HAS to make!

Of interest, watch these highlights... let me know how Striker is unaccounted for...

I didn't make it all the way thru those highlights..after that first horrific interception I shut it down!

 

[mad2mc]

If you want to see this previous discussion, go find the Liberty Bowl thread a start reading around page 4. Just copy and paste the same responses. I think we already knew what type of QB Howard was going to be back then.

 

[bbwvfan]

I don't know about being the same size.......if they are Mayfield plays about a foot taller!..and don't read to me the press guide...it has little value!..and Howard's issues are more than just mechanics and footwork...

As far as Gibby's comments its EXACTLY what I said...Worely bit on the screen and got beat..what am I missing??..its got nothing to do with being an upper classman or not..

Well… when Gibby says they prepared all week for the slip screen, and you have guys bite… I feel it is easier to forgive a RS Fr… or true FR getting thrown to the wolves. It is a play an upperclassmen who some believe could be all-conference and playing on Sundays one day… has to read… has to execute.

I agree… Howard's issues are more than mechanics. But, when his anxiety is up… it falls on mechanics. At least according to the coaches…

 

[bbwvfan]

I didn't make it all the way thru those highlights..after that first horrific interception I shut it down!

Well… if you had… you would have watched Striker going untouched on a number of plays.

Cajuste was bad in the MD game. He was really bad in the OU game. It is time to replace him….

 

[Slaton10]

Well… if you had… you would have watched Striker going untouched on a number of plays.

Cajuste was bad in the MD game. He was really bad in the OU game. It is time to replace him….

I don't know..sometimes a kid that young just needs to get reps...not pull him..or run plays that can give him some help...can't believe they will see a kid with that kind of skill the rest of the year..

 

[Wheat]

We have lost so many games the past few years by turnovers, poor play calling, STUPID ST play, and plain old lousy defense, that it is almost comical. We have talent enough to compete with anyone, but never get any better on STs, never get the turnovers cured, and cant seem to coach a player to get any better than what he came in as.

welcome to our world, until, so far, this year. that post could have been on an OU board about any time in the previous couple of years.

Lincoln Riley has made a huge difference being the OC and calling the plays and maybe, just maybe, Mike being up in the press box, has made a difference in the D.

We'll see....

 

[Mike]

We have lost so many games the past few years by turnovers, poor play calling, STUPID ST play, and plain old lousy defense, that it is almost comical. We have talent enough to compete with anyone, but never get any better on STs, never get the turnovers cured, and cant seem to coach a player to get any better than what he came in as.

I agree with everything you said there EXCEPT (cant seem to coach a player to get any better than what he came in as) I see a lot of development, ie: Worley, Joseph, many on the D have improved very much, look at White last year, smallwood has gotten much better ect. I see development all over the place.

 

[bbwvfan]

I don't know..sometimes a kid that young just needs to get reps...not pull him..or run plays that can give him some help...can't believe they will see a kid with that kind of skill the rest of the year..

As Howard is the best hope of having a successful season this year, keeping him from injury is really important. Not worth the risk to his welfare to have Cajuste continue to struggle protecting his blind side.

Time to move Pankey back there. He played there part of last game too.