Monday, August 29, 2011

IT'S GAME WEEK: GAME ONE PRIMER

It's time folks. It's time to take a closer look at the first game of the season.

Matchup: West Virginia vs. Marshall

WHEN: Sunday, 3:30p, ESPN

LINE: -21 WVU

LAST YEAR'S GAME: 24-21 OT WVU

WVU PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Geno Smith, QB: 2,763 passing yards, 24 TDs, 7 INT
Tavon Austin, WR: 58 rec, 787 yards, 8 DS
Najee Goode, LB: 44 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Bruce Irvin, DE: 22 tackles, 14 sacks

MARSHALL PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Martin Ward, RB: 345 rushing yards, 1 TD
Aaron Dobson, WR: 44 rec, 689 yards, 5 TDs
Vinny Curry, DE: 94 tackles, 12 sacks


STORYLINES:

The Debut of Dana Holgorsen was supposed to be in 2012. However, the early exit of Bill Stewart sped up the process. The big question is how will this team respond? Holgorsen has been mildly satisfied with practice, but those are only practice. The big test will come against a team that WVU has never lost to. It took about 55 minutes for the Mountaineer offense to wake up last year in Huntington. There is no doubt that Holgorsen wants to put a number up early to show what this new offense is all about.

How will Marshall react? Yes, it's not the same exact team, but there are certainly enough players and coaches who remember the one that got away last season. Doc Holliday will have to keep his players grounded to make sure their emotions don't get the better of them. Marshall just needs to stay within striking distance to give themselves a chance...kind of like what WVU did last year.

Is the WVU Offense line ready? The boys better be, because Vinny Curry and company will be after it all game long. Marshall rushed and pounded Geno Smith last year, and will look to do the same in 2011. The Mountaineer line will have to play much better if they want to win comfortably.

Hey, is that beer in the stadium? Your'e damn right. Beer sales are now legal in Milan Puskar Stadium. What kind of impact will it make? Other than a few hundred thousand dollars going to the school each year, not much. People have blown it way out of proportion. Many collegiate stadiums sell it already, so it's nothing new.