Records Be Falling

In Year One of the new offensive scheme that Dana Holgrosen brought with him, the Mountaineers have performed well. Yes, there have been some hiccups, mistakes, a few too many turnovers. But, considering where they were at this time last year, it's night and day. Actually this season has been so productive through the air that passing and receiving records are going to be broken all over the place. Here are just a few of the major ones that should be changing hands over the next few weeks.

(records courtesy of wvustats.com)

Geno Smith

Total Yards

Record: 3,515 yards (Marc Bulger, 1998)

2011 Geno: 3,413 yards

Passing yards

Record: 3,607 yards (Marc Bulger, 1998)

2011 Geno: 3,497 yards

Pass Completions

Record: 274 (Marc Bulger, 1998)

2011 Geno: 269

Pass Attempts

Record: 419 (Marc Bulger, 1998)

2011 Geno: 417

Passing Touchdowns

Record: 31 (Marc Bulger, 1998)

2011 Geno: 25

Tavon Austin

All-Purpose Yards

Record: 2,104 (Steve Slaton, 2006)

2011 Tavon: 1,964

Receptions

Record: 77 (David Saunders, 1998 and Shawn Foreman, 1997)

2011 Tavon: 72

Stedman Bailey

Receiving Yards

Record: 1,043 (David Saunders, 1996)

2011 Stedman: 1,037

Receiving Touchdowns

Record: 12 (Darius Reynaud, 2007 and Chris Henry, 2004)

2011 Stedman: 10

Former Mountaineers in the NFL, Week 11

Anthony Becht, TE, Chiefs: Inactive in loss to the New England Patriots.

PacMan Jones, CB, Bengals: Led the team with seven tackles in loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Brandon Hogan: Was inactive for the Panthers, but taken off the injured list and should be seeing the field soon.

Mortty Ivy, LB, Steelers: Bye Week for the Steelers.

Ellis Lankster, CB, Jets: Didn't register any stats in loss to the Denver Broncos.

Pat McAfee, P, Colts: Bye Week for the Colts.

Corey McIntyre, FB, Bills: Started, ut didn't register any stats in Buffalo's loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Ryan Mundy, FS, Steelers: Bye Week for the Steelers.

Chris Neild, NT, Redskins: Registered one tack and half a sack in loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Robert Sands, FS, Bengals: Inactive again for the Bengals. has yet to suit up this year.

Owen Schmitt, FB, Eagles: Was targeted once in win over the New York Giants.

Steve Slaton, RB, Dolphins: Was inactive this week for the Dolphins,

Injuries:

J.T. Thomas: Injured Reserve

It's Gameweek! Week 12 Primer

Matchup: West Virginia v Pittsburgh

When: Friday, 7pm, ESPN

Line: WVU -7.5

West Virginia Players to Watch:

Geno Smith, QB: 3,497 yards, 24 TD, 5 INT

Dustin Garrison, RB: 600 rushing yards, 5 TD

Tavon Austin, WR: 1,964 all-purpose yards, 6 total TD

Stedman Bailey, WR: 57 rec, 1,037 yards, 10 TD

Pittsburgh Players to Watch:

Tino Sunseri, QB: 2037 yards, 9 TD, 8 INT

Zach Brown, RB: 269 rushing yards, 4 TD

Devin Street, WR: 39 rec, 572 yards, 2 TD

Aaron Donald, DL, 33 total tackles, 9 sacks, 12.5 TFL

Storylines:

Bye Week Blues? That's what happened last time for the Mountaineers coming off a bye. They were just hammered by Syracuse. They were slow, soft, sluggish, uninspired etc... They were just flat out awful. If they can't get up for the Backyard Brawl then stick a knife into this season. There is no doubt Pitt will be ready to play, considering they still have a chance at the BCS bid as well.

Can WVU find a balanced game? If it isn't one thing, its another. That has been the story all year. If all three units did find a way to play cohesively, you would see a team that would have rolled through the Big East. Instead it has been an uphill battle.

Can Tino Sunseri manage this team in a hostile environment? Good question. Pitt has struggled against above-.500 teams this season, and will have to deal with a packed house. Sunseri can't make mistakes or Pitt won't last in this game. WVU will certainly put points on the board. Can the Panthers keep up?

Is this one of the last Backyard Brawls? With both teams leaving the Big East, it makes you wonder. I hope the series continues. It's one of the best rivalries in college sports, and would be a shame if schools that close to one-another stop playing. Hell, it's pathetic now that both don't play Penn State every year as well. So, here's to another 100+ years of the Backyard Brawl.

Big East Preview, Week 12

This is the busiest week of my year on the actual work side, so the blog has taken a significant hit. I don't really have that much time to write a preview, so here are my quick picks for this week.

Last Week: 1-3 (blah)

Overall: 36-22

Bye Week: West Virginia, Syracuse, Pittsburgh

Louisville at Connecticut: The Cardinals really blew a great opportunity to get in the BCS mix last week with a loss to Pitt. They still have an outside shot and it starts with a win at UConn. The Huskies won't make it easy. They continue to play tough. Look for Louisville to take advantage of UConn's offensive mistakes and win a tight game.

Prediction: 27-24 Louisville

Miami at South Florida: The Bulls finally won a game for the first time since September last week, and look to jump on a wounded animal. Miami has been inconsistent all year, but will not make it easy for South Florida. Expect the Bulls to go with a balanced attack, and play aggressively on defense. If they follow the gameplan, then they shouldn't lose.

Prediction: 30-21 South Florida

Cincinnati at Rutgers: Huge game for both teams. The Bearcats need Munchie to play mistake-free or Rutgers will be all over them. Meanwhile the Knights need to find more than just Mohamed Sanu on offense. So, which offense will step up? I'll take Rutgers in close battle. The Knights understand the enormity of the game, and have stepped up when needed this year. The Bearcats may be a bit punch drunk following last week's loss, and the loss of starting quarterback, Zach Collaros. Turnovers will be the difference in this one.

Prediction: 24-17 Rutgers

Big East Power Rankings, Week 11

1. West Virginia (7-3, 3-2 in conference): After a win over Cincinnati, the Mountaineers find themselves back on top of the poll. Next Step...Bye Week.

2. Cincinnati (7-2, 3-1): The Bearcats still control their own destiny, but now have to do it with a backup quarterback. Next Step...road game at Rutgers.

3. Rutgers (7-3, 3-2): A solid win over Army have the Knights bowl-bound and ready for the final few games. Next Step...Huge home game against Cincinnati.

4. Pittsburgh (5-5, 3-2): The Panthers have been playing better, and put it all together in a solid win over Louisville last week. Next Step...Bye Week.

5. Louisville (5-5, 3-2): The Cardinals blew a huge opportunity to win this conference with a loss last week to Pittsburgh. Next Step...Regrouping at Connecticut.

6. Connecticut (4-5, 2-2): The Huskies took the week off, and now look to get one step closer to bowl eligibility. Next Step...Hosting Louisville.

7. South Florida (5-4, 1-4): The Bulls finally found a way to win in the conference last week in the Dome. Next Step...Non-conference game hosting Miami.

8. Syracuse (5-5, 1-4): Have been absolutely shambolic since beating West Virginia. Next Step...Much needed bye week.

WVU-Cincinnati Final Thoughts

Well, it wasn't how it was drawn up but a win is a win. And it was certainly needed if WVU wants to go BCS bowling. Dana Holgorsen wanted more effort and that's what he got. It was a Mountaineer team that just willed to a win.

Most Valuable: Tavon Austin. The speedster may not have scored, but his impact was immeasurable. Austin finished with 249 all-purpose yards, including key gains on 3rd downs and kick returns. He made many short passes into impactful plays, and showed how dangerous he is in space. Yes, Austin did have one drop, but more than made up for it throughout the game. He certainly showed how talented he can be.

Least Valuable: Outside Linebackers. It wasn't for a lack of effort. The boys definitely battled hard, they just weren't effective. Numerous missed tackles and/or assignments allowed Cincinnati to gain big yardage on the outside. All three Bearcat touchdowns went to the outside, and were pretty easy runs. The good thing about this is the fact that the kids are young will get better. And as I said, the effort is certainly there. Now they just have to execute.

Most Surprising: The Score. Neither team getting to 30 was shocking. It is also a compliment to both defense units. WVU and Cincinnati displayed good poise against the other. Both offensives can be explosive, and it certainly was different when Zach Collaros left with injury. However, the Mountaineers were very effective against him as well. Most believed a shootout would be the way, especially after the fast start.

Least Surprising: Problems in the Kicking Game. There's just not a lot of talent and/or experience there. While coverage seems to be getting better, kicks are too low, blocking is inadequate, and punts are inconsistent. Are the mistakes fixable? Some, but I'm not holding my breath.

Play of the Game: The Block. In the final seconds the Bearcats were trying to force overtime with a tying field goal. That's when Eain Smith and just about everyone else blew through the Cincy line to block the kick. It was nice to see WVU actually get the break in the kicking game for once.

Grades:

Quarterback: Geno Smith played well. Completion percentage was good, poise was good, ran when needed, didn't turn it over. He did hold on to the football a little too much, and struggled to finish drives, but overall a fine day.

Grade: B

Running back: Tough day for backs, going against a very good run defense. They struggled gaining any type of consistency, and Dustin Garrison's fumble was very costly at the time. Shawne Alston did score another touchdown, but not much impact from the group.

Grade: C+

Wideout: Another good day for the group, with two players over 100 yards. There were a few crucial drops, but overall a solid day.

Grade: A-

Offensive line: A day to forget for this unit. Didn't do much to help the run, and Geno was sacked five times. Have played much better.

Grade: C-

Defensive line: A pretty good day for the boys up front. Created some havoc up front an forced a turnover for touchdown. Though struggled slowing the run like everyone else.

Grade: B

Linebacker:L The inside was tough, the outside was a bit of a disaster. Need more consistency, which will probably come with experience.

Grade: C+

Secondary: Mixed bag for the group that was missing Terrence Garvin. Had an interception, but also struggled in coverage. This unit needs to find some talent.

Grade: C

Special Teams: All over the place here. Kicking game was pretty disastrous. The return was effective, and the blocked kick sealed the win. Like I said, all over the place.

Grade: B-

Coaching: Scheme seemed effective when run correctly. Adjustments in special teams helped some. But the motivation was the big factor.

Grade: A

WVU-Cincinnati Preview

The Mountaineers make a crucial trip to Cincinnati this week. The only chance at a BCS bid starts with a win over the Bearcats. It won't be easy, considering Cincy continues to be the best team in the conference, and the Mountaineers are playing inconsistent. It may take a perfect game, and that might not be available.

Offense:

West Virginia: The Mountaineers' offense is not the problem. Geno Smith continues to have an incredible year, with 23 TD and just 5 INT. His completion percentage has also gone up the last few weeks as well. Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey continue to put up huge numbers, and will be very tough matchups for the Cincy secondary. Dustin Garrison will be featured in the backfield, along with Shawne Alston. The Mountaineer rushing attack is up to over 120 yards per game...a far cry from the putrid start. The offensive line could use some help. The unit just hasn't given Smith a lot of time to throw, but again...hard to be upset with a unit that is averaging 38 points a game.

Cincinnati: Zach Collaros is having a fine final season for the Bearcats. He has a 141 QB rating, and has rushed for more than 240 yards. Collaros has had some good performances against the Mountaineers and should primed once again. Isaiah Pead should have space to maneuver, as he nears 1,000 yards for the season. He poses a serious match up problem as well, considering WVU's run defense can be shaky. Cincy's wideouts should have ample success. The Cats have three receivers with over 30 receptions, and could be padding some stats on Saturday. The offensive line will be in a tussle, but should give Callaros time. The Cats' line has only allowed 11 sacks this year, an impressive number.

Defense:

West Virginia: The unit didn't give up a ton of yards last week, but couldn't get off the field. In fact, on Louisville's backbreaking drive the Mountaineers gave up two 3rd and longs and a short 4th down. They just can't come up with the big play. The line was better last week, coming up with a number of sacks. The pressure hasn't been consistent, and will be in for a major test against the Bearcats. The line also is in for a tough battle to slow the run at the line of attack. The WVU linebackers need to watch contain against Collaros, and help as much as possible in coverage. The secondary will be asked to do quite a bit. Sadly, they will be in for a long day trying to slow down a solid crop of wideouts. It's going to be a tough matchup for this unit, but if WVU can just keep the game close, that's a win for the defense.

Cincinnati: The unit has done a nice job in forcing teams to be more one dimensional. The Bearcats are holding teams under 90 rushing yards a contest. The defensive line and linebackers are very active, and will play aggressively. Cincy has 26 sacks on the year, and should create matchup problems for Mountaineer line. The secondary will also play aggressively, but in a manner of looking for a mistake or two. The opportunistic group will struggle to slow down the passing attack, but can help exploit any errant throw but Geno. The linebackers will probably have to get in the mix as well, considering the strength of the WVU passing offense. This may open a door for the Mountaineer run game. so the Bearcats will certainly be busy.

Special Teams:

West Virginia: Well, there is no doubt that this unit is far from special. The return game has been the only constant this year. However, Brad Starks will miss the next few weeks due to injury, and he was the second best return man. The kick coverage has been better, but every time I commend them they usually give up a long TD. The kicking game is in shambles overall.

Cincinnati: The kick coverage has been a bit spotty this year, but not terrible. They have good returners in J.D. Woods and RD Abernathy. Pat O'Donnell is a fine punter, averaging over 45 yards a kick. Tony Miliano has been solid with field goals, and also has four touchbacks on kickoffs.

Overall: This game has all the makings of a track meet. Two very good offenses capable of dropping a 50-spot on the other. And, when you have a shootout either team could certainly win. The Bearcats shouldn't be stopped, and have done a good job holding on to the ball late in games. They have also been very poised in close outcomes as well. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers have very little margin for error. With a weak defense and even worse special teams, WVU needs a perfect game from the offense. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, it's not going to happen.

Prediction: 38-31 Cincinnati