Mountaineers

I heard a guy on Fox Sports Radio this evening say that he'd interviewed Bill Stewart. He said that Billy had said that he was going to show a different dimension of Pat White and let him air it out. The guy said that he thought that was arrogant for a rookie BCS coach. Having watched the game, he said that was exactly what Pat White did. Said he was Heisman Trophy material and Stew did exactly what he said he'd do. I knew Billy's brother a lot better than I did him. My Mom liked him. I hope he runs the table. I can't see it but I hope he does. He's a nice boy. I know I'm behind him 100% win or tie.

If they can get their defense going, I think they can run the table Jimmy. Next week will be a good test as ECU beat VA Tech yesterday and Skip Holtz is a good coach.

Had RR stayed at WVU, they would have been getting plenty of mention for the National Championship game. I just honestly don't see why this team is getting dissed like it is, returning a 2 time Big East conference player of the year, their entire offensive line, a running back that averaged 8 yards a carry and the defensive coordinator of the year from last year. It makes no sense to me at all.

And White, in airing it out, was 25-33 for 209 yards. He completed 75% of his passes and had at least 3 dropped, including one that was intercepted. Had his receivers caught all the balls, he would have completed 85% of his passes. That's outstanding regardless of the competition.

I didn't get any pleasure out of seeing R-Rod stutter about getting whipped up on by Utah. I could less what happens to Michigan. That's all ancient history to me.

I didn't either. Of course I didn't fault him for leaving either. In fact, my exact words were...

Good Riddance.

He'll be successful there if you count winning 9 to 11 games every year and going to a bowl game successful.

If you define being successful as beating OSU every year, he won't.

I was just down at the Friends of Coal Prep Classic Breakfast. Saw Vince Dooley, Dick McPherson, John Ralston, John Cooper, Stew, and Don Nehlen. Breakfast was extra. Had to run...

So what did you think of Pat's performance Saturday Sherm? I know it Villanova is a 1-AA team but I thought he was impressive. Were it not for the drops, he would have completed over 80% of his passes.

West Virginia: Pat White Tosses Five Touchdowns
RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Aug 31, 5:57 pm EDT

White passed for 208 yards, five touchdowns and an interception and picked up another 63 yards on the ground in Saturday’s win over Villanova.

Recommendation: White is the premier dual-threat quarterback in the nation and Saturday afternoon he proved it. He should have another big game on Saturday against East Carolina.

You two are better men than I. Utah warmed my cold bitter heart on Saturday.

I was watching Bobby Bowden in an interview talking about reputation and character. He said your reputation is what someone else thinks about you, you're character is what the good lord knows about you.

RR was hired at Michigan based on his reputation, which was what talking heads thought about him because he 'won' at WV. He left WV because of his character, which is lacking imho, and thus I believe he'll get his.

I wasn't a Rich Rod man when they hired him, I never liked him, I don't give him credit for 'turning the program' around or being a great recruiter, he cost WV the NC last year and as I feel pretty much about the Big 11 as I do RR, I think they deserve each other. That and I think the folks at Michigan will figure out everthing I did in due time.

Just my thoughts Randall.

I didn't see the entire game but I wasn't supriesed by the outcome. ECU is a good team with a physical lines, a senior QB and they play hard nosed, ball control football and unlike years past, they likely won't beat themselves.

Stewart screwed up in that he should have challeneged White's fumble on their opening drive. When he didn't, I called the ballgame then and there.

Even so, had they went for it on 4th down later in the first half instead of settling for a FG, they might have gotten back into the game, but they didn't and they didn't.

They can still win the Big East and go to a BCS bowl though. And if ECU is unbeaten at the end of the year, this loss won't look so bad down the road.

Well it seems the calls for Stewart's head has, at least for the time being, subsided somewhat. I watched more then a few plays for the first time Saturday and while I don't know if I completely agree, I can see what they are trying to do in installing the motion offense and becoming more balanced.

If Stewart manages to run the table and win the Big East (particularly if he can beat USF) he won't have to jump off the Westover Bridge.

Well I watched the Pitt USF game and they both looked good to me.

I don't think Pitt will be of much worry. If they can't get motivated for that game this year given what they went through last year, then they don't deserve whatever a loss would cost them.

As for USF, I think many of the changes are specifically for that team as they are the one's that have shut WVU down for the past two years. And I believe by the time WVU plays USF on December 6th, this motion offense will be much more effective then it has been during the first half of the season.

Time will tell.

I hope you are right on both counts.

And if it's any comfort I give your opinion on this subject a lot of respect.

I doubt there were many harder on Stewart, especially after the Colorado loss, then I. And I'm still not sure he can make it as a Big time D-1 coach but I do know he has good coaches around him, including Mullins who came from Wake Forest and was their OC when they scored 30+ points a game.

I think they are fortunate that they are playing the stronger Big East teams at the end of they year as it does give them some breathing room.

And if Stewart isn't the answer as the head man, I think they'll keep most of the staff intact by promoting Doc Holiday, who I'm sure had some say so in Mullins coming on board.

I guess time will tell. And I do appreciate your thoughts.

http://lunn65.blogspot.com/2008/10/west-virginia-pat-white-and-gang-come.html

The kid is a defensive lineman for Connecticut. What's a "Yokell"?

Well I thot he treated us pretty good.

Or set us up for a big disappointment.

He may not think much of our state but he was spot on about the Mountaineer team that ran away from a good UConn team.

Billy's going back to a New Years Day game AND 10 wins and this TEAM is better then last years.

Seems I was wrong. WV can't get to the 10 win plateau even with wins of USF and their bowl game.

With an All American QB, a top rate RB and the entire offensive line, this season definately was a set back.

Perhaps Bill Stewart wasn't the right hire. Maybe it was Jeff Mullins who shouldn't have been hired. Or maybe it was just that with such a veteral group, they should have stuck with the old offense for one more year and implemented the motion next year.

I think it would be hard to justify firing either after one year but I don't think either have long ropes. Next year will be very crucial.

www.post-gazette.com/pg/08267/914323-144.stm

If they feel he's not the right man next year or the year after, the buy out clause won't hinder them from firing him. They will find some donor to come up with the dough.

But I'm sure Mullins doesn't have the same clause. If they struggle offensively next year like they did this, he won't last.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Bowl-viewing-for-value-The-lucky-ones-?urn=ncaaf,130084

Well I hope this evaluation of wvu's future prospects is wrong....

"Most interesting, though, is two programs heading in opposite directions. With Pat White's last hurrah, West Virginia's descent into "just another Big East team" officially begins next year after the most successful three-year run in school history from 2005-07, at the same time Butch Davis' manic recruiting -- already in evidence in the Heels' extreme improvement this year over 2007 -- pushes UNC to the fore of the ACC's power vacuum. You can't do much better than Past vs. Future

If you look at their recruit page here you will see Doc Holiday and company has recruited a 4 star QB and a couple of 4 star WR's to go along with a bunch of 3 star recruits. Considering the only 4 star recruits RR signed was Jason Gwatney, who didn't pan out and Noel Devine (who may be gone due to grades and certainly isn't living up to his billing yet) I don't think they're in as bad a shape as the author of bowl preview makes out.

This win wasn't a BCS bowl game but it did give Pat White his 4th bowl win as a starting QB, making him the only QB in the history of college football to achieve that feat. The offense looked good, perhaps giving us a peek at what's to come in future years.

Over the past 4 years, WVU's won 40 games and has established themselves as a premeir program in the country. Considering Holiday, Stu and company have recruited a 4 star QB and a couple of 4 star receivers to go with the running game they have coming back, next year they should once again compete for the Big East championship.

I thot the most improved player was the Coach.

I don't know if he is being coached as a coach but he sure seems to be a lot more comfortable in his coach skin and came across as a guy in the right job.

Moreso than before.