Jacie
8/10/2010, 09:16 PM
COACH ON THE HOTTEST SEAT: West Virginia offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. All of the Big East's head coaches are either new or fairly secure in their positions. The shakiest position may be that of the Mountaineers' offensive coordinator. West Virginia has ranked 61st and 59th in the nation in total offense the past two seasons after ranking 15th and fifth in Rich Rodriguez's final two seasons. Remember, West Virginia still had Pat White and Noel Devine in 2008 and Devine and senior quarterback Jarrett Brown last season.
The question then, if they were only 61st with Pat White (school leader in career completion percentage, total offense, touchdowns accounted for, and NCAA record career rushing yards by a quarterback), and 59th the year after he left, what is going to happen now that the Rich Rod-era players have been replaced with Lucky Bill's?
TEAM THAT WILL DISAPPOINT: West Virginia. Was the Gator Bowl loss to Florida State a preview of things to come? Presumably, QB Geno Smith will be more polished for the 2010 season than when he entered in relief against the Seminoles. But the Mountaineers have gone 18-8 in the past two seasons with seniors Pat White and then Jarrett Brown at quarterback. How will they fare with a sophomore?
In other words, the hillbilly faithful haven't had many couch-burning moments since the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. Okay, they prevailed over a scrappy UNC by a point in the Meineke Car Care Bowl and they upset Pitt, rated #8 at the time, last year, but Stewie has yet to give them a 10-win season (Roddy had back-to-back 11-winners before he split). So that WVU defense had better be good or the grumbling will commence.
BTW, Stewie and the boys have a game in Baton Rouge against Les Mile's tigahs this year . . .
The question then, if they were only 61st with Pat White (school leader in career completion percentage, total offense, touchdowns accounted for, and NCAA record career rushing yards by a quarterback), and 59th the year after he left, what is going to happen now that the Rich Rod-era players have been replaced with Lucky Bill's?
TEAM THAT WILL DISAPPOINT: West Virginia. Was the Gator Bowl loss to Florida State a preview of things to come? Presumably, QB Geno Smith will be more polished for the 2010 season than when he entered in relief against the Seminoles. But the Mountaineers have gone 18-8 in the past two seasons with seniors Pat White and then Jarrett Brown at quarterback. How will they fare with a sophomore?
In other words, the hillbilly faithful haven't had many couch-burning moments since the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. Okay, they prevailed over a scrappy UNC by a point in the Meineke Car Care Bowl and they upset Pitt, rated #8 at the time, last year, but Stewie has yet to give them a 10-win season (Roddy had back-to-back 11-winners before he split). So that WVU defense had better be good or the grumbling will commence.
BTW, Stewie and the boys have a game in Baton Rouge against Les Mile's tigahs this year . . .