2010 WVU Football

[Homer Bailey]

Aren't too many WVU fans on here, but there are some, and some haters . Anyway, I didn't want to sidetrack the UC thread more than I already had, so I figured I'd start this.

Pat White (and Slaton before him) leaving obviously is going to sting, but its what you do to replace them both in terms of recruits and coaching them up. Rodriguez is the only one who would have been capable of doing that in Morgantown.

Stewart has brought them in, but the talent well is going to eventually dry up with Doc Holliday moving to Huntington. I don't think Holliday will have a massive impact at Marshall, but his loss will be felt in Morgantown, as Stewart is pretty much the equivalent of "The Emperor without any Clothes".

Jarret Brown replaced White last year, and he was an RR guy, and a 5th year senior. Otherwise, RR left the QB cupboard bare. Stewart has brought in 3 4* QB's in two recruiting classes, including this year's starter Geno Smith. He's probably WVU's most highly regarded QB recruit of the last 20 years (PW was not that highly regarded coming out of HS).

Slaton was replaced by Devine (an RR recruit), and Devine looks to be replaced by Tavon Austin, a 5* out of Maryland. WVU has GOT to get this guy more touches this year, as he is truly lightning in a bottle.

YouTube - Tavon Austin 2nd College TD 10 24 09

My point is, on paper, Stewart has replaced most of the offensive talent (he has brought in many talented WR recruits as well). How well he can coach them and get the most out of them, is of course the question.

The biggest issue for me is the offensive line. It was incredibly bad last year, and basically the same line is back this year. Are they a year stronger and better? Or are they simply a mediocre group. Time will tell. I'm starting to get really excited about football season. Hopefully the refs don't rob us of our biggest game of the year again this year!

[Slyder]

We shall see what he does on the field with this talent. I am still of the opinion that Stu would be better out on the recruiting trail and leave the field stuff for everyone else. He would be great talking with the recruits and their parents but he's just awful when it comes to game day. Before you read the rest just note I have zero, nada, nil, nein, zilch, absolutely no faith in Mullen's abillities to improve on last year. And I have slightly more faith in the playcalling abilities of said OC.

If I had to predict right now:
Spitt wins the Big East

Looking at WVU's schedule...
Coastal Carolina: If we dont win by 30 the entire offensive staff should be fired/resign immediately.
@Marshall: Thank You Gov Joe for this worldwide waste of a game. WVU Struggles just like the last couple years but Marshall runs out of gas WVU streaks to the finish (WVU by 14 2-0) give Holliday time Herd fans.
Maryland: One of the rivalries is back... The King Turtle is in the pressure cooker, does he have an escape plan? My guess is no. Games a lot closer than it probably should be with a young QB and an idiot for an OC. WVU wins by 10.
@LSU: One word describes this if we arent 1000% ready... U-g-l-y. LSU by 20 if theyre nice. (WVU 3-1)
UNLV: Soft part of the schedule, get to lick our wounds... I hope. (WVU by 28 4-1)
USF: UPSET SPECIAL RIGHT HERE. They replace a guy who had WVU's number with a guy very capable or recreating his success and now has Florida recruits at his beck and call IM SCARED. Skip shows Mountaineer Field what a real d1 coach looks like meanwhile running circles around Stew and the offense.(USF wins by 10 4-2; 0-1 big east)
Syracuse: Theyre Sorrycuse. (WVU wins by 30 5-2; 1-1 big east)
@UConn: They have been a bit of a thorn in the side of Stu, took a 52 yd scamper by Divine to bail us out last year. I think it will be close again. (WVU wins by 4 6-2; 2-1 Big East)
Cincinnati: This game being at home could be the difference, Cincinnati is not going to be the same they were last year. They need to really be hitting to have any chance of repeating as Big East Champions. Although they like USF got a really good midmajor coach who was a RR assistant at one time (maybe Nehlen) and runs a similar package as RR. Omitting this one just because I have really no idea what to expect and the board were on.

@Louisville: Last year took a Herculean effort by our defensive line to keep Louisville out of the end zone because our offense was just that bad. Games at Louisville, I expect it to be just as bad. Louisville wins by 8 (WVU 6-3; 2-2 big east with any bcs hope GONE)

@sPitt: sPitt gets bit as Wannstedt has his one game this season that leaves you thinking WTF? (WVU wins by 3 7-3; 3-2 Big East)

Rutgers: Schiano has brought Rutgers a long way but until they actually beat WVU I'm not picking it. (WVU wins by 12 8-3; 4-2 Big East)

Looks like Gator Bowl again for the Mou... oh wait thats right we lost that bowl bid because the conference can't get anyone actually travel to the game besides WVU. WVU goes to the Dang Yankee Bowl (sPitt takes BcS and Champ Sports takes USF)... Where we will play probably some crap tastic mid major like Temple, UCF, or Nevada and struggle to beat one of the little sisters on national tv as the Big 12 is lucky to have 7 teams let alone have 7 teams qualify for bowls.

There will be those that just look at the total number of wins and salute job well done and make excuses. Then there will be those like me who will want to break stuff as we will look HORRIBLE throughout the season as a whole and barely escape a bunch of games we should THROTTLE opponents in and probably be largely ignored as we decend back to Nehlen ball (Bunch of cupcake wins and no real resume).

ESPN doesnt care as we are still one of the bigger cash cows there is not named Texas, USC, or (insert Fla School here).

[Slyder]

I'm starting to get really excited about football season. Hopefully the refs don't rob us of our biggest game of the year again this year!

The Refs didnt shut us down the entire 2nd half... we did that ourselves. We were actually lucky our d kept us in that game to the end.

[will5979]

10-2 (losses to LSU and USF), bookmarkit, and we finally return to OUR rightful place as Big East Champs with a BCS bid that looks good for the conference, thats right UC fans, we don't let the Big East down in our BCS games, we win em', in good fashion!

[Boston Red]

Looking at WVU's schedule...
Coastal Carolina: If we dont win by 30 the entire offensive staff should be fired/resign immediately.
@Marshall: Thank You Gov Joe for this worldwide waste of a game.

This is a funny contrast. WV schedules Coastal Carolina, but it's the Marshall game that's a waste. Amusing.

And WV should handle Louisville this year. Unless WV is pretty bad.

[Slyder]

This is a funny contrast. WV schedules Coastal Carolina, but it's the Marshall game that's a waste. Amusing.

And WV should handle Louisville this year. Unless WV is pretty bad.

Just because I dont say it in my description doesnt mean I don't think Co. Carolina isnt a joke because I do believe it is. But every school almost schedules that really really bad D1 team or a D1AA/D2 team for a quick payday to start the year.

And I take nothing for granted for the Louisville game when I look back at...

http://www.bigeast.org/fls/19400/sta...09/flouwvu.htm

17-9 final. Where we lost TOP, total yds, and took a 5 sack day from our d to keep us in front of a 4 win Louisville. This is what happens when you have an awful Offensive Cordinator like we have, an awful special teams coverage, and an underperforming offensive unit.

[Degenerate39]

Who's starting QB this year for WVU?

[Slyder]

Who's starting QB this year for WVU?

Most of the pundits say its going to be Geno Smith. Pat's brother is in the mix but Geno's the more polished passer at this point, both are really athletic.

[marcshoe]

I'm nervous about the coming season. Very nervous. I've lost all faith in Stewart.

[will5979]

I'm nervous about the coming season. Very nervous. I've lost all faith in Stewart.

I'm more nervous about the upcoming sanctions that are going to be imposed rather than this upcoming season, 10 wins is likely this year and all us WVU fans can definitely live with that!

[Degenerate39]

Noel Devine is going to have a huge year. Mark it down

[WVRed]

I'm more nervous about the upcoming sanctions that are going to be imposed rather than this upcoming season, 10 wins is likely this year and all us WVU fans can definitely live with that!

10 is extremely optimistic, especially with a new QB. I'm going with either 9-3 or 8-4. WVU will drop a game to either Louisville or Pitt and the swing game IMO will be Cincinnati. Knowing Stewart, it wouldn't shock me if they lost all of those games and finished at 7-5.

[marcshoe]

Pitt could be very good this year. What I'm worried most about, though, is that the offense won't execute. When the sanctions come, I hope Stewart steps down. I have no doubt that Luck will use a little more care in selecting the next coach, and I wonder if he isn't impatient for the opportunity.

[Homer Bailey]

10 is extremely optimistic, especially with a new QB. I'm going with either 9-3 or 8-4. WVU will drop a game to either Louisville or Pitt and the swing game IMO will be Cincinnati. Knowing Stewart, it wouldn't shock me if they lost all of those games and finished at 7-5.

19 starters back from a 9 win team? 10 is very realistic. WVU will not miss Jarrett Brown at all. I'm not worried about the transition at QB because JB was a problem last year, and Geno has a ton of upside. Offensive line is the only major concern.

[WVRed]

19 starters back from a 9 win team? 10 is very realistic. WVU will not miss Jarrett Brown at all. I'm not worried about the transition at QB because JB was a problem last year, and Geno has a ton of upside. Offensive line is the only major concern.

I say its optimistic because Stewart is still the coach.

If WVU sticks to the ground game and let Noel Devine and Tavon Austin carry them, 10 wins is possible. If Stewart decides to spread the wealth and get away from the gameplan (Gator Bowl), WVU could lose a couple more than they should.