It wasn’t pretty and if you have to take heart medicine, you may need a new prescription, but we’re 3-1

We are now at the point of the season where trends are beginning to emerge, and what you see with your own two eyes are things you have to believe may be true. That is certainly the case with the West Virginia Mountaineers, who are now 3-1 and tied for #1 in the conference standings. There were some things that happened—some were good, some were not good, and some were in-between—but the single most important stat right now is that West Virginia is 3-1.

Defense

Let’s start with the defense and Jordan Lesley. For a while now, quite a long while, I’ve been on the case that Jordan Lesley’s defenses are not good and don’t do enough to help the team out, but last week against Pitt and this week against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the defense has generated havoc stats. Against Pitt last week, the Mountaineers had 1 sack, 5 TFLs, 4 pass breakups, and 3 interceptions (13) versus 56 plays for a havoc rate of 23%. Against Texas Tech, the Mountaineers had 2 sacks, 4 TFLs, 10 breakups (but no picks) - 16 of 81 plays for a 19% Havoc Rate. 20% is very good, and Jordan Lesley’s defenses have now shown in back-to-back weeks that they are capable of being something more than a big rock.

Let’s throw some numbers at you about this defense. Through three FBS games (all stats are based on FBS opponents and exclude FCS opponents), they are 4th in the nation in opponent completion percentage (48.39%), while they are 32nd in yards-per-pass (6.2). The defense is 3rd in the country in 3rd down conversion rate (22.50%). All of this is good and does show that Lesley has made the changes to the scheme and system to make this work. Neal Brown talked about this a bit last night in his post-game presser, saying some of the changes made were to go to a Match Coverage rather than the Zone Coverage that you’ve seen. Last year, the “simplification” of the defense was to go to a zone coverage after the defense could not get lined up or communicate well enough for the match coverage. This year, after a few games, it was evident that the zone coverage wasn’t sufficient, and the team needed the Match coverage to hide its deficiencies and use its athleticism. It appears to be working.

Quarterback

As much praise as I can muster for the defense, the quarterback play through three games (excluding Duquesne because Duquesne) has been abysmal. Again, excluding FCS opponents, the Mountaineers currently rank 75th in completion percentage, 120th in yards per pass, 123 in passes per game, 126 in passing yards per game, 90th in interception percentage, and 100th in sack percentage. Neal Brown and the Mountaineers want to be an old-school, grind-it-out, slow-it-down team. You can’t do that if you cannot throw the ball at least a little, and right now the Mountaineers can’t.

I can already hear some of you—the rain played a factor, and we just missed/dropped a sure-fire 80-yard touchdown. Yes, the wide receivers suck. Yes, the weather played a factor. Yes, there was a drop. But this was not an aberration where we can say “we’ve seen better, so today was one of those days”. Yesterday was the norm. Yesterday was Groundhog’s day. Yesterday was the same thing we’ve seen for quite a while now - bad QB play, bad WR play, and a whole lot of teeth grinding and hand wringing.

Through three FBS games, West Virginia has thrown for 321 yards. In three games. Not averaged 321 yards per game. Thrown for. 162 yards against Penn State, 60 yards against Pitt, 99 yards against Texas Tech. Of that 321 yards, 58 of them or almost 1/5th of the total yards have come on two plays - a 37-yard catch by Devin Carter and a 21-yard catch by Kole Taylor.

I am sure the quarterback will get better, but will he get better in time for Brown? Because...

This Isn’t Sustainable

The last two wins are nice. Last week against Pitt, I got the crow out and started up the grille. This week, I put that bird on the grille, and I’m prepared to start eating. I didn’t think Brown would get here. I thought we weren’t this good. To his credit, Brown has found a way to win, and if you go back to last year, Neal Brown is 5-2 in his last 7 games with wins over: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Pitt, and Texas Tech. Most fans would absolutely take that. Yet, the offense has not scored more than 24 points in any of those wins. The offense hasn’t thrown for over 200 since Oklahoma, and that was in part due to JT Daniels playing nearly a half. Rushing-wise, we’re seeing the rushing yards slowly begin to drop, and the average rush begins to drop because teams aren’t worried about getting beat. Through three Power 5 games, West Virginia is averaging 17.3 points per game. That is good for 109th in the country, but only 13th in the Big 12 because Baylor is somehow worse. You needed weather and an injury to hold Texas Tech down, and you can’t guarantee that you will get both every week.

You’ve seen this story before. Remember in 2012 when the defense was so bad the offense couldn’t sustain the load of needing to be so good for every possession and eventually crumbled? OR what about 2019 when you saw the dam break as the offense just couldn’t sustain enough to keep the defense fresh.

The quarterback play has to get better, and the wide receiver play has got to improve. Whoever, whatever, whyever, the receivers have been bad for five years now. It’s not just a reaction to the weather, and it’s not just a reaction to one game. The receivers can’t get separation, they don’t create big plays, and they don’t slip/break tackles in the open. Couple that with a quarterback who doesn’t throw them open, who doesn’t throw a good deep ball, and doesn’t back the coverages up, and you have a recipe where teams begin to not fear you and eventually take you away from what you want to do.

Kudos to Neal Brown

I’ll leave with this: I wasn’t the biggest Neal Brown fan. The kneeled PAT against NC State started it. The claims of a bare cupboard when you had multiple players returning from a 2018 squad soured me. The constant pandering, the bad record, the bad offense, and being told it takes years to build a team while watching everyone else not take years – all of it played into just disliking the coach and wanting something new. I did not think he could win yesterday, but he did. Against our biggest rival, Brown’s team lost their starting quarterback and played a redshirt freshman for the majority of the game. Instead of trying to force the quarterback to do things he wasn’t comfortable or able to do, Brown called a conservative game, knowing that Pitt was just worse. Against Texas Tech, Brown once again didn’t try to push the pedal with Nicco and played a conservative game. His quarterback threw two interceptions. His team finished 4-14 on 3rd or 4th down. We rushed for 3.7 yards per carry. But the team found a way to win and to score a touchdown in a drive he had to have. Brown’s coaching won those games.

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An ugly win is a win.

The West Virginia Mountaineers secured their third consecutive victory of the season Saturday evening in a battle with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Led by backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol in his first collegiate start, the Mountaineers fought their way to a 20-13 victory, marking Neal Brown’s first win over Texas Tech during his tenure in Morgantown.

The game had its share of turnovers, with Marchiol throwing an interception that led to a field goal for the Red Raiders early. West Virginia responded with a 13-play possession that ended with CJ Donaldson punching in a touchdown, giving the Mountaineers a 7-3 lead after the first quarter. Kicker Michael Hayes followed up with a pair of field goals to give WVU a 13-3 lead at the half.

Both teams struggled to find consistent offense throughout the second half before the Red Raiders were able to put together a touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter, on the legs of running back Tahj Brooks. Tech backup quarterback Behren Morton capped the drive off with a six-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley to make the score 13-10 with 11:49 remaining.

The Mountaineers managed to put together a critical drive, helped out by a couple of Texas Tech penalties, ending in a touchdown pass from Marchiol to tight end Kole Taylor, making it 20-10.

In the final minutes, Texas Tech attempted to mount a comeback but fell short. The Mountaineer defense stood firm, forcing four-straight incompletions in the red zone to secure the 20-13 victory.

Marchiol finished the day 12-of-21 passing for 78 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, while also leading the team’s ground attack with 72 yards on 15 carries. CJ Donaldson finished with 48 yards and a touchdown on 15 attempts. Tight end Kole Taylor had three catches for 39 yards and a touchdown

With a three-game winning streak under their belts, the Mountaineers are building momentum as they head into their first conference game on the road against the TCU Horned Frogs next Saturday night. That game kicks off at 8:00PM Eastern and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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Join the conversation in the comments as the Mountaineers look to avoid a fifth straight loss to Texas Tech

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here but, for the uninitiated, we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, and don’t be a troll.

GAME VITALS

Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023

Time: 3:30PM ET

Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West “By God” Virginia

WVU Football

WATCH/LISTEN

Channel: Available exclusively on Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Announcers: Drew Carter (PBP), Dustin Fox (analyst), and Tori Petry (sideline)

Online Streaming: Available exclusively on Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG (Radio Affiliates) | SiriusXM 133 and 189 | WVU Gameday App (Apple | Android)

Radio Announcers: Tony Caridi (PBP), Dwight Wallace (analyst), Jed Drenning (sideline), Andrew Caridi, and John Antonik (Pre/Postgame Show)

Betting Odds: Texas Tech -5.5, Total 54.5 via DraftKings Sportsbook

Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

THE ENEMY

Where are they from? Lubbock, Texas

Series History: The all-time series between the Mountaineers and the Red Raiders is tied at 6-6

Last Meeting: Texas Tech dominated West Virginia, 48-10, in Lubbock in 2022.

2022 Record: 8-5 (5-4 Big 12), beat Ole Miss, 42-25, in the TaxAct Texas Bowl

Current Record: 1-2 (0-0 Big 12), beat Tarleton State last week, 27-21.

Head Coach: Joey McGuire (2nd season)

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

PREGAME READING & UPDATES

Follow along with us on Twitter @smokingmusket for running commentary and join us over on The Smoking Musket Varsity Club Discord.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Find a warm, comfortable spot, grab a favorite beverage or threeve, and join in on the running commentary, random observations, silly images, gifs, snark, wit, bitches, complaints, moans, groans, cheers, celebration and jubilation in the comments section below.

And, as always...

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Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports The Mountaineers will look to avoid a fifth straight loss to Texas Tech, while Neal Brown will look to put together a three-win streak for the first time at WVU. Here’s everything you need to know to catch all the action. How To Watch WVU vs. Texas Tech Date: Saturday,… ... Continue Reading

Gather ‘round the crystal ball while our soothsayers take a glimpse at what’s to come when the Mountaineers take on Texas Tech tomorrow in Morgantown

The time has come once again for the staff here at The Smoking Musket and a very special guest to put on our Nostradamus robes and hats to glean from the future. Without further ado.

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Joel Bracken (2-0 Straight Up — 2-0 ATS)

Texas Tech ML ● Texas Tech -6-

Tech poses some problems for the Mountaineers. Their offense wants to go fast and I worry we will fall victim to a few quick moving scoring drives. This will be a tough game to win from behind, especially if GG doesn’t go. I think we hang around within striking distance most of the game and Tech gets a late game cover. Not to worry, this should be our toughest opponent for the next 4-5 games.

Texas Tech 31 - West Virginia 20

Jordan Pinto (2-0 Straight Up — 1-1 ATS)

WVU ML ● WVU +6

The first quarter will be crucial here in terms of dictating tempo - does Tech speed us up or do we slow them down? I imagine we’ll be even more run heavy than usual with Nicco in line to start, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it’s what we’re best at and will keep Tech’s offense off the field. If we can get close to 200 on the ground and convert half of our red zone opps into tuddies then I think we have a great shot of coming out of this one 3-1.

West Virginia 26 - Texas Tech 23

WVUNite (2-0 Straight Up — 2-0 ATS)

Texas Tech ML ● Texas Tech -6

I think this current roster for West Virginia is good but I just don’t know if we have the playmakers and skill guys to go 12 rounds with an offense that wants to go fast. The concern as always is what happens when we get down. I’m not convinced the secondary is fixed, yet. I can see Tech getting out in front and keeping us at arms length the whole game.

Texas Tech 33 - West Virginia 21

Statsboyandi (2-0 Straight Up — 2-0 ATS)

WVU ML ● WVU +6

Neal Brown has never: beat Texas Tech or won 3 games in a row. The Pitt game might have been the biggest game on campus in a long time, but for Neal Brown’s career it feels like Tech is somehow bigger. If Neal Brown is to show he *can* be the guy, he needs a win in the biggest way.

To do that, WVU needs to control the clock on offense and show some kind of deep threat ability. The QB situation will be interesting as well — in their two games against teams with a pulse (Wyoming/Oregon, both of which were loses) Tech allowed both qb’s over 60 yards on the ground.

West Virginia 31 - Texas Tech 26

Nick Shoemaker (2-0 Straight Up — 1-1 ATS)

WVU ML ● WVU +6

I’m surprisingly excited for this game. Despite the win over Pitt being ugly, I think WVU has momentum and confidence that we haven’t seen in a few years. I think the defense will benefit the most from that, forcing a couple of key turnovers and holding Texas Tech to field goals. My prediction is that the Mountaineers will narrowly win another ugly one.

West Virginia 24 - Texas Tech 19

WVUIE97 (2-0 Straight Up — 1-1 ATS)

WVU ML ● West Virginia +6

Last week’s offensive showing is hard to get a handle on because of the GG injury, but Nicco managed the game wonderfully. I hope he can improve on that performance with a full week’s preparation as QB1, assuming Neal isn’t up-playing Greene’s injury and Greene comes out and plays Saturday. Either way, high scoring isn’t what I think this team is built for.

West Virginia 22 - Texas Tech 20

Josh Whitt (2-0 Straight Up — 1-1 ATS)

WVU ML ● WVU -3

I don’t know who WVU’s starting QB is. I don’t know how good either team really is. Texas Tech struggled with Wyoming. Wyoming has mountains. West Virginia is the Mountain State! So my pick is based purely on mountain bias (and that Neal Brown is due against Texas Tech at home).

West Virginia 35 - Texas Tech 33

Matt Kirchner (2-0 Straight Up — 2-0 ATS)

Texas Tech ML ● Texas Tech -6

Unfortunately, I can’t help but feel that the vibes of the Pitt win will be short lived. I worry that Neal will either be too conservative with Nicco in the lineup or force an 85% Garrett Greene back too soon. I also still have concerns about the back end of the defense that won’t be alleviated until I see it against Not Phil Jurkovec

Texas Tech 31 - West Virginia 20

Michael Miller (2-0 Straight Up — 1-1 ATS)

Texas Tech ML ● Texas Tech -6

As confident as I was in the Mountaineers beating Pitt last week, I’m equally confident in them falling on their face tomorrow afternoon vs. the Red Raiders.

Everyone was juiced up last week. A long hated rival comes to town, we’re looking for revenge. It’s easy for everyone — the team, the coaches, and the fans — to get invested and really fight for that win. We got it, and now we’re all riding that high. West Virginia dominated Duquesne and grinded it out last week in The Backyard Brawl, which leads me to the stat that I cannot shake.

Neal Brown has never beat Texas Tech. He’s also never put together a string of three wins while in Morgantown. WVU is starting an unproven backup quarterback. This one has let down game written all over it. I don’t think West Virginia’s defense is going to be able to slow Texas Tech’s offense down once they get into their tempo, and I’m not super confident in Nicco’s ability to throw the ball.

I want nothing more to be wrong here and for Neal to finally get that monkey off his back, but I think this is the beginning of the end of Neal Brown’s tenure in Morgantown.

Texas Tech 34 - West Virginia 14

West Virginia ML ● WVU +6

Man.. sh**ttt.. ok, we gatta fu*^%* score points. We gatta make some big plays. Us as fans have to motivate these boys to get hype and play mountaineer football. They need to tighten up the chin strap, put a lil more air in the helmets and crack some people in the mouth. Play with that mountaineer passion! B/c let’s be real here, Needle Dick Neal ain’t a motivator! WE have to keep the stands rocking and make sure these cats out there know we have their back!! If we can score some points and have a lot of big hits, I think we get this W

West Virginia 34 - Texas Tech 31

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We want to give a huge thanks to Wes for taking the time to play along with us. Go give him a follow on Twitter/X at @WildWild145.

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Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK The Mountaineers checked the first box of a crucial three-game stretch with a 17-6 win over Pitt. Next up: Texas Tech, and a shot at revenge. WHEN/WHERE Date: September 23rd, 2023 Kickoff: 3:30PM EST Where: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium - Morgantown, WV WATCH/LISTEN Streaming:… ... Continue Reading

Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images We went behind enemy lines to gain some intel about the Red Raiders from The Cotton Club Crew’s Michael Macon Clash in Morgantown, The Battle for John Denver, Q&A column Musket: We’re officially through the first quarter of the season and Texas Tech has had a bit… ... Continue Reading

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Game 4 threads. All gold, all the time. Date: September 23, 2023 Time: 3:30 PM TV: ESPN+ Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West Virginia Opponent: Texas Tech Red Raiders Threads: Gold Helmet - Gold Jerseys - Gold Pants Record in Uniform: 2-0 Game 4. @GoMartStores | #HailWV… ... Continue Reading

Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images There are many things on the line this Saturday and Saturday’s game becomes very important in the legacy of Neal Brown A coach on the hot seat rarely gets off that hot seat without either good luck, good fortune or the stars aligning. In this business, you are who… ... Continue Reading

Jordan and Joel share their thoughts and experiences from an electric night in Morgantown where WVU avenged last season’s loss to the Panthers. before getting into how wide open the Big 12 is in their weekly Recap/Precap segment, and then get you ready for next week’s game versus the Red Raiders of Texas Tech. Listen… ... Continue Reading

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images This was likely the most fun game of the Neal Brown era. A primetime ABC audience got to see us thoroughly own our rivals to the north. This will definitely be the most unbalanced Good, Bad, Ugly that I’ve done thus far. The Good 1. The uniforms… ... Continue Reading

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports This was likely the most fun game of the Neal Brown era. A primetime ABC audience got to see us thoroughly own our rivals to the north. This will definitely be the most unbalanced Good, Bad, Ugly that I’ve done thus far. The Good 1. The uniforms - Whoever designed those… ... Continue Reading

Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It wasn’t pretty but it was a win, the first win over Pitt since 2011! I want to say first that I am happy. I’m happy for a win over our rival. I’m happy to see 61,000 fans on my television screaming, cheering, chanting and being excited.… ... Continue Reading

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images West Virginia wins the 106th version of the Backyard Brawl! In the showdown we’ve been waiting for since the 2011 season, the West Virginia Mountaineers renewed their age-old rivalry with the Pitt Panthers on Saturday night. The atmosphere at Mountaineer Field reached deafening levels, marking one of… ... Continue Reading

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images West Virginia wins the 106th version of the Backyard Brawl! In the most anticipated game of the 2023 season, the West Virginia Mountaineers continued their rivalry with the Pitt Panthers on Saturday night and in the loudest environment Mountaineer Field has seen in the Neal Brown era… ... Continue Reading

Join the conversation in the comments as the Mountaineers seek payback against the Panthers tonight in Morgantown.

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here but, for the uninitiated, we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, and don’t be a troll.

GAME VITALS

Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023

Time: 7:30PM ET

Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West “By God” Virginia

WVU Football

WATCH/LISTEN

Channel: ABC

Announcers: Sean McDonough (PBP), Greg McElroy (analyst), and Molly McGrath (sideline)

Online Streaming: ABC app with valid cable subscription

Cord Cutters: Mountaineer fans can catch all the action on fuboTV. fuboTV is an over-the-top streaming service that carries all the major networks, including CBS, NBC, FOX, and now....the ESPN Disney networks! It also carries ABC, CBS Sports Network, FS1, SEC Network, and more. fuboTV comes with a cloud DVR feature, so you can record the game and watch it later.

Sign up for a free seven-day trial of fuboTV, and get 15% off the base family plan, by following THIS LINK.

Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG (Radio Affiliates) | SiriusXM 84 | WVU Gameday App (Apple | Android)

Radio Announcers: Tony Caridi (PBP), Dwight Wallace (analyst), Jed Drenning (sideline), Andrew Caridi, and John Antonik (Pre/Postgame Show)

Betting Odds: West Virginia -2.5, Total 47.5 via DraftKings Sportsbook

Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

THE ENEMY

Where are they from? Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Series History: The Backyard Brawl is West Virginia’s longest-running rivalry, with the 2023 game being the 106th meeting between the two schools. West Virginia posted a 14-7 record against Pitt while both were members of the Big East Conference and holds a 16-9-1 mark in the last 26 games of the series.

Last Meeting: Pitt escaped with the win at home thanks to a late fourth quarter interception, 38-31, on September 1, 2022 in Pittsburgh.

2022 Record: 9-4 (5-3 ACC), beat No. 18 UCLA, 37-35, in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Current Record: 1-1 (0-0 ACC), lost to Cincinnati last week, 27-21.

Head Coach: Pat Narduzzi (10th season)

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PREGAME READING & UPDATES

Follow along with us on Twitter @smokingmusket for running commentary and join us over on The Smoking Musket Varsity Club Discord.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Find a warm, comfortable spot, grab a favorite beverage or threeve, and join in on the running commentary, random observations, silly images, gifs, snark, wit, bitches, complaints, moans, groans, cheers, celebration and jubilation in the comments section below.

And, as always...

... Continue Reading

Gather ‘round the crystal ball while our soothsayers take a glimpse at what’s to come when the Mountaineers take on Pitt in the 106th Backyard Brawl The time has come once again for the staff here at The Smoking Musket and a very special guest to put on our Nostradamus robes and hats to glean… ... Continue Reading

West Virginia unveils Country Roads uniform ahead of Backyard Brawl Date: September 9, 2023 Time: 7:30 PM TV: ABC Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West Virginia Opponent: Pitt Panthers Threads: Blue Helmet - Gold Jerseys - Blue Pants Record in Uniform: 5-4 Game 3. "Cue Country Roads" by @CharlesWesleyG @GoMartStores | #HailWV pic.twitter.com/v6NWQs5mUf— West Virginia… ... Continue Reading

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports We went behind enemy lines to gain some intel about the Panthers from The Sicko Committee’s Obnoxiously Pitt Girl. Backyard Brawl unfolds, Rivalry in full display, Q&A column Musket: Pitt has a quarterback from the North Hills who can be accurately called “Big Phil,” which feels like it should be enough… ... Continue Reading

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images West Virginia will look to avenge last year’s loss in Pittsburgh this Saturday, while Neal Brown faces a career-defining moment of his own. Here’s everything you need to know to catch all the action. How To Watch WVU vs. Pitt in the 106th Backyard Brawl Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023… ... Continue Reading