Oscar Tshiebwe Could Be the Most Dominant West Virginia Football Player Ever

West Virginia forward Oscar Tshiebwe has a very bright future playing basketball professionally in the NBA, but imagine if he chose to play football for the Mountaineers instead of basketball. This scenario was actually imagined by Jeremy Phoenix of the Raspy Voice Kids last summer before Tshiebwe had even stepped foot on the Coliseum floor.  Tshiebwe reposted the question"What If?" and replied "What y'all think?" https://twitter.com/Oscartshiebwe34/status/1144011759164018689?s=20 Although further exploration into the topic didn't go on, the bottom line is that Tshiebwe's size and athleticism would be virtually unstoppable if he was placed out wide as a receiver. At 6'9 and 260 pounds, Tshiebwe would be an absolute specimen as a wide receiver or tight end. His size is the not the only thing that would make him an offensive force; Tshiebwe also runs better than most athletes his size. According to West Virginia Head Coach Bob Huggins, "“He can really run.  I don’t know that I’ve had very many bigs or played against very many bigs that can run better than he does.” Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin both caught 114 passes in 2012 and share the record for single-season receptions at West Virginia.  That record would be difficult to surpass for Tshiebwe, who grew up playing soccer in Africa and has likely never played American football, but his upside and potential would be through the roof.  With real practice and time, he could easily grow into the most dominant offensive force in West Virginia football history. Not only could he be virtually unstoppable offensively, he would certainly excel as an edge rusher on the defensive line. His quickness, athleticism and length would be a problem for any offensive lineman.  Again, rushing the passer is something that football players are trained to do at an early age and it would take time for him to develop, but it's hard to imagine a more prototypical raw athlete to become a force on the defensive line as an edge rusher. Like LeBron James, who would also be an incredible football player at several different positions, Oscar Tshiebwe will likely never put on a helmet or pads, but he has the physical talents to be one of the very best players ever if he did.

Everything that is right – and wrong – with WVU on display in Cancun...

  If you're a half-full kind of fan, enjoy the grit and never-say-die attitude West Virginia showed in the Mountaineers 60-55 comeback victory against Northern Iowa in the semifinals of the Cancun Challenge Tuesday night. If you're a half-empty type, feel free to wring your hands at the display of offensive ineptness WVU took south of the border. Apparently, made baskets aren't included in the Hard Rock Casino Resort's all-inclusive package. The Mountaineers brought along all of their issues for their trip to Mexico. Northern Iowa led by as many as 15 points in the second half and led almost the entire game. The Panthers controlled the action and - quite frankly - embarrassed the Mountaineers for much of the contest. Fortunately for West Virginia, UNI couldn't match the Mountaineers roster depth. Northern Iowa's best front-line player, Austin Pfyfe, tallied just 16 minutes and eventually fouled out. Two others Panthers starters - Spencer Haldeman and Isaiah Brown - each played through foul issues and each finished with four personal fouls. The Mountaineers capitalized on those foul problems and the Panthers thin roster to - eventually - wear down their over-matched opponent. Freshman Miles McBride led WVU off the bench with a career-high 18 points in the rally. He also was strong on the defensive end in the second half. If this was the start of McBride becoming a greater contributor to the Mountaineers cause, WVU coach Bob Huggins is sure to take it. While the positive contributions of McBride and also Emmit Matthews Jr. and Sean McNeil were welcome, another game with minimal help from freshman phenom Oscar Tshiewbe and sophomore point guard  Jordan McCabe ranges from bothersome to frightening. Early in his career, Tshiewbe has been either fantastic or relatively absent. Tuesday night was the latter. Tshiewbe again had foul issues and appeared to, again, find himself in Huggins doghouse for the majority of a game. Tshiewbe finished with six points, two rebounds and four fouls in just 14 minutes of court time. When he's on, Tshiewbe is WVU's best player. His size, strength, quickness, soft hands and smooth footwork is an unmatched combination on the team. And they are all useless when he's spending the majority of the game on the bench. As little as Tshiewbe contributed to the victory, McCabe added even less. And unlike Tshiewbe, McCabe couldn't blame foul problems on his disappearance. Like he has every game this season, McCabe was in the starting lineup. And like most of season, that was the highlight of McCabe's night. The sophomore point guard finished with two points, no assists and no rebounds in just nine minutes of action. It's a disturbing development for a player of whom so much was expected this season. Huggins is obviously not happy - at all - with McCabe's play. As this continues, McCabe risks becoming an afterthought. While it's still early - very early - in the season, it's no longer a given McCabe will grow into stardom into Morgantown. At this rate, it's no longer a given McCabe will play his junior season at West Virginia. Unlike last season, this year Huggins is blessed with a team that can win despite the struggles of its top players. But even with that depth, the Mountaineers aren't going to the NCAA Tournament - let alone competing for a Big 12 title - with the continuing disappearing acts by McCabe and especially Tshiewbe. It's nice that WVU is getting contributions from so many. But the Mountaineers still need their stars to shine.

West Virginia Belongs in the ACC

Morgantown, West Virginia - With USC and UCLA announcing that they are moving to the Big Ten Conference, the entire landscape of college athletics has completely changed and will likely lead to several other dominoes falling in the coming days. There seems to be a sense that West Virginia would be lucky to get an invite from the ACC if/when the Big 12 inevitably crumbles. West Virginia, critics say, is a small market and doesn't offer the conference major television viewership.  In addition, West Virginia doesn't meet the academic standards of the ACC. While these criticisms are fair to a certain extent, the pros of adding West Virginia to the ACC far outweighs the cons. Passionate, loyal fanbase  Pitt is in the ACC.  While they have a far better academic ranking, they have a difficult time giving tickets away for their conference football games, regardless of the opponent.  Attendance and ticket sales in a sports conference should be much more important than academics. West Virginia's fanbase is one of the most loyal and passionate in the entire nation, and selling out conference home games would not be a problem, particularly against geographic rivals. Natural, geographic Rivals No team in the the ACC gets excited to play Pitt right now.  The same could be said for Boston College, Louisville and Syracuse. Adding West Virginia immediately brings spirited, impassioned rivalries with Pitt, Virginia Tech, Virginia, as well as old Big East rivals Miami, Boston College and Syracuse. West Virginia belongs in the ACC, both in terms of geography and rivalries with many of the teams currently in the conference. State of the Art Facilities West Virginia has one of the nicest, most up-to-date basketball practice facilities in the country, and recent football renovations put West Virginia near the top of the Big 12 conference in terms of upgraded facilities. Director of Athletics Shane Lyons has made growth and renovations a real priority, and it's going to pay off not only in recruiting but also when the school is seeking out membership in a new conference like the ACC. Improved Academics  There's no way to sugarcoat it, West Virginia University's academic ranking (#241) is extraordinarily low, but it has recently upgraded to a Tier 1 research university and has one of the most respected presidents in the country in E. Gordon Gee. Respected Leaders  Shane Lyons and E. Gordon Gee are the absolute two best people to make a compelling case to the ACC that they belong.  Both are highly respected and experienced.  Lyons is the former associate commissioner of compliance and governance for the ACC, and is the chairman of the Division 1 Oversight Committee.  If anyone can convince the ACC that West Virginia should be added, it's Lyons and Gee. Conclusion While there will always be detractors who insist that West Virginia won't add much to the ACC, it's clear that the positives eclipse the negatives.  If the ACC is wise, the Mountaineers will soon be where they belong, playing against their natural, geographic rivals.

test

test123

Maybe the Experts Were All Wrong About the Mountaineers

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- I would be the first to admit that Saturday's preseason preconceptions of the matchup of West Virginia versus Texas Tech were wrong. I do not think that WVU got lucky or had some things go their way to give them some sort of edge in the contest. You cannot even talk about them using their backup quarterback – because we already are. I actually think that for the first time with Neal Brown, this is a really competitive team coming out of the school. Maybe everyone is playing with a chip on their shoulder because no one escapes the chatter circling the program about the coach – and by all accounts, he does really have a positive impact on the players, and they want to succeed for him. I think that is finally really showing in the results on the field. Barring the first season under Neal Brown in 2019, where we opened the conference schedule against a not-yet-established Kansas program, this is the first time we have started the conference slate with a win in recent years. Regardless of where things go, we are currently .750 on the season with some opponents that were not the worst in the Big 12 or their respective conferences. For example, Pitt may have lost to North Carolina yesterday, but three minutes before halftime, the Panthers knocked in a field goal, and the score reduced to 4 – so it might not have been quite the manhandling that the final indicated. So, despite their 1-3 current record, the Panthers will have a couple of games to set the course right and return to 3-3 on the season. But who cares about Pitt? We care about all the shade at the beginning of the season and even some negativity we let into our own lives about how this could implode. Now, you get to see celebrations like this with the coach and the team: Neal Brown Celebrates with Team After Tech Defeat With a third of the regular season behind us, here is what I know about the program moving forward: No One Gets to Say Who WVU Is (Not Even Us) Every news publication representing the Mountaineers and all of college football has spent the past few months defining the program (even us, to an extent.) You must realize that once you get past this weekend, where the competition matters for inter-conference play, the cream rises to the top or the dirt settles to the bottom of the glass, depending on your perspective. The path from here is unclear, and not an easy one despite some miscues in the conference to this point. However, I believe that with the defensive stands and the rallying I have seen in the recent games, no team ahead of us can send us back to West Virginia without a fight. It is merely a matter of keeping these players motivated that despite your successes, no one believed in you when the season started – and they are waiting for you to stumble. Keep climbing. Ranked is Possible This is starting to become a rather wild year for college football. This would undoubtedly have been an exciting year to see the college playoff expansion program begin, but unfortunately, we have to wait until next season to see the 12-team format. With so much shuffling in the Top 25, no one is safe but a handful of dynasties at the tippy top. There is much room to find the cracks and appear on the poll if the team keeps winning. Let me tell you that if Neal Brown takes this team to a bowl game, breaks his funk with Texas Tech, breaks his streak of not winning more than two games at a time, AND gets WVU in the ranked conversation in the same season – he’s your coach in 2024. In my eyes, too, that’s measurable improvement and something to actually build on. The Defense Believes I would not have predicted that I would be eating the crow I have about the secondary. After the Penn State game, it felt like certain players were out of position or missing their assignments – but now we just see that Penn State is a formidable force in the Big Ten East trying to make a run at the playoffs. The secondary and pass defense has been exceptional in all the other contests. You cannot stop everything. They are competitive, playing a tighter zone, and not scared to make plays on the ball. We have had several interceptions and multiple near-interceptions just in the first few games. This is a serious improvement from recent years. Best of all, this improvement in coverage has not become an overloading of PI penalties or personal fouls. Garrett Needs the Control By several accounts, Garrett was available to play in the Texas Tech game if an emergency dictated that. This tells me that he is pretty close to being able to return after it. I expect him to suit up and start against TCU on the road. I think that Nicco did an admirable job against the Red Raiders and the Panthers, but I also think that if you want to stretch the field and find your conference footing on the road in Dallas, you need the team’s clear leader at the helm. We Need a Couple of Dudes Kole Taylor, Devin Carter, and Hudson Clement had some retention issues with the passes they were getting this weekend. Devin Carter was targeted six times with only one reception. Granted, some of that was Nicco, and some wasn’t. We must have at least two guys that can make space, catch consistently, and force defenses to commit resources to defend them to succeed in the total offensive scheme. So, who wants to be the guy they have to worry about? We’re Climbing I am very happy to say that I don’t look at the schedule now, picking out the games we will lose so I can give myself the peace...

How Good is the Newest Mountaineer Defender?

This week, former Arizona Wildcat linebacker Tony Fields II committed to play for Neal Brown and the Mountaineers. https://twitter.com/t_fields1/status/1292995120661270528?s=21 Fields comes to WVU as a grad transfer and will be eligible immediately to play for West Virginia. However, while he may not be a household name that Mountaineers know, what Fields brings with him from Arizona is absolutely impressive. After landing with the Wildcats, Fields took no time making a name for himself. After a solid 2017 season that saw him finish with 104 tackles, 5 sacks, and one interception, he was named a “Freshman All-American” by ESPN and 247Sports. Certainly not too shabby of a feat for any player in the nation. He would follow that up with a solid sophomore and junior year that saw him finish with around 90 tackles in both seasons, while also adding 3.5 total sacks. Fields comes to WVU with an already impressive statistical presence at a big-time College Football program, and should be able to step in for the Mountaineers right away. So how good is he exactly? Well, take a look for yourself. Here is a highlight video of Fields put together by Traemaine Savea. https://youtu.be/4IUEE1OmbZE Give it a watch and let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter!

The One That Got Away

Darnell Wright, a former five star recruit from Huntington High School, was a Top 10 prospect nationally and was the most highly-coveted in-state football player in years.  He had offers from every major football program in the country, but it came down to Tennessee, where he eventually chose, and West Virginia, his home state. West Virginia's offensive line is perhaps the worst it's ever been in program history and signing Wright would have been huge for the Mountaineers.  Darnell Wright is a once-in-a-lifetime prospect in our state and West Virginia just barely missed out of him. Not only would Wright have filled a role on the desperately porous offensive line, he would have been an absolutely perfect start to Neal Brown's plan to keep elite in-state talent at home.  The loss of Wright to Tennessee will be felt for years and Neal Brown knew that.  Although Darnell Wright is only one player, he is a really, really important player for several reasons. Former Head Coach Dana Holgorsen unfortunately did not value recruiting in-state talent and largely ignored Wright.  To be clear, Darnell Wright is the most talented high school player in the state of West Virginia in the last decade and Dana Holgorsen didn’t recruit him.  According to Wright, he didn’t even try.  In response to Holgorsen saying, "We weren't going to get high school kids at West Virginia that we were going to win the Big 12 with", Wright replied on Twitter with, "You gotta try first." https://twitter.com/darnell_5232/status/1124080200076210177?s=20   When Neal Brown took over as the Head Coach, he immediately made Wright a priority.  Brown and his whole coaching staff attended Neal Brown attempted to undo Holgorsen’s lack of recruitment by sending his entire staff to Huntington to meet with Wright and try to convince him to come to West Virginia University during his first few weeks on the job.  Unfortunately, the damage was done and Wright ultimately decided to attend the University of Tennessee, the school that recruited him hard for years. Wright was a 2019 ESPN Preseason Freshman All-American and has played well for Tennessee, starting 6 games at right tackle for the Volunteers as a Freshman.  He will have an outstanding collegiate career and will likely one day play professionally in the National Football League. I wish him the best in Knoxville, but he would have been a massive difference-maker for the West Virginia football program and for his entire home state.  Darnell Wright is truly the one that got away for the Mountaineers.

West Virginia’s Ultimate Insider Opens Up: The MHver3 Interview

Morgantown, West Virginia - Months ago, back in April 2022, a person by the name of MHver3 sent out the following message on social media: "Fox Sports advising B1G to expand and USC and UCLA are the prime candidates being eyed (as I told you 6+ months ago). How B1G will they go though!?" https://twitter.com/MHver3/status/1516166017319411713?s=20&t=FsoXaXwdr_Rbx8UyqgSpVg While many people claim to be insiders, this confirmed that the man called "MHver3" was the real deal and elevated his insider information to cult-like status on Twitter, gaining followers from many of the major names in college athletics. While he has kept a very low profile and has avoided interviews in the past, he agreed to answer questions from The Voice of Morgantown in written form. To be transparent, we initially reached out and asked for him to do the interview on The Voice of Morgantown Podcast with the use of a voice-changer to protect his anonymity, but his sources were uncomfortable with that. Having said that, here is the full interview with MHver3:  Q: Why do you leak this information? What's in it for you?   A: I leak these rumors and information I get because information deserves to be shared. I get nothing from it. It started as one solid well-placed connection for WVU sports and has grown to dozens across the country. It’s fascinating to me to see what goes on behind the curtain and it gives me fulfillment to pull that curtain back for others. Information can be fluid and sometimes it can be wrong. Sometimes it can be fed to me as being wrong info purposefully to misdirect. I’m not thrilled when that happens, but I’ve got thick skin so I can handle the attacks. My track record is actually really good if someone wants to take the time to dive into my tweet history. Q: Do you think there will be 5 major conferences still around in 5 years? Who survives?   A: There will be 3 major conferences by 2035. Who survives? A combination of Big12/Pac12/ACC leftovers after B1G and SEC have their pick. Most likely 3 conferences of 20 schools. You have to remember that the more members you have the more ways you have to split the pie. I also think you will see unequal revenue sharing becoming a thing with B1G and SEC in the future. Q: ACC vs. The Big 12 vs. The PAC-12. Which conference is in better shape right now?   A: B12 is in the best shape currently. We have 4 networks wanting to bid on our content in the next 24 months. We have weathered the initial shock of losing OU and UT and maybe have come out stronger top to bottom then we were before. We have a chance now to make some very good additions. PAC-12 is reeling and not getting good numbers for their tv negotiations, member schools are fighting, it’s bad. ACC…half the conference wants out and are very fearful of falling very far behind the Big 2 in revenue. Q: Is there a chance that the Big 10 and SEC break off from the NCAA?   A: Not as long as the rest of the Power 5 (4,3 whatever) can remain relevant with good tv money, good ratings, etc. the Big 2 will not risk alienating over half the viewing audience by using the nuclear option. Q: What is the biggest threat to college football? NIL, conference realignment, major sports networks, or the transfer portal? A: The biggest threat for the past 20 years has been networks. It’s ruined rivalries and broken programs. The biggest threat of the future is NIL. It’s going to widen the gap of the haves and have nots. It’s going to turn off many of the fans that are still hanging around that enjoy the amateurism of the sport. If a players union is formed then it gets even murkier. It really is Pandora’s box. Q: How long could these mega conferences exist? Would teams like Oklahoma, USC, etc., be okay with being the 4th or 5th best team in a mega conference with more money long-term?   A: Eventually the hope of many ADs is that the major programs (top 60-70) break away from the NCAA and form their own governing body complete with a commissioner, and negotiate all their media as one entity. This would allow for regional divisions and a return to classic rivalries and affiliations. We are still 10-20 years away from that. Q: Do you expect Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah to ultimately join the Big 12? If so, will the Big 12 be strong enough at that point to remain relevant in today's college football landscape?   A: That’s a loaded question. The way things are currently leaning I would say AZ and Colorado are as close to a lock as it can be without a formal offer being made to them yet. The other two…well that’s up to what the committee decides is best for the conference. We can add AZ and CU and get a bump in the revenue. If we add all 4 we may actually take a small hit in the per school payout. If we add all 4 plus Oregon and Washington we get a net increase per school but not much more than just adding AZ and CU alone. It gets tricky when you have so many mouths to feed. Any combination of additions will only make the B12 stronger and that’s good for WVU and good for college football. Q: Where is West Virginia in 5 years?   A: WVU is hopefully winning 9-10 games a year and will be a part of the Big 12 Conference. It won’t be a very different B12 from what we know it’s going to be with the exit of OU/UT and the additions we invited last year. There may be 2-6 new programs joining the conference from the west, though. Regardless, WVU will be stable, making more money than any ACC school from the new B12 media deal, and hopefully building that new stadium that keeps getting whispered about in the AD. Now if the SEC is somehow able to poach some of...

Darius Stills’ Team Victorious in Inaugural King of the Climb

Darius Stills and the rest of his winter team rose to be victorious during the first annual “King of the Climb” Friday evening. Throughout winter workouts, players are divided into teams, and compete to earn points. Other players such as Jarret Doege, Austin Kendall, and Evan Staley, among others, were captains for the teams throughout the winter. Head Coach Neal Brown took to Twitter to congratulate Darius Stills and his team: https://twitter.com/nealbrown_wvu/status/1236441962011668481?s=21

West Virginia BYU Gameday Predictions

The Voice of Morgantown's staff picks the winner of today's game against the West Virginia Mountaineers and BYU Cougars. MORGANTOWN, West Virginia --  The West Virginia Mountaineers (5-3, 3-2) host the BYU Cougars (5-3, 2-3) in another huge Big 12 Conference game for Neal Brown and the Mountaineers. BYU will be without starting quarterback Kedon Slovis, and the line for the game has gone all the way to -14 in favor of West Virginia in the last couple of days. Here's how our experts think the game will play out today: Wyatt Coffman, Graphic Designer, The Voice of Morgantown, 1-3 This is a huge game in the season for West Virginia with the Mountaineers only one win away from a postseason appearance. After a great win in Orlando last week, WVU is looking to keep the good times rolling and secure a bowl berth. I think WVU will run successfully against the Cougars and that Garrett Greene will continue to dominate at quarterback. In the end, I think the Mountaineer offense will be too much for Brigham Young and a BYU turnover could drastically shift the momentum of the game toward WVU in the second half.  WVU 35 BYU 24 Brayden Cline, Writer, The Voice of Morgantown, 0-0 This is just one of those games where I just have a feeling WVU dominates. I think we shut down the run early which will lead to the backup quarterback forcing things and making mistakes in front of the hostile environment he's ever played in. Meanwhile the Mountaineers will play to their strengths in the cold and run away with this one. WVU 31 BYU 13 Clark Johnson, Senior Writer, The Voice of Morgantown, 5-3 I'm going with my gut on this one. It's at home, WVU is playing well, and BYU is without some key players. Give me the Cougars to cover the spread, but the Mountaineers to pull out the win. WVU 27 BYU 20 Brad Smith, Publisher, The Voice of Morgantown, 5-3 I think this is going to be a lot closer than expected. Neal Brown doesn't win big games and BYU backup quarterback Jake Retzlaff is a better, more efficient version of starter Kedon Slovis. West Virginia has a lot to play for; a win makes them bowl eligible and that's a huge positive after two down, subpar seasons. The Mountaineers get the win, but barely, and perhaps in a wild one in overtime. WVU 42 BYU 39 West Virginia vs. BYU Game Information When: Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET Location: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia TV: FOX

New Year, New(er) Coach, Same old WVU football

We dominated the game and lost. Same exact thing we did under Holgorsen year after year and game after game. Our players would out-play and out-hustle the other team, yet undisciplined penalties, a lack of fundamentals and questionable play calling and clock management would cause us to lose. The game Saturday against the Pokes resulted in the same exact script. Before I go any further, let me establish that I supported going after Coach Neal Brown before his name was even mentioned for the job, and I do still support him and haven’t given up on him. But he hasn’t yet shown me anything to back up a reason for believing in him. Last year was a complete joke. We blew four games, FOUR, in the 4th quarter. Blowing games in the 4th quarter is a result of play calling and clock management. We were either ahead, tied or within one score going into the 4th against Iowa State, Texas, Baylor and Oklahoma State. We could have gone 9-3 and should have at the VERY worst gone 6-6 and to a Bowl. On top of blowing four games late and giving WVU our first losing season in six years and only the second in seventeen years, ol’ Coach refused to bench a QB that was obviously not good enough to start in a Power 5 conference. Kendall just doesn’t/didn’t have the arm strength to make the necessary throws. People that do not know football saw our rushing stats last year and think that our Offensive Line was terrible, but that just isn’t the case. We couldn’t run the ball because no defense was afraid of our QB throwing the ball and therefore loaded the box. Kendall just couldn’t throw the ball downfield. Throw after throw looked like a wounded duck that hung in the air all day. He finished with 12 TDs and 10 INTs, that is absolutely horrid at any level but especially college where the year before – WIll Grier threw 37 TDs to 8 INTs. I understood starting Kendall out of the gate, he was highly rated from the time he was graduating high school through the time Lincoln Riley said that the QB battle between he and Kyler Murray was neck and neck. But after a handful of games it was obvious that he just didn’t have the arm for Power 5. Yet Coach refused to bench him and not even give a CHANCE to ANYONE and especially not Holgorsen recruit Trey Lowe that was supposed to be our future and could’ve been our Starter for the next four years as a Redshirt Freshman. No offensive line can run block when eight or nine defenders are in the box. And as far as pass blocking, we were very good. We gave up less than 2 sacks in half of all our games and our Left Tackle (Colton McKivitz) got drafted in the 5th round. If you’re wondering why I’m rehashing a lot of last year – I'm pointing out that this past Saturday was déjà vu. We absolutely dominated the Pokes and STILL got beat by 2 touchdowns. We had double digit penalties and multiple fumbles (one for a scoop and score reminiscent of 2018 against the Sooners). At one point we had nearly double the yards but were still down 17-0. Which brings us to the muffed FG that continues the mediocre Special Teams from the Holgorsen era. I picked us going 6-4 before the season started, hoping that Brown’s game management had improved over year 1 to the point that we would win a few of those games that come down to the wire in the 4th Quarter. Unfortunately, if what happened against Oklahoma State continues throughout the season, it will be another below .500 year when we should be a bowl team. I gave Coach Brown a pass last year, he had a new team, new program and new Conference, so I said, “fine, yes we had the talent to go 9-3 but I’ll give him a pass in the first year while figuring out what he has and what to do with it.” But he doesn’t get a pass this year. No one expects(ed) him to go 9-1, I don’t even care if we went 2-8 (because the only games that should be a given are Eastern KY and Kansas. You won’t hear it from the “academic Gods of the Big 10” but The Big 12 is the toughest Conference from top to bottom, the only bad team is KU) as long as we left everything on the field and it wasn’t more of the Head Coach blowing the games like it’s been for the past 8 years. Mountaineer fans deserve better than having that sick feeling of being the better team yet still losing that we've had for large portions of our history and especially since 2012. I still believe in Coach Neal Brown but he needs to right the ship starting this week against Baylor. If he gives us our 3rd losing season in 8 years, he's going to lose a lot of the base, including me. We just saw against Ok State how good we can be, they are supposed to be a favorite to win the Conference, along with OU and Texas - and we should have beaten them. So there is no reason for us finishing below 500 again. I don't buy into the mediocrity accepting motto of "Trust The Climb." We should've/could've won 9 games last year so there is not much "climbing" to do, we're already there.

West Virginia Has Found Its New Leader

Down 15 points in the 2nd half against Northern Iowa in the Cancun Challenge, Bob Huggins and the West Virginia Mountaineers needed someone, anyone to step up and take over to have a chance of coming back to win.  Enter Miles McBride. McBride, the outstanding Freshman point guard, finished with 19 points and 5 assists, hitting key shots late in the second half to lead the Mountaineers back to victory.  On a team that desperately needs a leader, McBride increasingly looks like the floor chief that Huggins needs and the player that he can rely on to hit big shots at critical times in the game. Miles McBride is a winner.  Underrated as a three star recruit out of high school, McBride led Moeller High School to the Ohio Division I state championship with a 29-0 record.  McBride hasn't lost a game in a long, long time; 54 straight games, in fact, dating all the way back to his Junior season at Moeller. McBride doesn't play like a Freshman.  Rather, he provides a sense of calm to the relatively young West Virginia team and does not make a lot of mental mistakes, which is typical of a Freshman player. Not only is he a leader and winner, he's also becoming the player that Bob Huggins can rely on on both sides of the ball.  While his clutch shots will be what's remembered from him in this game, McBride's key block shot on a driving Northern Iowa player (AJ Green) and incredible defensive effort in the second half was just as meaningful. While he's a Freshman and other players on the team have seniority over him, this team desperately needs a true leader and Miles McBride appears to be just the right player to lead the Mountaineers this season. Following the Northern Iowa game, Bob Huggins said, "Deuce made some huge shots for us.  He's in the huddle saying, "Just give it to me.  I'm good, just give it to me." Huggins gave it to him and he answered the call.  Expect McBride to be relied on more during big situations this season and for him to be the unquestioned floor leader for the Mountaineers from now on.

The Voice of Morgantown Gives WVU Starting Quarterback Endorsement

Morgantown, West Virginia - West Virginia Mountaineers 4th-year head coach Neal Brown has said repeatedly that when he was recruiting transfer JT Daniels to West Virginia, that he made it clear that Daniels would have to earn the starting quarterback position and that it just wouldn't be given to him. But the reality is that the job was Daniels' to lose and that he would have to really play poorly during practice to not be named the starter. And so far, Daniels has shined.   Brown said the following of Daniels: "He never lost a job; he's been injured, but if you look at his career path, it's really remarkable. He's had to deal with pressure since he was a freshman at Mater Dei, which is one of the top high school programs in the entire country. He started as a freshman, which has only been done a handful of times. He graduated high school an entire year early and then starts at USC as a high school senior, essentially." Brown continued, "He has success there, wins the job during Graham Harrell's first year there, tears his ACL. So transfers to Georgia and was still recovering, gets the job, wins the Peach Bowl, and was playing really, really well when he got injured again. So this is a great opportunity to remind people that when he's played, he's played at a really high level. And so this is an opportunity for him to remind people that not only is he a high-level quarterback but he's really an NFL prospect." That doesn't sound like a quarterback that is going to sit behind Garrett Greene, a redshirt sophomore with limited experience, or Will "Goose" Crowder and Nicco Marchiol, who have no experience at this level. New offensive coordinator Graham Harrell agrees that Daniels has what it takes to be the Mountaineers' starter. "He’s very intelligent and he’s very even-keel and I think because of that, coaching him, he doesn’t change much,” Harrell said recently following practice. “It’s very similar to the way he was before, he’s always been intelligent and understands football very well, and I think now maybe he understands it a little better.” While this is a supposed four-man competition for the starting quarterback role, JT Daniels will be the starter when the Mountaineers play the Pitt Panthers on September 1st, and he gives the team the very best chance of beating the hated rivals in a few weeks. 1 - JT Daniels 2 - Garrett Greene 3 - Nicco Marchiol 4 - Will "Goose" Crowder

Sam Ehlinger Laughably Chosen as Best Returning Player in Big 12

Pro Football Focus recently released early accolades for the Big 12 Conference with the start of spring practice. In a completely ignorant and biased turn of events, Texas Quarterback Sam Ehlinger was named “the best returning player in the Big 12 Conference.” While Ehlinger is a superb quarterback, ignoring a player like Chubba Hubbard of Oklahoma State is uncalled for. Last season, the Cowboys running back ran for over 2,000 yards. This is a feat that only a handful of players have ever accomplished in a single season. To ignore this is a blatant sign that the folks at Pro Football Focus may not be as knowledgeable about football as they appear to be. Though it cannot be changed, it must be noted that Hubbard was snubbed. Not only is the Oklahoma State the best returning player, but he is the best overall player. Ehlinger will have a successful season, but nowhere near the caliber of what Hubbard will accomplish this season. https://twitter.com/texasfootball/status/1237204113093525504?s=21

Kentucky Fans Mockingly Thank Bob Huggins

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- After Bob Huggins' DUI arrest and resignation as the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, several players left the program. The very first player that left the team was Tre Mitchell, a 6'9 redshirt senior from Pittsburgh, PA, who transferred to Kentucky. Through 5 games with the Wilcats, Mitchell has been the team's most consistent player, averaging 14.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 57.4% from the field and 41.2% from three point range. Because of Mitchell's success, Kentucky fans have flocked to social media to "thank Bob Huggins." They say that Mitchell is playing for Kentucky due to Bob Huggins' poor decision-making. All players on the West Virginia roster were given a 30 day window to transfer following Huggins' resignation and Mitchell took advantage of that. Fans have "thanked Bob Huggins" by saying things like, "If I ever meet Bob Huggins, I’m buying him a beer as a thank you for Tre Mitchell", "Hey, Bob Huggins! I’m sorry about your recent problems, but thank you very much. With love, The Big Blue Nation", and "Thank you for your graciousness Bob Huggins." Take a look at some of the other messages left for Bob Huggins on social media from Kentucky fans: https://twitter.com/KY_Sports_247_/status/1726792026170016165?s=20 https://twitter.com/FrankieMcNugget/status/1726782574947639383?s=20 https://twitter.com/chrispeak5280/status/1726782552554291495?s=20 https://twitter.com/isaac_cats/status/1726782345150107689?s=20