His main assignment is the WVU safeties, but that pales in comparison to his other assignment, which is to lift the Mountaineers’ kickoff coverage unit back into a NCAA Division I level after a couple of seasons of performing like a bad high school kickoff coverage team.

The Mountaineers were 107th a year ago.

So what was really an uneventful Friday turned eventful as Dunlap’s coverage unit got its first real action, facing coach Dave McMichael’s return team in some live kickoff coverage.

No one was really saying what happened in the closed practice, but it was improved coverage.

It would have to be.

“We’re just looking for headhunters and someone who can

Feel free to pass this along to all your Mountaineer friends and family.

(below is not full size to see the Depth Chart in all it’s glory, right click to save and download)

]]> http://www.wvmountaineersports.com/wvu-2009-depth-chart-finalized-downloadable.htm/feed 0 http://www.wvmountaineersports.com/signing-day-at-wvu-stewart-welcomes-24-recruits.htm http://www.wvmountaineersports.com/signing-day-at-wvu-stewart-welcomes-24-recruits.htm#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:47:45 +0000 MountaineerBob http://www.wvmountaineersports.com/?p=1232 Coach Stew and crew announced the official recruiting class today. According to Scout.com WVU is ranked #23 overall in recruiting followed closely in the Big East by South Florida at#25 and PITT at #28.

MSNSportsnet has a great breakdown of everyone that signed. Below you’ll find a listing of all the new kids via Scout.com.

That being said, I think that the Mountaineer Football program has some serious issues it needs to work out on the sideline and in the booth. Coach Stewart needs to realize he’s just not head coach material and step down. AD Pastilong needs to retire immediatly (and forget is last year) and we need to go on another Head Coach hunt. We really need to look at Jeff Mullen and see if can handle play calling.

Maybe we have someone in the organization that is ready to take control of this team, but it needs to happen fast. 

Terry Bowden is still available… and I’m sure Rich Rodriguez wouldn’t mind hearing Country Roads again.

You things are bad for a coach when they start saying shit like this…

“It’s amazing some of the things that people would say [on a message board] or yell at you of a personal nature. You almost want to tell them, ‘Get a life.’”

“There’s a whole lot bigger problems. Look at the economy.”

It’s finally over. Maybe now Syracuse can get back to it’s roots and work it’s way back to being a force in the Big East. Lord knows the Big East needs it to step things up in the next year or two. Maybe Fraudriguez will take the job after Michigan cans his ass.

Robinson will coach out the remainder for the season. Probably a bad idea but they aren’t going bowling so who cares I guess. Let the guy leave with some dignity. Read more about it on ESPN here.

SIDENOTE Opinion: I went out to CoachesHotSeat.com to check out what they were saying about this and found out it it is now a pay site. FUCKING LAME! Don’t waste your money folks. It was already riddled with adds and now you have to pay $20/month to read it… Maybe it’s time for a new Coaches Hot Seat site to emerge.???? 

Robinson is #3 on the Coaches Hot Seat Rankings. See ya chump, and good riddance. Going to the ‘Cuse game back in the 90′s was one of the highlights of the season. I want those days back. The Big East needs ‘Cuse to be a better team, WVU needs ‘Cuse to be more competitive and ranked. Get rid of this sap and get back to Orange Football dammit!

Prediction:

WVU – 58
SYRACUSE – 10

Yes we’re having a bad start at 1-2, considering that two games is all we lost in the span of a year and a half. There are a few HUGE things you all need to think about and really consider.

First, we have an ALL NEW coaching staff with only two positions that weren’t left and are held by true Mountaineers in Coach Kerlav and Coach Casteel. That means, as you know, a new system and new plays and new ideas for the Mountaineers. We have veterans out there right now trying to play the old system in a new age of Mountaineer football. That transition is tough for players that are set in the ways they were taught and brought into.

Secondly, due to that fact there is a HUGE amount of focus lost with this transition, we are also playing with little to no confidence. Take Pat White just for example. The man has never looked that bad on the field trying to run his offense in the passing game EVER, even when he took over the team back in 2005. He plays with a lot of skepticism and really not having the confidence that the Pat White we all know and came to love played. If I’m Coach Stew, I’m not pounding the plays in practice as much as I am you have got to take confidence in your God given abilities and go out there and attack at every position. The defense looked more perked Thursday night, but that lack of confidence and belief are still missing.

Our new coaching staff needs to take a lot of time (when it’s available) to nurture these young men and give them the confidence and trust they need back from them. The only way this will ever happen is when the coaching staff itself gels and starts to roll the cogs in this new engine of ideas and the fundamentals they need to set forth. I know it’s TONS harder to say it than it is to do it for our staff, but they have to realize their success is what they can get from these players on the field. There are no losers on our team or in the coaching department despite what the West Virginia faithful may think. We have absolutely got to focus on our players focus that’s PRIORITY.

Third, we have a lot of pressure on us to be what we have been the last three seasons and we’re feeling it way too quickly. Screw what the college football world thinks. We’re here to do what we have always done and that’s play football Mountaineer style. Look at Notre Dame and Michigan before Lloyd Carr’s departure. Two highly heralded programs that went to pot seemingly from no where. It’s the same for the pro’s. There are years for ALL teams in any sport to have downtime and never knowingly see it coming. We have a reason and it’s time we all realize it and put it in it’s proper perspective, and that is we are rebuilding from the inside out instead of the usual outside in.

We as fans and writers of WVU sports need to take down the already thrown up walls of fear and disgust. Sure, we all hate watching what we’re going through right now on the gridiron. We’ve always been the twelfth man on the field for our football team, and if we aren’t supporting them then they have no one. I can say and it’s unfortunate, we’re also seeing the true fans from the bandwagoners with all the things we hear everyday at work, or at home, or in our schools. It’s time to quit bitching and either be supportive or get out. You think what you do with your opinions and remarks is something extreme or something that makes you intelligent? Lace up our entire football teams shoes.

Enough said.

EARLY MORNING IRRATIONAL GUT CALL: HEADS MUST ROLL!

WVU just went from a top tier team, a place we’ve been for years now, back to a mid-minor team. We used to expect to win and in just 2 lousy games, we’re back in the 90′s where winning isn’t the norm it’s the exception. What a pity.

Bill Stewart must do what is best for the team, the school, the state, the fans and himself and step down as head coach of the Mountaineers. He promised he would in his “acceptance” speech 9 months ago.

Your thoughts…

After watching the game against East Carolina I have to ask Coach Stew and Coach Mullins why Pat isn’t rolling out? I was waiting for Pat’s roll out run/pass option all day against the Pirates and it just wasn’t there. For some reason the staff looks to be trying to turn Pat into a pocket passer that draws up the middle. The problem is that this is the offense you run if you have an immobile QB. As we all know White’s ability as a roll out passer/runner is his bread and butter and is exactly why he’s a Heisman candidate. There isn’t a better roll out QB in all of college football. For the coaches to change that after 3 seasons is going to hurt the offense and make Pat uncomfortable and this was visible all day against East Carolina. From what we all heard in the offseason is that the offense was going to keep the spread and just pass a little more. Well against East Carolina that wasn’t what we saw. It was a completely different offense than what we’ve seen for 3 seasons. Why aren’t we 5-wide spreading out the defense and rolling out? This will open up the middle for Devine and this is exactly how the Mountaineers won the Fiesta Bowl.

Pat wasn’t the only Mountaineer player on offense that wasn’t comfortable. The entire offensive line is use to moving the pocket for a mobile Pat White. The big men up front aren’t use to dropping back into a straight up pass block all day. I fully understand trying to keep Pat healthy, but you have to dance with the girl you brought with you and that girl is Pat White’s legs. If the coaching staff will start moving the pocket again and get Pat moving outside and throw in some play-action and misdirection, then we’ll start seeing points on the board again. If not, unfortunately we are going to see a whole lot more predictable and stalled offensive drives.

I guess in short, I’m asking that we go back to playing Mountaineer football.

Jeremy Rice (M0j0)
LetsGoMountaineers.net