The 2013 Mountaineers football squad is a far cry from the edition of just last year’s. This is definitely a positive, just as is the team’s collective attitude as they prepare to travel to #17 Baylor for an 8:00 pm showdown on Saturday night.
Fresh off a huge upset of #11 Oklahoma State at home, the Mounties are taking their defensive mindset deep in the heart of Texas for a showdown that could define the season for both squads should Holgorsen coach his guys to an upset of another top 25 team.
It is the reconfigured defense that played fast and furious in the face of Oklahoma State’s no huddle for four solid quarters, and showed no signs of tiring deep into the game, as the Cowboys ran 86 total offensive plays. WVU forced 10 punts and 3 turnovers, while holding the Pokes to 6-20 on third down conversions. This year’s unit is the robust Mr. Hyde to 2012’s anemic Dr. Jekyll.
The crowd played a key role in Saturday’s win, forcing time outs and false starts by JW Walsh and the Cowboys on several occasions before resorting to a silent count in the second half. This is a luxury that will not be had in Waco against a Bears team that has put up a ridiculous 209 points in 3 games, although those games were all against relative cupcakes. Baylor has yet to play a Big 12 Conference game, and the Mountaineers stand to introduce them to this year’s version of the Big 12 in what could amount to a very fashionable upset should Clint Trickett settle further into the ‘Eers offensive scheme and make the big plays and put up the necessary points to stifle an already stingy Bears defense, which has given up only 7.7 points per game thus far.
WVU quarterback Clint Trickett, should he be chosen, and healthy enough, to start for the Mountaineers, is quietly taking the opportunity presented to him, showing gumption and toughness in an offense that is as foreign to him as a polar bear is to the Appalachian Mountains. He was smart enough to tuck the ball and run when a first down was needed, and played through pain and injury to knock off the preseason Big 12 favorite. This is a spark that is much needed to the Mountaineers offense; one that was not provided by either Paul Millard or Ford Childress. Leadership is key, and Trickett seems to have this quality in spades.
The Mountaineers statement win in conference play comes hot on the heels of a disheartening shutout at the hands of the Maryland Terps, and the team seems intent on gaining steam with the heart of their Big 12 schedule close at hand. While some wrinkles in West Virginia’s offense need to be ironed out in practice, this team has proven their ability to play at the highest level of Division I football. The question remains, though, can this be accomplished week in and week out?
An upset of Baylor would carry momentum into a much needed off week before returning to the friendly confines of Milan Puskar Stadium for a showdown with Texas Tech on October 19th. Here’s hoping that health and positive attitude remain in WVU’s favor.
