Best Case/Worst Case: West Virginia
September, 1, 2010
9/01/10
4:30
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Here is the final chapter of my look at the best and worst case scenarios for each Big East team. Closing out the cases is West Virginia.
Best Case
Country roads lead to Arizona.
This is the Mountaineers' best chance at a national title since 2007. Starters are back everywhere, with big-time playmakers like Noel Devine and Jock Sanders on offense and Robert Sands on defense. Newcomers like Ivan McCartney, Stedman Bailey and Bruce Irvin make immediate impacts. New starting quarterback Geno Smith shows poise beyond his years and evokes memories of Pat White.
The schedule is set up perfectly for a run, too. Coastal Carolina and Marshall present no problems in the first two weeks. Devine runs for 200 yards and three scores in a blowout of Maryland, setting up a Top 15 matchup in Baton Rouge the following week.
The LSU game resembles the 2006 Sugar Bowl, as Devine, Sanders and Tavon Austin shock the Tigers out of the gate with their speed. West Virginia builds a 35-7 halftime lead and hangs on for a 38-35 victory, moving the Mountaineers into the Top 10.
They won't budge from that neighborhood the rest of the year. A hangover-induced ugly win over UNLV follows, and then revenge is earned against South Florida. West Virginia then takes out two teams it never loses to in Syracuse and Connecticut before welcoming Cincinnati back to Morgantown Nov. 13. Turning the tables from the last two years, officials botch a call that awards Devine a touchdown instead of a goal-line fumble, and the Mountaineers prevail in overtime.
After beating Louisville with ease, the Backyard Brawl arrives with the Big East title on the line. It's a bruising, back-and-forth game, but Smith finds Brad Starks in the end zone in the final minute for a six-point win. A season-ending romp over Rutgers finishes a 12-0 season and a BCS title berth against another surprise undefeated team, Virginia Tech. Devine, who compiles 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns, wins the Heisman Trophy.
Returning to the scene of his greatest triumph, Bill Stewart delivers a stirring pre-game speech at University of Phoenix Stadium. Sufficiently jacked, West Virginia runs the Hokies ragged and dedicates the crystal trophy to the fallen coal miners back home.
After the season, the school is cleared of all NCAA wrongdoing as the infractions committee pins all blame on Rodriguez, barring him from ever coaching college football again.
Worst Case
Country roads lead to an oncoming 18-wheeler.
The Mountaineers are a veteran bunch, but there still remain questions about the offensive line, the receivers' experience and depth at quarterback.
After starting off with two less-than-impressive wins, West Virginia is upset by a hungry Maryland squad, causing much grumbling among the fan base. A week of distractions and finger-pointing prove disastrous in Death Valley, as LSU pummels the Mountaineers by three touchdowns and breaks Smith's foot in the process.
The team squeaks by UNLV with true freshman Barry Brunetti at the helm, but South Florida continues to play thorn in the side with a win in Morgantown. That begins a quarterback carousel between Brunetti, Jeremy Johnson and Coley White, none of whom are particularly effective.
West Virginia beats Syracuse but finally trips up against a fired-up Connecticut in East Hartford on a Friday night. Cincinnati runs its winning streak over the Mountaineers to three.
After Louisville throws a scare into Stewart's team, Pitt rolls to a 21-point victory in the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers win the Big East title and play for the BCS championship.
Smith returns from injury at the end of the season to salvage a win over Rutgers in the finale. But a 6-6 record causes near panic throughout the state's borders, and fans stay away from the team's consolation trip to the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.
After the season, the NCAA decided to set a precedent against teams violating practice time rules. West Virginia loses scholarships and practice sessions for the next two years. (Rodriguez and Michigan get slapped, too, but after an 11-2 season, the Wolverines forgive and forget.) Athletic director Oliver Luck gives a tepid vote of confidence to Stewart, but there's no doubt where the hottest coaching seat in America resides for 2011.
Best Case
Country roads lead to Arizona.
This is the Mountaineers' best chance at a national title since 2007. Starters are back everywhere, with big-time playmakers like Noel Devine and Jock Sanders on offense and Robert Sands on defense. Newcomers like Ivan McCartney, Stedman Bailey and Bruce Irvin make immediate impacts. New starting quarterback Geno Smith shows poise beyond his years and evokes memories of Pat White.
The schedule is set up perfectly for a run, too. Coastal Carolina and Marshall present no problems in the first two weeks. Devine runs for 200 yards and three scores in a blowout of Maryland, setting up a Top 15 matchup in Baton Rouge the following week.
The LSU game resembles the 2006 Sugar Bowl, as Devine, Sanders and Tavon Austin shock the Tigers out of the gate with their speed. West Virginia builds a 35-7 halftime lead and hangs on for a 38-35 victory, moving the Mountaineers into the Top 10.
They won't budge from that neighborhood the rest of the year. A hangover-induced ugly win over UNLV follows, and then revenge is earned against South Florida. West Virginia then takes out two teams it never loses to in Syracuse and Connecticut before welcoming Cincinnati back to Morgantown Nov. 13. Turning the tables from the last two years, officials botch a call that awards Devine a touchdown instead of a goal-line fumble, and the Mountaineers prevail in overtime.
After beating Louisville with ease, the Backyard Brawl arrives with the Big East title on the line. It's a bruising, back-and-forth game, but Smith finds Brad Starks in the end zone in the final minute for a six-point win. A season-ending romp over Rutgers finishes a 12-0 season and a BCS title berth against another surprise undefeated team, Virginia Tech. Devine, who compiles 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns, wins the Heisman Trophy.
Returning to the scene of his greatest triumph, Bill Stewart delivers a stirring pre-game speech at University of Phoenix Stadium. Sufficiently jacked, West Virginia runs the Hokies ragged and dedicates the crystal trophy to the fallen coal miners back home.
After the season, the school is cleared of all NCAA wrongdoing as the infractions committee pins all blame on Rodriguez, barring him from ever coaching college football again.
Worst Case
Country roads lead to an oncoming 18-wheeler.
The Mountaineers are a veteran bunch, but there still remain questions about the offensive line, the receivers' experience and depth at quarterback.
After starting off with two less-than-impressive wins, West Virginia is upset by a hungry Maryland squad, causing much grumbling among the fan base. A week of distractions and finger-pointing prove disastrous in Death Valley, as LSU pummels the Mountaineers by three touchdowns and breaks Smith's foot in the process.
The team squeaks by UNLV with true freshman Barry Brunetti at the helm, but South Florida continues to play thorn in the side with a win in Morgantown. That begins a quarterback carousel between Brunetti, Jeremy Johnson and Coley White, none of whom are particularly effective.
West Virginia beats Syracuse but finally trips up against a fired-up Connecticut in East Hartford on a Friday night. Cincinnati runs its winning streak over the Mountaineers to three.
After Louisville throws a scare into Stewart's team, Pitt rolls to a 21-point victory in the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers win the Big East title and play for the BCS championship.
Smith returns from injury at the end of the season to salvage a win over Rutgers in the finale. But a 6-6 record causes near panic throughout the state's borders, and fans stay away from the team's consolation trip to the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.
After the season, the NCAA decided to set a precedent against teams violating practice time rules. West Virginia loses scholarships and practice sessions for the next two years. (Rodriguez and Michigan get slapped, too, but after an 11-2 season, the Wolverines forgive and forget.) Athletic director Oliver Luck gives a tepid vote of confidence to Stewart, but there's no doubt where the hottest coaching seat in America resides for 2011.
Brian Bennett | email
College Football- ESPN.com Big Ten blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2008
- Wrote for The Courier-Journal
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
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