West Virginia Mountaineer fans hold a few things sacred. One of those things is an absolute hatred towards the Pitt Panthers. They certainly have to feel good about last weekend’s win over Pitt in the first Backyard Brawl hosted in Morgantown since 2011. That said, West Virginia looks to do something they have not done since Head Coach Neal Brown‘s arrival: beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Coincidentally, as the Mountaineers look to continue the momentum in week four, they also need to check off another box of firsts in the Brown era: to win a third straight game.
Mountaineers Look to Continue Momentum
Yes, you read that right. In the four seasons since Brown’s arrival in Morgantown, WVU has failed to win three straight games. Perhaps that is not surprising given Brown’s 24-26 record as the Mountaineers’ head coach. Brown can certainly start providing the answer to Morgantown’s problem by leading his team to a win over Texas Tech this weekend. In the Backyard Brawl, the Mountaineers certainly imposed their will on the Panthers in several critical ways, even in an ugly win. Brown has not minced words about the identity he wants to have. He wants to run a blue-collar program built to run the football. To do that effectively, the team had to do several things better than they have done over the last several seasons. First, they had to limit mistakes and win the turnover battle. Second, they had to minimize penalties. Third, they had to play tougher. This weekend, they did all three. In fact, two of the interceptions forced by West Virginia resulted directly from pressure brought by the defensive line. They played physically, and the won those key battles. As a result, they won the turnover battle three to one. They also limited mistakes, drawing just four penalties for 52 yards. The question remains, can they keep playing this type of football through conference play?
Introducing the Red Raiders
The 2023 version of the Texas Tech Red Raiders looks similar to the 2022 version, at least offensively. Tyler Shough steps in for Donovan Smith at quarterback, though Shough replaced Smith in Week 6 last season anyway. SaRodorick Thompson graduated, paving the way for Tahj Brooks to lead the backfield fully (though he led the team–just barely–in 2022 anyway). All of their leading receivers returned. They improved their offensive line a bit but returned their most veteran pieces at the tackles. So far, Shough has been healthy this season. He has proven that, when healthy, he is more than capable of leading the offense as a dual-threat quarterback. Head Coach Joey McGuire would certainly like to see him improve his turnover rate, though, as Shough has turned the ball over five times (four interceptions and one fumble). Brooks averages an impressive seven yards per carry. Defensively, the Red Raiders have plenty of new faces, at least at the starting positions. They are particularly vulnerable at linebacker and in the secondary, though the defense, as a whole, has been performing better in terms of points allowed, rushing yards allowed, and passing yards allowed early this season than last. Even so, they still find themselves traveling to Morgantown with a 1-2 record, losing nail-biters to Wyoming and Oregon.
How the Mountaineers Can Win
To beat the Red Raiders, West Virginia will need to execute well. Continuing to minimize penalties will go a long way. Particularly when a team looks to play a physical, run-heavy game, they simply have to minimize the negative yardage. Texas Tech surrenders nearly four yards a carry on the ground, and the Mountaineers average nearly four-and-a-half yards per carry on offense. The figures help justify a run-heavy game plan, but such a plan minimizes the room for error. Drives can stall with a single penalty unless a team uses the aerial assault to overcome getting behind the chains. Unfortunately, West Virginia has not proven an ability to convert its passing attempts. They average nearly eight yards a passing attempt, but the Mountaineers are completing fewer than 55% of their passes. That makes the passing game too inconsistent to rely on until proven otherwise. That passing game may have taken a hit against Pitt, as Garrett Greene suffered an ankle injury forcing him out of the game. As of Monday afternoon, Brown told the media that Greene will not practice Monday or Tuesday. Ultimately, the team will likely make its decision on whether Greene can play later in the week. The answer, to Brown, depends on whether Greene can utilize his best trait: his athleticism. Nicco Marchiol is certainly capable of leading the offense. He runs a different offense, however, Marchiol can run, but it is not his first instinct. He can sling the ball, but he has not been given consistent opportunities to do so. Regardless of who starts, West Virginia needs to improve its passing efficiency numbers. Finally, the Mountaineers need to continue to dial up pressure on defense. Based on the Penn State game and the first quarter of the Duquesne game, the secondary remains questionable. When they dialed up pressure against Pitt, however, they forced turnovers. They will need a few to pull out the win this weekend as the Mountaineers look to continue momentum.
