West Virginia Mountaineers
Big East
West Virginia had an odd start to their year as Bill Stewart was supposed to have his swan song in 2011 and give way to Coach Dana Holgorsen in 2012. But the Mountaineers opted to just go ahead and get Coach Holgorsen in as the head coach in 2011. No matter who was the head coach, Holgorsen was bringing his high flying offense to WVU in 2011. The results have been mixed, but there is no doubt that this offense can put up some huge numbers.
2011 Record: 9-3, 5-2
Last Bowl Appearance: 2010 Champs Sports Bowl vs. North Carolina State (L 7-23)
Big Wins: 10/29 at Rutgers (41-31), 11/12 at Cincinnati (24-21)
Bad Losses: 10/21 at Syracuse (23-49), 11/5 Louisville (35-38)
Coach: Dana Holgorsen (9-3 at West Virginia, 9-3 overall)
Bowl Record: 0-0 at West Virginia, 0-0 overall
Offensive Coordinator: Dana Holgoresen
Defensive Coordinator: Jeff Casteel
Strengths:
Quarterback Geno Smith has had very little trouble adjusting to the offense. He usually has four or five wide receivers spread out and he can make quick, smart decisions. The result has been 3,978 passing yards with 25 touchdowns. Equally impressive is the fact that Smith has thrown just seven interceptions. Having a stable of wide receivers is important in an offense like this and many players have stepped up and proven to be quality receivers. Everybody knew what Tavon Austin could do. This year he has developed into a consistent receiver who Smith will look to on many occasions. While Austin is grabbing receptions, Stedman Bailey is the big play receiver. When Smith goes deep, Bailey is usually his man. And Bailey can even break big plays when he catches the ball five yards down field. Ivan McCartney has been the biggest surprise and the sophomore is the third receiving threat for the Mountaineers. With Devon Brown, Brad Starks, if healthy for the bowl, and Tyler Urban in the mix as well, WVU has a slew of talented receivers. Even the running backs get into the action. Dustin Garrison is a fine pass catcher out of the backfield, but he is also the team’s best rusher. Shawne Alston is the back who can punch the ball into the end zone. West Virginia will not run too much in this offense, but Garrison and Alston are effective when their number is called.
Weaknesses:
The most disappointing aspect of West Virginia this year is their sack total. Bruce Irvin was a reserve last year and tallied 14.0 sacks. He did not come close to reaching that number as a starter. Tackle Julian Miller also struggled to consistently get into the backfield. That was supposed to be a strength for this team. Instead, it is a weakness. The front three will still make plays, but everybody expected Irvin and Miller to get the sack numbers at least close to where they were last year. Linebackers Darwin Cook and Najee Goode are versatile linebackers who lead the team in tackles. The five man secondary has some young players, which has caused some problems, but they also have superstar cornerback Keith Tandy and he can blanket half of the field.
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Dustin Garrison, RB, 742 yards
Passing: Geno Smith, QB, 3,978 yards
Receiving: Stedman Bailey, WR, 1,197 yards
Tackles: Najee Goode, LB, 84
Sacks: Bruce Irvin, DE, 7.5
Interceptions: Keith Tandy, CB, 3
2011 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 116.91 (101st in nation, 7th in conference)
Passing Offense: 351.36 (6, 1)
Total Offense: 468.27 (16, 1)
Scoring Offense: 35.36 (20, 1)
Rushing Defense: 138.00 (49, 7)
Pass Defense: 197.18 (30, 2)
Total Defense: 335.18 (25, 3)
Scoring Defense: 26.18 (59, 7)
Turnover Margin: -.09 (72, 7)
Sacks: 2.27 (30, 7)
Sacks Allowed: 2.27 (85, 3)
