Post by RanDaddy on Jan 9, 2017 14:52:50 GMT -5
The grades are in the books for the the Big 12 in 2016.
We’re starting to unveil our report cards this week with West Virginia, which capped its best season out of five in the league with a disappointing performance in the Russell Athletic Bowl, losing to Miami. Still, finishing tied for second in the Big 12 and the first 10-win season in Morgantown since 2011 deserve recognition.
At the close of the regular season, coach Dana Holgorsen received a five-year contract extension as WVU closed at No. 16 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Let’s look more closely at the Mountaineers. Here’s their report card:
Offense: B
The Mountaineers left us with a sour taste in the bowl game, closing the season with their worst offensive performance in the 31-14 defeat. For most of the previous four months, though, West Virginia was effective in its offensive plan -- when quarterback Skyler Howard and his teammates took care of the football, that is. WVU struggled most when it committed turnovers. In losses to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, the Mountaineers finished minus-6 in turnover margin. Otherwise, West Virginia showcased solid play and strong balance as four running backs topped 100 yards in individual games, led by Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year Justin Crawford. Howard, in his final season, completed 61.1 percent of his throws for 3,328 yards and 26 touchdowns as the Mountaineers averaged 485.5 yards, a slight improvement over 2015.
Defense: B+
Coordinator Tony Gibby’s unit, featuring a 3-3-5 alignment and an aggressive approach, shook up the Big 12 until Week 9, when Oklahoma State rolled up 37 points in handling WVU its first loss of the year. A closer look reveals that the Cowboys managed just 358 yards. And Oklahoma, in a 56-28 win over West Virginia in Week 12, was outgained by nearly 100 yards. Mountaineers CB Rasul Douglas earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was named the league’s defensive player of the year by ESPN.com. The linebackers were active, led by senior Justin Arndt, and end Noble Nwachukwu rated among the Big 12’s best pass-rushers. Statistically, the Mountaineers held opponents to the lowest QBR figure in the Big 12 and 22.9 points per game, second in the league.
Special teams: C-
The Mountaineers could stand to upgrade here in 2017. They ranked 90th nationally in net punting at 38.3 yards per kick, 124th in yards per punt return at 1.86 yards and 103rd in yards allowed per kickoff return at 22.96 yards. Mike Molina did a decent job on field goals, hitting 15 of 22 with a long of 50 yards. But plenty of yards remained on the field for West Virginia in this third phase.
Coaching: A-
Holgorsen and his staff conveyed their message well to the Mountaineers. West Virginia played with a collective chip on its shoulder, regularly executing with precision in a mean, calculating style on both sides of the ball. Holgorsen brings more to Morgantown than the mad-genius persona that the media -- and his sideline rants -- have helped create. He has a plan. And when it works, the Mountaineers are a force. Gibby, the defensive coordinator, was rewarded, too, in December with a three-year extension.
Overall: B+
Holgorsen demands a narrow focus from his players. Without it, West Virginia is just another team in the Big 12, minus the natural resources that other teams in the Big 12’s upper echelon enjoy. For the first time in its Big 12 history, WVU combined the execution of its plan with a group of players groomed to play in this league. The results may provide a peek at what’s to come in Morgantown. No, this 10-3 finish was no fluke.
We’re starting to unveil our report cards this week with West Virginia, which capped its best season out of five in the league with a disappointing performance in the Russell Athletic Bowl, losing to Miami. Still, finishing tied for second in the Big 12 and the first 10-win season in Morgantown since 2011 deserve recognition.
At the close of the regular season, coach Dana Holgorsen received a five-year contract extension as WVU closed at No. 16 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Let’s look more closely at the Mountaineers. Here’s their report card:
Offense: B
The Mountaineers left us with a sour taste in the bowl game, closing the season with their worst offensive performance in the 31-14 defeat. For most of the previous four months, though, West Virginia was effective in its offensive plan -- when quarterback Skyler Howard and his teammates took care of the football, that is. WVU struggled most when it committed turnovers. In losses to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, the Mountaineers finished minus-6 in turnover margin. Otherwise, West Virginia showcased solid play and strong balance as four running backs topped 100 yards in individual games, led by Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year Justin Crawford. Howard, in his final season, completed 61.1 percent of his throws for 3,328 yards and 26 touchdowns as the Mountaineers averaged 485.5 yards, a slight improvement over 2015.
Defense: B+
Coordinator Tony Gibby’s unit, featuring a 3-3-5 alignment and an aggressive approach, shook up the Big 12 until Week 9, when Oklahoma State rolled up 37 points in handling WVU its first loss of the year. A closer look reveals that the Cowboys managed just 358 yards. And Oklahoma, in a 56-28 win over West Virginia in Week 12, was outgained by nearly 100 yards. Mountaineers CB Rasul Douglas earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was named the league’s defensive player of the year by ESPN.com. The linebackers were active, led by senior Justin Arndt, and end Noble Nwachukwu rated among the Big 12’s best pass-rushers. Statistically, the Mountaineers held opponents to the lowest QBR figure in the Big 12 and 22.9 points per game, second in the league.
Special teams: C-
The Mountaineers could stand to upgrade here in 2017. They ranked 90th nationally in net punting at 38.3 yards per kick, 124th in yards per punt return at 1.86 yards and 103rd in yards allowed per kickoff return at 22.96 yards. Mike Molina did a decent job on field goals, hitting 15 of 22 with a long of 50 yards. But plenty of yards remained on the field for West Virginia in this third phase.
Coaching: A-
Holgorsen and his staff conveyed their message well to the Mountaineers. West Virginia played with a collective chip on its shoulder, regularly executing with precision in a mean, calculating style on both sides of the ball. Holgorsen brings more to Morgantown than the mad-genius persona that the media -- and his sideline rants -- have helped create. He has a plan. And when it works, the Mountaineers are a force. Gibby, the defensive coordinator, was rewarded, too, in December with a three-year extension.
Overall: B+
Holgorsen demands a narrow focus from his players. Without it, West Virginia is just another team in the Big 12, minus the natural resources that other teams in the Big 12’s upper echelon enjoy. For the first time in its Big 12 history, WVU combined the execution of its plan with a group of players groomed to play in this league. The results may provide a peek at what’s to come in Morgantown. No, this 10-3 finish was no fluke.
