By Bob Hertzel
MORGANTOWN — As West Virginia University goes into Raymond James Stadium to meet the University of South Florida Bulls at 8 p.m. Friday, it brings a big-play offense and a big-play defense.
Unfortunately, the majority of the big plays are coming at the expense of that defense, not by it.
“That’s been killing us,” defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel said. “We’re not only giving up big touchdowns, but big plays.”
Only a big play by the offense, Noel Devine’s 56-yard touchdown run with two minutes to play, saved the Mountaineers from defeat last Saturday against Connecticut after the Huskies took the lead with 3:50 left on an 88-yard pass play from quarterback Cody Endres to Marcus Easley.
That was opponents’ second touchdown pass of the season of 80 or more yards, Auburn having scored on an 82-yard pass play from quarterback Chris Todd to Mario Fannin.
Easley’s came on a short crossing pattern, Fannin’s on a swing pass that was caught not far from the line of scrimmage.
“Yards after catch are killing us,” safeties coach Steve Dunlap admitted. “Connecticut had three catches that gained 150 yards after the catch.”
In the end, UConn passed for 378 yards. For the year opponents are averaging 236 yards through the air per game, which is just too many.
“Pass defense is a combination of things. It’s not just on the corners or the secondary,” Dunlap said. “Pressure on the passer is the best pass defense I know. If the quarterback is lying on his back with tears in his eyes, he isn’t going to complete too many passes.”
WVU’s philosophy over the last few years has been to allow the ball to be caught in front of the backs on the theory that a college team can’t often put together long drives without making a mistake.
But the idea is to tackle the receiver.
“We’re just not driving to the ball or getting guys on the ground,” Casteel said.
“It’s just running to the ball,” safety Sidney Glover explained. “I saw even myself on film chasing a guy and I slowed down too early and he went by. We have to get seven or eight guys to the ball to make tackles.”
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Perhaps the biggest cheer anyone received last Saturday, other than Noel Devine when he broke loose for the game-winning touchdown against Connecticut, came when the giant scoreboard video screen flashed up the picture of former fullback Owen Schmitt standing on the sideline.
Schmitt, who became a folk hero in Seattle when he beat himself bloody by pounding his forehead before a game to get himself psyched, promptly removed the baseball cap he was wearing as the video closeup came on and began beating himself in the head with his hand, much to the delight of the crowd.
On Friday night, before the game, Schmitt had stopped by coach Bill Stewart’s office for a brief talk.
“We had the best visit,” Stewart said. “He said to me that if he could play 10 more years of football here at West Virginia, he would do it. He said, ‘Coach, it’s not about the money, it’s about this way of life.’ I tell our team that.”
As much as Schmitt enjoyed his time at West Virginia, you believe that he’s telling the truth.
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The only predictable thing about life is its inpredictability. Offensive tackle, Selvish Capers, who came here with dreams of being an NFL tight end, now is a prospect as an offensive lineman.
“His potential is phenomenal,” Stewart said of the senior who has played tackle only three years and therefore has a huge upside. “He has a tremendous coach in Dave Johnson. You jump in the fight with Dave Johnson. He may be in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but I have seen guys in that organization knock you out.
“Selvish is getting better each and every week. It goes back to his coaching and the fact that he bought in. He wanted to be a tight end. He was always a biscuit away from 300 pounds and now we let him get to 300 pounds. Now he looks like one of those body builders.”
While Capers says he has dropped the tight end dream, he admits to being disappointed earlier this season when WVU put in a tackle-eligible play for him against Auburn.
“They kind of used me,” he said. “We worked on it all week, never used it in the game and we haven’t practiced it since.”
Don’t bet it won’t show up somewhere along the line this year.
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For the second time in a row WVU quarterback Jarrett Brown, who played one season with Bob Huggins’ basketball team, will be facing a quarterback on the other side who also plays basketball.
Three weeks ago against Syracuse, it was Greg Paulus. This week it’s B.J. Daniels, who played at South Florida for coach Stan Heath.
“He is going to give us multiple problems,” Stewart said. “B.J. Daniels is a Division I basketball player, just like our No. 16, and I think those guys are probably some of the best athletes in the world.
“If you can play Division I basketball, then you are something special. He is going to give us fits, as he has given everyone else they have played.”
As for Paulus, who had an awful day when he faced WVU in football, pretty much as he had when he lost to the Mountaineers in basketball when he was at Duke, WVU point guard Joe Mazzulla was asked what he was thinking when he saw Paulus playing football.
“That I wanted to sack him,” said Mazzulla, who had his finest game ever against Paulus and Duke.
E-mail Bob Hertzel at bhertzel@hotmail.com.
