Post by elp525 on Sept 23, 2011 4:50:30 GMT -5
September 22, 2011
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN -- Saturday night won't be the first time Dana Holgorsen has been involved in a night game between two ranked teams in a rowdy atmosphere.
He hopes it's not the last time he's part of one at West Virginia, either.
"Well, we'll see,'' the West Virginia coach said when asked about his expectations for the atmosphere at No. 16 WVU's game against No. 2 LSU. "It's the first night game. Everybody's fired up about it. I've been in a lot of night games that are sold out that had 60,000 to 110,000 people in it.
"There are a lot of good atmospheres out there. The only thing we can worry about is how good we can make this atmosphere. Everybody should show up and be real loud and enjoy it. But that needs to be a constant, too.''
In other words, why should LSU be any different than Norfolk State?
Well, OK, maybe there is a difference. Still, the point is well taken. And Holgorsen isn't the first West Virginia coach to make it.
"The team that's coming in, do you think they're going to be used to that?'' Holgorsen asked. "Their place is like that every night, every game. Regardless of who they play, that's the way it is.''
As much as West Virginia fans would sometimes like to believe Mountaineer Field is the same way, well, it's just not. In the 10 seasons prior to this one, West Virginia played 65 home games. And while some were technically sellouts, the actual attendance at only 19 of those 65 home games was at or above the stadium's capacity of 60,000.
In 2002, the Mountaineers were 9-4 and didn't draw a capacity crowd for a single game. In only two of the previous 10 years did the school drawn more than two crowds of 60,000. And even in those two seasons -- 2006 and 2007 -- there were four games where the attendance was below capacity.
LSU, on the other hand, has the eighth-largest on-campus stadium in the country. Capacity there is more than 92,000. In each of the last five years the school has averaged over 92,000 fans per game. And the Tigers' only home game so far this season brought in 92,405.
The opponent was a very Norfolk State-like Northwestern State.
"That's what we're striving for here,'' Holgorsen said. "It's not a one-time or one-game thing. The mark of a good program and a competitive program is to have it like that every time you line up. I'm more worried about getting it like that than I am taking a deep breath and looking around and going, 'Ooo, this is great.' That needs to happen all the time.''
Still, if it's going to happen only occasionally at West Virginia -- which drew just 51,911 for that Norfolk State game on a perfect afternoon -- Saturday night's 8 p.m., ABC-televised game is a good spot.
And Holgorsen figures it can't hurt, even if for the most part he tries to convince his players to ignore their surroundings.
"Yeah, I think it can make a difference,'' he said. "Last week I thought was a pretty good atmosphere (at Maryland, where the crowd of 53,627 was announced as the fifth-largest in school history). Before the game I kind of looked around. And then when I got out on the field I didn't look around anymore. And we're kind of trying to get our players to do the same thing.
"You have to focus on what's happening right here. But you could tell there was a bunch of people there and the atmosphere was good. Our first game against Marshall you could see it. The Mantrip was good and there was a lot of excitement and a lot of people. Everybody enjoyed that.''
And, too, Holgorsen admits the atmosphere can help. But rather than getting a boost before the game and then not again, he would prefer the excitement level remained throughout.
"(The Marshall game) was a sellout and there were a lot of people there,'' he said. "We're looking for that for four quarters and if we need to create some energy from what's happening around us, then I think it will be possible to do.
"It's all about the event. It will be a good event, which will be good for everyone involved.''
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN -- Saturday night won't be the first time Dana Holgorsen has been involved in a night game between two ranked teams in a rowdy atmosphere.
He hopes it's not the last time he's part of one at West Virginia, either.
"Well, we'll see,'' the West Virginia coach said when asked about his expectations for the atmosphere at No. 16 WVU's game against No. 2 LSU. "It's the first night game. Everybody's fired up about it. I've been in a lot of night games that are sold out that had 60,000 to 110,000 people in it.
"There are a lot of good atmospheres out there. The only thing we can worry about is how good we can make this atmosphere. Everybody should show up and be real loud and enjoy it. But that needs to be a constant, too.''
In other words, why should LSU be any different than Norfolk State?
Well, OK, maybe there is a difference. Still, the point is well taken. And Holgorsen isn't the first West Virginia coach to make it.
"The team that's coming in, do you think they're going to be used to that?'' Holgorsen asked. "Their place is like that every night, every game. Regardless of who they play, that's the way it is.''
As much as West Virginia fans would sometimes like to believe Mountaineer Field is the same way, well, it's just not. In the 10 seasons prior to this one, West Virginia played 65 home games. And while some were technically sellouts, the actual attendance at only 19 of those 65 home games was at or above the stadium's capacity of 60,000.
In 2002, the Mountaineers were 9-4 and didn't draw a capacity crowd for a single game. In only two of the previous 10 years did the school drawn more than two crowds of 60,000. And even in those two seasons -- 2006 and 2007 -- there were four games where the attendance was below capacity.
LSU, on the other hand, has the eighth-largest on-campus stadium in the country. Capacity there is more than 92,000. In each of the last five years the school has averaged over 92,000 fans per game. And the Tigers' only home game so far this season brought in 92,405.
The opponent was a very Norfolk State-like Northwestern State.
"That's what we're striving for here,'' Holgorsen said. "It's not a one-time or one-game thing. The mark of a good program and a competitive program is to have it like that every time you line up. I'm more worried about getting it like that than I am taking a deep breath and looking around and going, 'Ooo, this is great.' That needs to happen all the time.''
Still, if it's going to happen only occasionally at West Virginia -- which drew just 51,911 for that Norfolk State game on a perfect afternoon -- Saturday night's 8 p.m., ABC-televised game is a good spot.
And Holgorsen figures it can't hurt, even if for the most part he tries to convince his players to ignore their surroundings.
"Yeah, I think it can make a difference,'' he said. "Last week I thought was a pretty good atmosphere (at Maryland, where the crowd of 53,627 was announced as the fifth-largest in school history). Before the game I kind of looked around. And then when I got out on the field I didn't look around anymore. And we're kind of trying to get our players to do the same thing.
"You have to focus on what's happening right here. But you could tell there was a bunch of people there and the atmosphere was good. Our first game against Marshall you could see it. The Mantrip was good and there was a lot of excitement and a lot of people. Everybody enjoyed that.''
And, too, Holgorsen admits the atmosphere can help. But rather than getting a boost before the game and then not again, he would prefer the excitement level remained throughout.
"(The Marshall game) was a sellout and there were a lot of people there,'' he said. "We're looking for that for four quarters and if we need to create some energy from what's happening around us, then I think it will be possible to do.
"It's all about the event. It will be a good event, which will be good for everyone involved.''
