Post by rainman on Sept 3, 2007 7:32:12 GMT -5
Three-and-out
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Rich Rodriguez felt better about West Virginia’s football defense Sunday after viewing tapes of Saturday’s 62-24 season-opening victory over Western Michigan.
“I’m more encouraged now than I felt right after the game,” he said on his weekly media teleconference. “We did seven or eight three-and-outs. We were really close to executing. But, at the same time, our guys were really good against the run again.
“Our guys know there are a few things on third down that we’ve got to get better at. There are a lot of ways we can do that, and I think they will try to do that this week.”
After allowing 12 first downs and 186 yards in the first half, the Mountaineers gave up just six first downs and a mere 91 yards in the second half against WMU. For game, they intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble.
While the defense exerted some pressure on the Broncos’ quarterbacks, Rodriguez still thinks it’s not enough. “We’ve got to continue to get better at that,” he said. “What I didn’t like defensively was we didn’t execute (well) on third-and long plays.”
He thought the effort and intensity generally was good and that the players, for the most part, played pretty smart. There were a couple of missed assignments, but not as many as usual in an opening game.
Offensively, Rodriguez noted that a couple of things could have been potential touchdown plays except for missed assignments. ”But I thought our guys stayed pretty focused for all four quarters,” he said.
He praised quarterback Patrick White and Steve Slaton, who combined for 464 of the team’s 542 yards and eight of the nine touchdowns. He’s not surprised because he sees them every day in practice.
“They’re so competitive that you kinda expect them to (excel),” Rodriguez said. “But sometimes they can make mistakes, too. Steve is healthy now and Pat continues to grow each and every day.”
Both are high in the Heisman Trophy mix this year.
Rodriguez also made these observations:
— The defensive secondary did a solid job generally.
— Center Mike Dent graded out as high as anybody on the offensive line in his first start. It was a “ very solid beginning” for him.
— WVU was penalized only six times for 34 yards, which is better than usual for a season’s opener. No penalty was what the head coach considers “silly.”
— There hasn’t been as much hype about next Saturday’s WVU-Marshall game, though it’s a sellout in Huntington. He expects the hype to pick up this week.
— Rodriguez thought all the true freshmen graded out about the same. Those included tailbacks Noel Devine and Jock Sanders, linebacker Pat Lazear, and defensive back Sydney Glover.
— Linebacker Archie Sims, a junior-college transfer, has a sore hamstring. But no one else was injured in the game.
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Rich Rodriguez felt better about West Virginia’s football defense Sunday after viewing tapes of Saturday’s 62-24 season-opening victory over Western Michigan.
“I’m more encouraged now than I felt right after the game,” he said on his weekly media teleconference. “We did seven or eight three-and-outs. We were really close to executing. But, at the same time, our guys were really good against the run again.
“Our guys know there are a few things on third down that we’ve got to get better at. There are a lot of ways we can do that, and I think they will try to do that this week.”
After allowing 12 first downs and 186 yards in the first half, the Mountaineers gave up just six first downs and a mere 91 yards in the second half against WMU. For game, they intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble.
While the defense exerted some pressure on the Broncos’ quarterbacks, Rodriguez still thinks it’s not enough. “We’ve got to continue to get better at that,” he said. “What I didn’t like defensively was we didn’t execute (well) on third-and long plays.”
He thought the effort and intensity generally was good and that the players, for the most part, played pretty smart. There were a couple of missed assignments, but not as many as usual in an opening game.
Offensively, Rodriguez noted that a couple of things could have been potential touchdown plays except for missed assignments. ”But I thought our guys stayed pretty focused for all four quarters,” he said.
He praised quarterback Patrick White and Steve Slaton, who combined for 464 of the team’s 542 yards and eight of the nine touchdowns. He’s not surprised because he sees them every day in practice.
“They’re so competitive that you kinda expect them to (excel),” Rodriguez said. “But sometimes they can make mistakes, too. Steve is healthy now and Pat continues to grow each and every day.”
Both are high in the Heisman Trophy mix this year.
Rodriguez also made these observations:
— The defensive secondary did a solid job generally.
— Center Mike Dent graded out as high as anybody on the offensive line in his first start. It was a “ very solid beginning” for him.
— WVU was penalized only six times for 34 yards, which is better than usual for a season’s opener. No penalty was what the head coach considers “silly.”
— There hasn’t been as much hype about next Saturday’s WVU-Marshall game, though it’s a sellout in Huntington. He expects the hype to pick up this week.
— Rodriguez thought all the true freshmen graded out about the same. Those included tailbacks Noel Devine and Jock Sanders, linebacker Pat Lazear, and defensive back Sydney Glover.
— Linebacker Archie Sims, a junior-college transfer, has a sore hamstring. But no one else was injured in the game.
