Post by rainman on Sept 23, 2007 6:20:35 GMT -5
WVU sinks Pirates
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— West Virginia University probably performed even better than a Top 5 football team on Saturday in crushing East Carolina, 48-7.
In making their record 4-0, the fifth-ranked Mountaineers clicked expertly in every play phase — offense, defense, special teams — and came within 59 seconds of shutting out the Pirates.
It was ECU’s second-worst beating in a rivalry WVU leads by a 17-2 margin. The Mountaineers won by 49-0 in 1987 for the only shutout in this series.
An obviously happy WVU coach Rich Rodriguez said, “I was very pleased with the way we played today. I think we executed schemes well against a pretty good football team.”
He thought it was the best overall performance any of his teams have had in several years.
“I’m looking forward to watching the film and seeing where we can improve,” he said.
“We’ll enjoy it for today, and then get ready for Big East play on Monday.”
The first conference game comes up next Friday night against 23rd-ranked South Florida in Tampa.
ECU coach Skip Holtz admitted that his team was grossly outplayed before a sellout crowd of 60,021 and a national ESPN2 audience on a hot, sunny afternoon at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.
“West Virginia was really impressive,” Holtz said. “They played a great game. I was impressed with the challenge Coach Rod gave to his team and the way they broke tackles.”
But he also thought his team played its worst game of the year in making its record 1-3.
WVU posted season’s highs of 30 first downs and 599 yards in total offense.
What’s more significant, it exploded for a net 397 yards rushing against a team that had contained its ground game surprisingly well in the two previous meetings.
The Pirates, meanwhile, were being limited to 13 first downs, 106 yards rushing and a mere 160 yards in total offense.
West Virginia was so dominating that it punted just once — a 42-yard effort by Pat McAFee, who kicked two field goals of 31 and 34 yards along with six extra points. ECU punted seven times for an average of 46.7 per attempt.
Each team held the other for downs once. The Pirates’ stop came at its 27, while WVU’s came at the ECU 48 — both in the fourth quarter.
Patrick White may have had a career day. The talented junior quarterback completed 18 of 20 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed nine times for a net 42 yards and two scores.
White earned plaudits from both head coaches.
“Pat was extraordinary,” Rodriguez exclaimed. “He was the sharpest that you could be today. I always say that a quarterback in this offense is like a point guard (in basketball) who can shoot the three. Pat can do that.”
Holtz observed, “I was impressed with Pat White and the way he threw the ball. When they get into the open field, they can make you miss. That’s what this group does.
“They just break tackles so well. It’s a tribute to them. We couldn’t stop them on defense, and we couldn’t get a first down on offense.”
Tailback Steve Slaton, who rushed 18 times for 110 yards, tied the all-time school record with his 42nd career rushing touchdown. That came on a one-yard run to cap a 69-yard, four-play drive with 7:12 left in the first quarter.
The record was set in 1915-16-17-19 by Ira Errett Rodgers and tied by Avon Cobourne (1999-2000-01-02)
Leading by 10-0 at the quarter, WVU tallied twice more in the second quarter on White’s 13-yard run and his 12-yard pass to Darius Reynaud. Those plays came on 83- and 72-yard marches.
McAfee kicked his second field goal just as the half ended, making the score 27-0.
The Mountaineers drove 75 yards in seven plays for their next touchdown, with White hitting Reynaud again from 14 yards out. Then White scored his second TD on a four-yard run. That climaxed an 87-yard, 10-play sortie and made the score 41-0.
Reserve tailback Ed Collington made it 48-0 on a 48-yard drive, going over from the four-yard line with 5:51 left in the fourth quarter.
With deep reserves in the game for both teams, East Carolina finally reached paydirt with 59 seconds to go in the game. Tailback Chris Johnson scored from three yards out, ending a 67-yard, 10-play drive.
Johnson finished as ECU’s leading rusher with 76 yards on 14 carries.
Quarterback Pat Pinkney, whose early interception by linebacker Mortty Ivy killed a long drive, completed 7 of 14 passes for 43 yards. Rob Kass was 2 of 3 for 11 yards.
Jarrett Brown, in relief of White, connected on 4 of 5 passes for 21 yards.
Freshman Brandon Hogan had six receptions for 44 yards and Reynaud five for 54 yards and his two TDs to lead WVU receivers.
Johnson had three receptions for 13 yards.
“We were out on the field for so long that we had to play a lot of people,” Holtz said. “They didn’t hurt us throwing the ball down the field. They just hurt us with those bubble screens.”
WVU wound up using a total of 70 players.
Rodriguez said, “We got pressure (on the quarterback) and the key is to keep the opponent one-dimensional. We had only one turnover, but our offense was executing very well.
“We didn’t make adjustments, but we ran our system better. In this offense, there are many decisions that have to be made by the team on the snap. Our offense made good decisions today.”
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— West Virginia University probably performed even better than a Top 5 football team on Saturday in crushing East Carolina, 48-7.
In making their record 4-0, the fifth-ranked Mountaineers clicked expertly in every play phase — offense, defense, special teams — and came within 59 seconds of shutting out the Pirates.
It was ECU’s second-worst beating in a rivalry WVU leads by a 17-2 margin. The Mountaineers won by 49-0 in 1987 for the only shutout in this series.
An obviously happy WVU coach Rich Rodriguez said, “I was very pleased with the way we played today. I think we executed schemes well against a pretty good football team.”
He thought it was the best overall performance any of his teams have had in several years.
“I’m looking forward to watching the film and seeing where we can improve,” he said.
“We’ll enjoy it for today, and then get ready for Big East play on Monday.”
The first conference game comes up next Friday night against 23rd-ranked South Florida in Tampa.
ECU coach Skip Holtz admitted that his team was grossly outplayed before a sellout crowd of 60,021 and a national ESPN2 audience on a hot, sunny afternoon at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.
“West Virginia was really impressive,” Holtz said. “They played a great game. I was impressed with the challenge Coach Rod gave to his team and the way they broke tackles.”
But he also thought his team played its worst game of the year in making its record 1-3.
WVU posted season’s highs of 30 first downs and 599 yards in total offense.
What’s more significant, it exploded for a net 397 yards rushing against a team that had contained its ground game surprisingly well in the two previous meetings.
The Pirates, meanwhile, were being limited to 13 first downs, 106 yards rushing and a mere 160 yards in total offense.
West Virginia was so dominating that it punted just once — a 42-yard effort by Pat McAFee, who kicked two field goals of 31 and 34 yards along with six extra points. ECU punted seven times for an average of 46.7 per attempt.
Each team held the other for downs once. The Pirates’ stop came at its 27, while WVU’s came at the ECU 48 — both in the fourth quarter.
Patrick White may have had a career day. The talented junior quarterback completed 18 of 20 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed nine times for a net 42 yards and two scores.
White earned plaudits from both head coaches.
“Pat was extraordinary,” Rodriguez exclaimed. “He was the sharpest that you could be today. I always say that a quarterback in this offense is like a point guard (in basketball) who can shoot the three. Pat can do that.”
Holtz observed, “I was impressed with Pat White and the way he threw the ball. When they get into the open field, they can make you miss. That’s what this group does.
“They just break tackles so well. It’s a tribute to them. We couldn’t stop them on defense, and we couldn’t get a first down on offense.”
Tailback Steve Slaton, who rushed 18 times for 110 yards, tied the all-time school record with his 42nd career rushing touchdown. That came on a one-yard run to cap a 69-yard, four-play drive with 7:12 left in the first quarter.
The record was set in 1915-16-17-19 by Ira Errett Rodgers and tied by Avon Cobourne (1999-2000-01-02)
Leading by 10-0 at the quarter, WVU tallied twice more in the second quarter on White’s 13-yard run and his 12-yard pass to Darius Reynaud. Those plays came on 83- and 72-yard marches.
McAfee kicked his second field goal just as the half ended, making the score 27-0.
The Mountaineers drove 75 yards in seven plays for their next touchdown, with White hitting Reynaud again from 14 yards out. Then White scored his second TD on a four-yard run. That climaxed an 87-yard, 10-play sortie and made the score 41-0.
Reserve tailback Ed Collington made it 48-0 on a 48-yard drive, going over from the four-yard line with 5:51 left in the fourth quarter.
With deep reserves in the game for both teams, East Carolina finally reached paydirt with 59 seconds to go in the game. Tailback Chris Johnson scored from three yards out, ending a 67-yard, 10-play drive.
Johnson finished as ECU’s leading rusher with 76 yards on 14 carries.
Quarterback Pat Pinkney, whose early interception by linebacker Mortty Ivy killed a long drive, completed 7 of 14 passes for 43 yards. Rob Kass was 2 of 3 for 11 yards.
Jarrett Brown, in relief of White, connected on 4 of 5 passes for 21 yards.
Freshman Brandon Hogan had six receptions for 44 yards and Reynaud five for 54 yards and his two TDs to lead WVU receivers.
Johnson had three receptions for 13 yards.
“We were out on the field for so long that we had to play a lot of people,” Holtz said. “They didn’t hurt us throwing the ball down the field. They just hurt us with those bubble screens.”
WVU wound up using a total of 70 players.
Rodriguez said, “We got pressure (on the quarterback) and the key is to keep the opponent one-dimensional. We had only one turnover, but our offense was executing very well.
“We didn’t make adjustments, but we ran our system better. In this offense, there are many decisions that have to be made by the team on the snap. Our offense made good decisions today.”
