WVU FOOTBALL 2007
The Year In Review

WVU Football 2007 Game 1 - WVU 62 W. Michigan 24
The Mountaineers opened the 2007 season in fine fashion, beating the Western Michigan Broncos 62-24. The 62 points were the most scored by WVU since the 80 hung on Rutgers in 2001. Quarterback Patrick White was in mid-season form as he completed 10 of 18 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns, and he also ran the ball 9 times for 97 and two scores. Steve Slaton started somewhat slowly as the Bronco defense clogged the middle, but he came on strong in the second half, finishing the game with 109 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns. The last time Western Michigan played West Virginia, in Morgantown in 1996, the Mountaineer defense held the Broncos without a rushing first down for the entire game. Western Michigan did a little better this time- barely. The Broncos netted just 32 yards rushing on 32 carries with 1 rushing first down. Forced to pass, Western Michigan completed 26 of 43 attempts for 245 yards, but Bronco quarterbacks were intercepted twice with at least two other picks dropped. The WVU defense has obviously improved from a year ago, and the Mountaineer offense, with 542 total yards and 9 touchdowns, is clicking on all cylinders.


WVU Football 2007 Game 2 - WVU 48 Marshall 23
After a downright ugly first half, the Mountaineers regained their championship-contending composure and defeated the Marshall Thundering Herd 48-23. In a game that brought back memories of the East Carolina game a year ago, WVU started out sluggish in the oppressive heat on the road. But Patrick White proved once again that he is the best quarterback in the history of West Virginia football as he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in rallying the Mountaineers. Steve Slaton, held in check for the entire first half, got game in the second half, grinding out a total of 146 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. Give Marshall credit- they came to play- and the Thundering Herd coaching staff had its team ready. Former Mountaineer defensive coordinator Steve Dunlap had the Marshall defense prepared to face the explosive West Virginia offense, and the home team responded by holding the Mounties to several 3-and-outs in the first half. But the bread-and-butter running game of West Virginia, fortified with a combination of size, strength, and speed up front, controlled the game in the second half. The play of the WVU defense continues to be ugly at times, and the same failures from a year ago keep re-appearing. The lack of a pressuring pass rush, combined with more dropped picks and loose (very loose) coverages, allowed Marshall to complete 20 of 31 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Improvement must come sooner rather than later, as the Mountaineers have only four days to prepare for Thursday night's game at Maryland.

WVU Football 2007 Game 3 - WVU 31 Maryland 14
The Mountaineers defeated border rival Maryland 31-14 in front of a raucous, sell-out crowd of 53,107 in College Park, the fifth largest crowd ever at Byrd Stadium. The victory was WVU's fourth straight over the Terps, and the win pushed fourth-ranked West Virginia's 2007 season record to 3-0. Mountaineer superback Steve Slaton recorded yet another 100+ yard rushing performance, finishing the game with 137 yards on 26 carries and three touchdowns. Playing with a hip pointer and sore thumb, quarterback Patrick White had more of a forgetable kind of game, at least by his standards. Notwithstanding his 22-yard touchdown run for the game's first score, he completed just 8 of 13 passes for 95 yards and rushed for only 22 yards net on 11 carries with one fumble. But White certainly couldn't be criticized for lack of effort, and the running of Slaton, Owen Schmitt, and freshman Noel Devine easily made up the difference. Devine was simply spectacular in his prime time national debut, toting the rock for 136 yards on just 5 carries. The West Virginia defense came to play as well, forcing three Maryland turnovers and holding the Terrapin rushing attack to just 89 yards on 39 carries. Eric Wicks had a couple of picks, and the Mountaineer pass defense, using a combination of more man-to-man coverage with increased pressure, held the Terps to just 180 yards passing with five quarterback sacks. The win moved WVU's record to 46-1 in the Rich Rodriguez era when the Mountaineers score at least 30 points in a game.


WVU Football 2007 Game 4 - WVU 48 East Carolina 7
DEEEEEFENSE!!
The WVU defense has heard more than its share of detractors over the last two seasons, but one could hardly question the performance of the Mountaineer defenders over the last two games. The D was able against Maryland and, against East Carolina, just downright nasty. Mortty Ivy's pick got the onslaught started, and numerous 3-and-outs later resulted in a 48-point West Virginia lead. In addition to the interception, the Mountaineers registered four sacks while allowing a meager 54 yards through the air and just 160 overall. Offensively, quarterback Patrick White was as sharp as ever, rushing for two touchdowns and completing 18 of 20 passes for 181 yards and two TDs. Steve Slaton added 110 yards rushing with one touchdown, and Darius Reynaud caught five balls for 54 yards and two scores. The Mountaineer offensive totals reflect WVU's domination in the game: 48 points, 599 total yards (397 rushing), no turnovers, and only one punt. The 48-7 victory was the seventh straight over East Carolina and, without question, the Mountaineers' best game of the year to date. The effort should hopefully carry forward some momentum into next Friday's Big East showdown at South Florida.


WVU Football 2007 Game 5 - S. Florida 21 WVU 13
Just six days after playing what Coach Rod described as the team's best all-around effort in several years, the Montaineers played a game they'd just as soon forget, a turnover-filled 21-13 defeat at the hands of South Florida. The loss was the second consecutive to South Florida and dropped WVU's record to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big East.The Bulls had the benefit of playing before a sell-out, raucous home crowd, and six Mountaineer turnovers combined with a number of other key mistakes spelled doom for WVU for the second straight year. Quarterback Patrick White suffered a thigh bruise late in the first half, and back-up Jarrett Brown took over the offense for the remainder of the game. The Mounties won the statistical battle, claiming an advantage over South Florida in first downs, rushing yards, passing yards, and time of possession. But an interception returned for a touchdown, in addition to another pick in the South Florida endzone resulting in a Bulls' touchback, provided all the needed difference in the scoring. The WVU defense again played well, worthy of a win, in fact, though it did give up a long touchdown pass when Bull's quarterback Matt Grothe escaped the rush to find an uncovered receiver deep down field. But this loss can't be hung on the defense. The Mountaineer offense, as powerful as it is, cannot make the key mistakes it made against South Florida and expect to win, no matter who the opponent may be. The group will get the chance to rebound this week against Syracuse, in the Carrier Dome, in a game the Mountaineers will be favored to win.


WVU Football 2007 Game 6 - WVU 55 Syracuse 14
One week too late. Owen Schmitt scored his first two touchdowns of the season on Saturday afternoon as the Mountaineers rolled Syracuse 55-14. Schmitt's power running was never a factor in the South Florida game, but the big man ran with authority both up the middle and to the outside against the Orange. Quarterback Patrick White, a game-time decision starter because of a thigh bruise suffered last week against South Florida, played well once again before leaving the game midway through the third quarter with a reported sternum injury. White completed 12 of 15 attempts for 148 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, and he also ran the ball 14 times for 89 yards and one score. White's injury doesn't appear to be serious, and with the upcoming bye week he will have two weeks to heal before the next game against Mississippi State on October 20th. The defense played well once again, limiting Syracuse to 94 yards on the ground and 108 through the air. Of the passing yards, 61 came on just one play near the end of the third quarter when Mike Williams got behind the Montaineer D to score the second, and last, Syracuse touchdown. For the first time since the 2005 season the WVU defense scored a touchdown on an interception, as nose tackle Keilen Dykes caught a tipped ball and rumbled 19 yards to give West Virginia a 21-7 second quarter lead. The 55-14 win was more like what Mountaineer fans have come to expect: 486 yards of total offense, no turnovers, lots of points, and a Syracuse offense that converted just 4 of 12 3rd down attempts. At the halfway point in the season, the Mountaineers (5-1, 1-1) will enjoy a week off before starting the second half of the 2007 campaign with 4 of the 6 remaining games at home at Mountaineer Field.



WVU Football 2007 Game 7 - WVU 38 Miss. State 13
After suffering a thigh injury against South Florida and a shoulder injury against Syracuse, Pat White's playing status was a big question mark entering the game against Mississippi State. How'd he respond? Simply by running the game's first play from scrimmage for 64 yards and a touchdown. That quick score set the pace early, and the Mountaineers raced to a 31-0 lead just minutes into the second quarter enroute to a 38-13 win over Mississippi State. The Homecoming victory moved West Virginia's record to 6-1, 1-1 in the Big East. Though Pat White played just the first half, Steve Slaton played nearly the entire game, rushing for 128 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown. The rushing score was Slaton's 43rd as a Mountaineer, the most ever at WVU. Defensively, the Mountaineers forced three Bulldog fumbles and held Mississippi State to just 45 yards rushing, 113 yards below their season's average. The win moved WVU to #7 in the BCS rankings, #6 in the USA Today/Coaches poll. With South Florida's loss to Rutgers, the Mountaineers now essentially control their own destiny within the Big East. And every game matters now, starting with Rutgers on Saturday. One more loss means no shot whatsoever at a possible national championship game and would result in a trip, at best, to the Sun Bowl. The WVU defense, largely thought of as a liability at the beginning of the season, is now ranked 4th nationally overall and 5th against the pass. The offense is still a threat to score on any play from anywhere on the field, but it must play with more consistency from here on out if the Mounties are to remain in title contention. The first test is Saturday at Rutgers, kick-off at 12:00 noon.


WVU Football 2007 Game 8 - WVU 31 Rutgers 3
One down, four more to go. The West Virginia Mountaineers passed the first test in the five-game stretch that will decide the Big East Championship, beating Rutgers 31-3. Patrick White played through thigh and shoulder injuries, throwing for 144 yards on 10 of 16 passing while rushing for 156 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown. Steve Slaton was held to just 73 yards on 16 carries, but three of those carries went for WVU touchdowns. Playing on the road and in the rain, the Mountaineers converted 11 of 18 3rd downs with no turnovers to win their 13th straight game over Rutgers. Once again the WVU defense played well, picking off two Rutgers passes and forcing two fumbles. The Mounties rarely rushed more than three players on passing plays, but the tight coverages (and dropped passes) held Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel to just 128 yards on 14 of 30 attempts. Rutgers tailback Ray Rice won his dual with Steve Slaton, gaining 142 yards on 30 carries. But in the end Rice's carries simply resulted in Rutgers first downs- Slaton's carries, however, became Mountaineer touchdowns. WVU will now take this Saturday off in preparation for the much-anticipated game with Louisville on Thursday night, November 8th, in Morgantown. The UConn win over South Florida guaranteed one thing in this season of uncertainty- the Mounties now control their own destiny. Win out and the Big East title, at least, is theirs.


WVU Football 2007 Game 9 - WVU 38 Louisville 31
No, it wasn't pretty. But good teams find ways to overcome turnovers and mistakes to win big games, and that's exactly what happened when the West Virginia Mountaineers beat the Louisville Cardinals 38-31. The 2006 game saw a disasterous third quarter spell doom for West Virginia, and it seemed as though three Mountaineer turnovers in the second half of this year's game would result in the same outcome. But unlike a year ago WVU had built a 17-point lead, and Patrick White's 50 yard touchdown run with 1:36 remaining put the Mountaineers back in front for good. Louisville's Brian Brohm, who made the decision last year to play on Saturdays this season instead of Sundays, threw for 345 yards and two scores. But he was also sacked four times and picked twice, and Eric Wicks scooped up a Brohm fumble and returned it for a Mountaineer touchdown midway through the third quarter to open up the 17-point lead. Louisville never enjoyed the lead in this game, and the WVU defense held the Cardinals' rushing attack to just 37 yards. The win officially eliminated defending champion Louisville from this year's Big East race, and West Virginia's next two games- on the road against Cincinnati and at home versus UConn- will determine West Virginia's bowl plans for the 2007 season. Win both, and it's a game on New Year's Day.


WVU Football 2007 Game 10 - WVU 28 Cincinnati 23
For the second straight week in a must-win Big East game, the Mountaineers used the benefit of a big lead to overcome costly second half turnovers and beat the Cincinnati Bearcats 28-23. West Virginia enjoyed a 28-10 lead well into the fourth quarter, but two Patrick White fumbles midway through the quarter resulted in Cincinnati touchdowns that cut the Mountaineer lead to 5. With the outcome of the game- and now the season- in jeopardy, Boogie Allen's gutsy recovery of the ensuing onsides kick gave WVU possession of the ball with just under two minutes to play. Positive yardage runs by Steve Slaton resulted in a WVU first down, and from then on the Mounties took a knee to end the game and move one step closer to the 2007 Big East championship.


WVU Football 2007 Game 11 - WVU 66 UConn 21
With the Big East Championship and any hopes of a national title game on the line, the West Virginia Mountaineers unleashed a second half explosion of offense and points enroute to a 66-21 pasting of the University of Connecticut. The win over UConn in the defacto Big East title game ensured the Mountaineers of another New Year's day bowl- at the very least. A win over Pitt in the upcoming 100th Backyard Brawl will most certainly put the Mounties in the BCS national championship game on January 7th. The Huskies played well and aggressive in the first half, scoring first and trailing by just 24-14 at the half. But the Mountaineers scored early and often in the second half, blistering UConn for a staggering 517 yards in total rushing yardage with 624 yards overall. Pat White carried the rock 16 times for 186 yards and two scores, Noel Devine had 11 carries for 118 yards and a touchdown, and Jock Sanders tallied 58 yards on just 3 carries with one going for a touchdown. Steve Slaton was held to just 54 yards, but twice he found the endzone on 10 carries. Darius Reynaud led West Virginia receivers with 76 yards on five receptions and one touchdown. The offensive domination can be summarized easily in two stats: the Huskies held a nearly 9 minute advantage in time of possession; however, the average Mountaineer touchdown scoring drive lasted just a minute and 53 seconds. Defensively, WVU gave up 392 yards total and 203 on the ground, but they also forced two UConn turnovers and scored a touchdown when Reed Williams recovered a fumble in the Connecticut endzone. It wasn't the best effort from the defense, at least in the first half, but it was more than enough to get the job done. The 100th Backyard Brawl now awaits the Mountaineers, and a victory over Pitt equals a ticket to New Orleans and a 60-minute fight for the top prize in college football.


WVU Football 2007 Game 12 - Pitt 13 WVU 9
Unbelievable.
Simply stated, just utterly unbelievable. In a game that meant so much to not only the team but to the university and the state of West Virginia as a whole, the Mountaineers combined untimely mistakes with an offense that just could not move the ball and lost 13-9 to hated rival Pitt in the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers came in to the game at 4-7 on the year, and they faced a hostile Morgantown crowd as four touchdown underdogs. But you would have never known it by watching them play. Their game plan was simple enough: 1) keep the WVU offense off the field by playing a conservative, rush-oriented offensive attack that yielded as many first downs as possible while it chewed up as much of the clock as possible and 2) dare the Mountaineers to pass while committing as many as eight defenders to stopping the run. And, in the end, it worked perfectly. Throw in three West Virginia fumbles, two missed chip-shot field goals, and an injury to Patrick White and you've got the final result- an unthinkable Pitt victory, a stunned-into-disbelief sell-out crowd, and no shot whatsoever at a possible national championship. By playing man-coverage with no deep free safety help, the Pitt defense sold out against the run- and the Mountaineer offense played right into their hands. The WVU plays were predictable, and the Panthers turned the numbers and angles to their advantage. The downfield passing game was nowhere to be found even as the deep middle of the field was open, and the Mountaineers managed just 183 yards in total offense for the game. The West Virginia defense deserved a better fate, holding the Panthers to a total of 225 yards even as Pitt enjoyed a time of possession advantage of more than twelve minutes. Panther freshman LeSean McCoy ran for 148 yards- two thirds of Pitt's total yardage- but it took him 38 carries to get them. The WVU secondary picked two of Pat Bostic's ten passing attempts, but the Mountie offense couldn't turn them into points. With the loss the Mountaineers will have to 'settle' for the Fiesta Bowl and a match-up against Big Twelve Champ Oklahoma. But if West Virginia can't shake up its offense and stretch the field vertically, as well as from side to side, the WVU defense and the Mountaineer nation may be in for another long evening.




WVU Football 2007 Fiesta Bowl - WVU 48 Oklahoma 28
As the Mountaineers prepared to face the powerful Oklahoma Sooners in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, no one really knew what to expect. Everything had changed, and changed quickly. The upset loss to underdog Pitt, at home, had destroyed any hopes for a possible national championship. The departure of head coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan two weeks later had left the team and its fans not only betrayed but also bitter and, without question, certainly distracted.
How would the team perform? Would it play any better against Oklahoma than it did against Pitt? Who would lead the team? Would the team follow? For the first time all season the Mountaineers would play a game as an underdog, facing a team that many felt was the best in the country. The Sooners had most recently destroyed #1 ranked Missouri in the Big 12 Championship game, and the sports media pundits quickly predicted the same consequence on undersized and outmanned West Virginia. 'Domination!' they claimed, 'by three touchdowns at least'. The domination in fact came, but it was the efficent, quick, and hard-hitting West Virginia Mountaineers who carried the day. West Virginia never trailed Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, winning 48-28 in blowout fashion. Patrick White cemented his status as the greatest quarterback in WVU history, winning his third major bowl game in three tries. White completed 10 of 19 passes for two touchdowns, and he rushed for 150 yards on 20 carries to win the offensive most valuable player award in a bowl game for the second straight year. A leg injury early on to Steve Slaton opened the door for Noel Devine, and the freshman responded with 105 yards on just 12 carries, with two going for touchdowns. Darius Reynaud and Owen Schmitt also added long touchdown runs, and the Mountaineers totaled a staggering 349 yards rushing against an Oklahoma defense that ranked 8th nationally in stopping the run. The West Virginia offensive onslaught was overwhelming and complete: 48 points, 525 total yards, 8.9 yards per rush, and no turnovers. The performance by the Mountaineer offense was indeed dominating, but it was the play of the West Virginia defense that made perhaps the stronger impression.
The Oklahoma offense was a juggernaut all season, ranking third nationally in averaging more than 43 points scored per game. Quarterback Sam Bradford was the country's highest rated passer, and the Sooner offensive line protected him well- Oklahoma ranked fourth nationally in fewest sacks allowed. But the attacking style of West Virginia's 3-3-5 defense quickly untracked the Oklahoma offense, and the Mountaineers swarmed to Sooner backs in numbers with speed and punch. Beaten at the line, the Oklahoma blockers resorted to outright holding- which they mostly got away with- but West Virginia's defenders still recorded four sacks and a number of hurries and knock-downs. Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel got a gatorade shower at game's end, and he well deserved it. The Mountaineer D was focused and well-prepared, and the improvements made from a year ago are a direct reflection of Casteel's efforts. By game's end many of the uncertainties had been answered. Interim coach Bill Stewart was rewarded with the head coaching job just hours after the end of the game, and the Mountaineers' performance looked nothing like the Pitt debacle of just a few weeks earlier. The complete coaching staff was yet to be assembled, but the Mountaineers' domination in the big game was an indication that the program is definitely among the best in the country, and fans can rest assured that it's heading in the right direction looking forward to the 2008 season.

FINAL 2007 STATISTICAL RANKINGS
West Virginia Mountaineers
(Source: NCAA; ranking is out of 119 Div. 1A schools)

CATEGORY	ACTUAL	NATIONAL RANKING
Rushing Offense	297.23 yds game	3rd
Yards per Rush	6.15 yds carry	1st
Passing Offense	159.0 yds game	114th
Total Offense	456.23 yds game	15th
Scoring Offense	39.62 pts game	9th
Rushing Defense	112.92 yds game	18th
Passing Defense	188.77 yds game	14th
Total Defense	301.69 yds game	7th
Scoring Defense	18.08 pts game	8th
Turnover Margin	+1.0 per game	9th
Passing Efficiency	147.32 rating	11th
Sacks	3.0 per game	15th
Sacks Allowed	1.0 per game	5th

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