1) Fix the mistakes from last year
This team had turnover issues early in the season, but those were corrected as the season wore on and we finished just -.15 (23 gained/25 lost) in the turnover category. Two issues that continued to fester were the kick-off coverage defense and the offensive line play.
Kick-off coverage was horrible for the 2nd year in a row. West Virginia finished 104th out of 120 D1 teams last season after finishing even worse the previous season. It can’t go anywhere but up, right?
During the off-season, Coach Stew off loaded the special teams duties to Coach Dunlap (defense) and Coach McMichael (offense). Hopefully Dunlap can devise a scheme to fix the issues.
The offensive line did have some good numbers – we ranked 24th in the nation in rushing offense, but we were 57th in sacks allowed and 90th in passing. The latter two aren’t totally on the offensive line as Brown had a tendency to hold the ball too long at times and his season went south after the concussion.
The o-line also had nobody to turn to as there was virtually no depth. With an influx of talent creating competition at every position and 4 returning starters the hope here is that the line play is more consistent this season.
2) Get the ball in the hands of your play-makers
This team is loaded with kids who can flat out make plays. Geno Smith, in his first year starting, doesn’t have to be the hero. He just needs to get the ball to the guys that can be the hero.
Noel Devine, Jock Sanders & Tavon Austin all have big play potential. Just put the ball in their hands and let them do their thing.
We know what that trio can do – but the question remains who will join them? Is this the year that Starks shows off his athleticism? Will Stedman Bailey’s surprising camp carry over to the season? Will true freshman Ivan McCartney live up to the hype? What will Coley White give us at receiver?
3) Avoid injuries
Ok, so this one is easier said than done. I’m sure every team across America has this one on their list so it’s a pretty obvious choice. But it is especially true for this team. We are paper thin at a few key positions – quarterback, linebacker, safety, etc.
There is one thing that can help accomplish this key though and it should have been done during the off-season under the watchful eye of Mike Joseph and the rest of the strength staff. Hopefully he had the guys working on flexibility drills in addition to their strength training. If the stability of the offensive line last season was any indicator we’ll have another relatively injury free season.
The guess here is that we’ll see some true freshmen play regardless. We need to prepare the kids for game action in the event that some of the veterans go down.
4) Get that swagger back…expect to win
This one drives me crazy! For a period of time we showed up on game day knowing that we were going to roll. I don’t know if we still have that same confidence or not, but we need to get it back…and soon.
It’s not like we’ve been horrible the last 2 seasons, but we’ve definitely lost that edge. It’s time to get it back starting on September 4th against Coastal Carolina. Unlike against Liberty last season we need to put Coastal away early. Confidence is built one play at a time. With each success on the field we need to also take a step mentally.
Ern is the generalist of the group. He contributes original content, posts links to news articles, tracks all the developments in Morgantown, keeps his pulse on the Mountaineer fan nation, etc... he does it all. 
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agreed on all points – he season hinges on whether our weaknesses from last year have been addressed.
Agree with everything here. We all know that an injury to Geno could be catastrophic, but I think an injury to some of the other key positions could leave us in a lot of trouble, too.
Regarding the swagger, though – The way to get it back is to slaughter teams. Think about it, while it’s true that a team can dominate another team on the field and still only win by a touchdown or two, the only real way to get that swagger is to win and win big. If you’re consistently winning by three or four touchdowns, you’re going to have that swagger.
Now, there are obviously going to be games in which we can’t win by that much. But, even in games that we can, Stew has said that he has no intention of doing it. That, in my mind, would seem to indicate that we’re not going to have the same swagger.
Completely disagree.
Using your argument – teams that are more defensive in nature, but win every week, wouldn’t have that edge.
Well, teams that are more defensive in nature, but win every week, don’t have that swagger.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some teams that are defensive powerhouses and they certainly exude an air of power and toughness. (Nebraska comes to mind) But, in my mind, that’s something completely different from the swagger that I want our guys to have.
I want that ’07 swagger back. The swagger that says “we’re faster than you, we’re tougher than you, we’re going to hang 50 points on you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
does/can stew instill swagger? yes swagger comes with results, but is it also the persona of the head coach and assistants? then again Tony Dungee won as a nice guy . . .
The team that wins the Big East has to have swagger. Swagger comes from the tone the Coaches set and the talent that the team has. Better the talent, the greater the swagger. I agree with laying it on our opponents. This is a great form of intimidation. Coach Stewart in my view is not a swagger Coach. I hope and pray it does not happen, but if Geno goes down, we will see how good of coaches we have. No excuses, it is in the job discription. I still believe if we do not win the big east, the year will be a failure. We need it for recruting and competing at the top.
and Tony Dungee had the resume – Stew does not. (does it scare anybody else that he’s getting QB advice from Jim McMahon on a golf course? – and then admits it?) we’ll see if he lets them have a little mean streak like he promised
We’ve never had three QBs on the roster at one time of this caliber (and young) and he’s responsible for recruiting them all. I also believe if memory serves me correctly he was Pat White’s position coach so I would say he knows a little about QBs.
Swagger, Strut, etc. Whatever. I tend to lean toward Coach Stewart’s stance of not stomping teams into the ground, usually. However, this is a different year and with Noel Devine’s chances at the Heisman Trophy, it needs to be done so stomp away, when you can.
Mullens brought the QBs in. And exactly how did Stew coach White who had to wait until his Senior year to learn how to be a passing QB under Mullen’s tutelage? Stew admitted to the press that he’s held the reins back on the whole team the last two years and wanted to do so with Geno, until getting Jim McMahon’s advice on a golf course that he should let Geno loose. We can’t play not to lose.
Once again when there is any positives about the program the credit goes to someone other than Stew from you guys. Unbelievable. How anyone can say the headcoach is not responsible for bringing in any recruits is an aboslute false hood. You look at any recruits since he has been there and they always mention Coach Stew as one of the reasons for coming. Jeremy Johnson out of Texas was personally recruited by Stew. I would have to say Pat White was coached and used the best way to help the team win all four of his years not just his senior year. Regardless Stew was the head coach his sr. year. If you give all the heat to Stew when things go bad because he is the head coach you at least have to give him credit where credit is due.
hey kevin “you guys” – if you knew who you were talking to, I’ve both supported and criticized Stew and have not called for throwing him under the bus, so take the emotion of me-as-stew-basher out of the equation.
from my take the assistants are the keys to recruiting. they do the hard work, build relationships, talk with parents, HS coaches. almost all kids recruited talk about the assistant who stuck with them, recruited them early, shot straight including our QBs. then comes the team and city and facilities and fans and the “big-timeness of the program – TV, conference, chance at BCS and the promise of immediate playing time the “system” which also help and yes, finally, Stew does seal the deal, talking about family – investing in the person not the football player. (what parent doesn’t love that. If a family has faith, I’m sure that also sells since Stew doesn’t demean or cuss out his players. he’s a good guy. never said he wasn’t and that is not a bad thing to have to represent your University.
As for developing Par White, I see that as a stretch. the kid came in as a frosh and took over – scout team then when Bednarick got injured. My hunch is that stew was a great mentor to PW. I have no idea about how he coached him. PW endorsed him after the Fiesta so surely was a positive impact (on his life, as a football player?, as a QB?). But my hunch is he would have gotten no looks as a pro QB without Mullen. Stew didn’t get him there other than hiring Mullen (his second choice by the way)
And I will defend Mullens as a QB coach – he has a proven track record in that regard that extends back to Wake Forest. Now whether he has yet mastered Offensive Coordinator is up in the air. Who hasn’t questioned his play calling or game plan?
so for me the verdict is still out. Will Mullen develop into a savvy O coordinator? And will Stew push these players to get a little meaner – like “I don’t want this team to score on us, not a safety, field goal and no touchdown? or will he just keep being satisfied with the win? case in point – from today in reference to CC – “But Mountaineers head coach Bill Stewart said those who expect a cakewalk for his team “have absolutely no idea what college football is about.” Is this coach speak for the public? I sure hope he’s preaching a different message in the locker room. and that was the gist of these comments
i’m not all in and i’m not all out. i’m waiting to see what Stew and company can do with a loaded team of their own recruits. we can’t ride the fumes of the Pat White era forever
Will Stew in the heat of battle revert to his natural disposition or truly let his kids play? The words coming out of his mouth in answer to McMahon are telling . . . I hope he does take off the reigns.
“He played early. He played as a sophomore, so he’s been through it,” Stewart said of McMahon, who was playing in a charity golf tournament with Stewart at the time. “So I asked him, what do I tell my young quarterback?”
The answer surprised Stewart.
“He said, ‘Well, talk to me [like he was a young quarterback],’ ” Stewart recalled. “So I talked to him. I said, ‘Move the sticks, don’t turn the ball over, don’t force the ball.’ [McMahon] said, ‘Well, you’re not real negative, but it’s all don’t, don’t, don’t. Have you told him to go get sevens and not threes?’ And that’s what I’m going to tell him Saturday: ‘Go get sevens. Go.’
“Now, are we going to play reckless? No. You can’t do that. But I want Geno to play. I want Geno to lead and I want this team to follow.”
Win and win big is the name of the game. Let’s assume WVU, NC and TCU go undefeated WVU wins by an average of 8 points, NC by 8 points and TCU by 35 points. Who would get to play in the title game? Well everyone would want TCU because they are stomping everyone and NC would get the other spot because of their high caliber coach the reputation that follows him. We don’t have the luxury of a high caliber coach so our next option is to win and win big. We have no national championships so we need to have the attitude that we have something to prove. Unless your satisfied with the tire or toilet bowl!!!
Yes, mdeer, it does scare me that Stew is getting advice from Jim McMahon on a golf course and then admitting it. It just goes to show you that he has no direction for this team. He’s letting a former QB tell him to throw the ball more…shouldn’t this be Mullen’s choice to make based on the flow of the game? What did he expect McMahon to say? Run it? All QB’s want to throw it.
Great recruiter, yes. Great coach, no. Do you think Nick Saban is going to take advice on how to run his offense from a former QB that he just happens to meet at a charity golf event? For that matter, do you think Saban would listen to anyone period on how to run his offense? No and no. A head coach should know his personnel well enough to make his own decisions about every aspect of the game…that is unless you’re lost…which Stewart clearly is.
Comments like these are why WVU is longer viewed as a player on the national scene…well that and losing to a 6-6 ACC team in the Gator Bowl.