I had the opportunity to travel to upstate New York, but I decided to stay home to write this piece because I knew I would be distracted in the Carrier Dome.
(Note: There are three specific reasons really, a) I didn't feel like traveling b) I’m nervous (just kidding), and c) Who wants to leave their house when you have a 52 inch LCD screen to watch the game on, not to mention the ample amount of food and drinks? (Waiting.) That’s what I thought. So, enjoy.)
The 60-Minute Dash:
Pre-game – Play-by-play commentator Mike Gleason and color commentator John Congemi praise the entire Big East Conference for approximately the time it takes the Earth to orbit around the sun. Ok. Just kidding. But in all seriousness, the two are salivating over Pittsburgh Panther Quarterback, Bill Stull, on his performance this year. Really? Moving on. This is the 57th meeting between the Orange and the Mountaineers, and Syracuse leads the all-time series (30-26). However, West Virginia has won the last seven meetings.
~ 1st Quarter ~
15:00 – Josh Lider kicks the ball off and the battle for the Schwartzwalder Trophy is underway.
(Note: Ben Schwartzwalder was a 152-pound center for the West Virginia Mountaineers in 1933. Schwartzwalder was also a captain for the 1933 team.)
So, Greg Paulus (former Duke basketball point guard) takes the field under center for the Syracuse Orange. What are the chances Mr. Gleason and Mr. Congemi talk 95 percent Greg Paulus this first quarter? I say 2-1.
14:00 – A graphic shows the “Impact Players” for Syracuse (Delone Carter, Donte Davis, and Arthur Jones), and they look like three guys who just took a mug shot picture. Nevertheless, there is no emotion.
13:00 – Like I said, Paulus will dominate today’s telecast as long as the Orange are in the game.
12:00 – West Virginia’s defense finally gets a stop to make it 2nd down and 9 ball at WVU’s 44-yard line. (The ‘Cuse dominated the line of scrimmage for the first couple of plays.)
11:00 – Did you think we could make it four minutes into a football game without hearing the words “interception” and “Greg Paulus” in the same sentence? I did not think so. Paulus throws his first pick. Josh Taylor, who either a) fumbled or b) threw it back to Pat Lazear on purpose, intercepted the pass. Nonetheless, Lazear took the loose football down to the Orange’s 11-yard line. With 11:08 to go, WVU’s first play equals the first touchdown of the day for the Mountaineers. A screen to Noel Devine and two spin-moves later results in a 7-0 Mountaineer lead. This was a carbon copy of what happen last week when Paulus threw five interceptions.
(FYI: I will not be watching commercials. It’s a Saturday in the middle of October. That means ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360, and even ESPN Classic is in “Full Throttle College Football” mode and I am watching.)
10:00 – The ensuing kickoff is returned for 44 yards by Averin Collier into WVU territory.
Our first sideline report comes from Quint Kessinich of the Big East Network: Says that quarterback Greg Paulus went straight to the phone after he threw the interception last possession. My opinion: The phone cannot help someone who is already in the state of trauma.
9:00 – First camera shot of WVU head coach Bill Stewart rocking his “Jim Tresselesque” sweater-vest. ‘Cuse punts in and out of the endzone with 9:23 left.
8:00 -- …..
7:00 – In short: Commentators praise WVU quarterback, Jarrett Brown. Graphic shows our “Impact Players” (Arlic Arnett, Jock Sanders, and Reed Williams), and ‘we’ look much more sophisticated in ‘our’ photographs.
6:00 – ….. “hands to the face.” That’s all I heard. First-and-10 WVU.
5:00 - 4:00 – Two fantastic advertisements during the game at this point. “Principle” Edge to the game for West Virginia: 1) Continue to make BIG PLAYS and 2) Stop Mike Williams (sensation receiver for Syracuse). The second advertisement: The “1st and 10” line is brought to you by Overstock.com. This is comical, and it leads me to the “We all know college football or the NFL is soon going to become NASCAR” idea. Yes, I believe within the next decade we will see several logos on football jerseys.
3:00 – Noel Devine (leading rusher in the Big East) and Jock Sanders are dominating this possession.
2:00 – Freshman “Utility and High School Youtube Sensation” Tavon Austin comes in for the first time, but Noel gets the carry. Result: loss of yardage.
1:00 – Once again, Jarrett Brown continues to impress – eludes pressure, avoids a sack, and scrambles to the 3-yard line. Next play: stacked I-formation, and freshman Ryan Clarke punches it in making it 14-0 good guys.
~ 2nd Quarter ~
15:00 – Back to the newly named “Ernie Davis Field,” Syracuse with the ball at their own 38-yard line.
14:00 – 11:00 – Stout defense. WVU’s defensive line continues to impress. So I came up with nicknames. Tell me if you like them. Chris Nield or “Mr. WWF.” Scooter Barry or “The Guy Likely To Be In The Next Tyler Perry Movie.” Julian Miller or “Young Gunner I”. Josh Taylor or “Young Gunner II.”
10:00 – Stat update: Brown is 8-for-9, 92 yards, and a touchdown. This is also the part where I tell you Brown throws a 31-yard “beauty” to junior Will Johnson on a wheel route. First-and-goal.
9:00 – Another Ryan Clarke touchdown (5th of the season). 21-0 Mountaineers.
8:00 – Mike Williams is yet to catch a ball for Syracuse. I am completely rattled. Why haven’t the ‘Cuse thrown to a guy who caught a career-high 13 passes for 186 yards against South Florida last week. Not to mention, he’s one of the top five receivers in the nation or as I like to say “A Mel Kiper Draft Board Stand-Out!”
7:00 – Finally, Williams catches his first ball for a mere five yards. However, the possession was a catastrophic mess for the Orange. Brandon Hogan takes a punt back to the ‘Cuse’s 9-yard line. First play of the possession = a Jock Sanders run to the left side – TOUCHDOWN! All I can here are the 125 intoxicated Mountaineer Maniacs who traveled to upstate New York. 21-0 Mountaineers.
With that, I give you the first two tweets of the day @mjtbaum says, “Well, it may not be a video game, but WVU is certainly playing like it is…” and @MAClark85 says, “WVU is rollin’…#letsgomountaineers.”
6:00 – Quint (Big East Network sideline reporter) says that some of the Syracuse student section has already started exiting the building.
5:00 – Mike Gleason and John Congemi (commentators) are basically willingly pushing Greg Paulus to throw to Mike Williams. Another three and out. Brandon Hogan fair catches the punt at WVU’s 10-yard line.
Another tweet from @PaulieDars “Field position means nothing to WVU at this point… they could run a 200-yard drive on us right now.”
The last four-minutes in a nutshell – Decent possession for WVU. Passes caught by sophomore tight end Tyler Urban, senior receiver Arlic Arnett, and freshman Tavon Austin. Scott Kozlowski actually gets some action before halftime. First punt comes with 1:31 left. Blah. Blah. Blah. Quint interviews Jim Brown on the sideline. Outcome: awkward. Blah. Blah. Blah.
HALFTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~ 3rd Quarter ~
One of my favorite tweets of the day came right before the quarter started. @FireMannyActa says, “Syracuse should probably try to sneak Jim Brown into the lineup in the 2nd half against #wvu.” Funny.
A notable stat: West Virginia first half total yards – 233 to Syracuse’s first half total yards – 77.
15:00 – West Virginia gets the ball to start the second half.
14:00 – …..
13:00 – Controlling the line of scrimmage with runs and screens.
12:00 – Ryan Clarke catches a screen pass and fumbles the pigskin. Sophomore Ryan Nassib comes in for Syracuse at quarterback. I’m guessing 5-for-9 for 39 yards is not going to cut it for the ‘Cuse’s coaching staff. Sorry Greg Paulus.
Background information on Nassib: Dad played at Delaware and he’s from the state of Pennsylvania. Yes, I know that’s about as interesting as watching someone else doing a SODOKU puzzle.
11:00 – Nassib looks poise.
10:00 – Our first camera shot of WVU Head Coach Bill Stewart in his classic linebacker stance on a 3rd and long play for the Mountaineers. An inspiring defensive effort forces WVU to punt.
Wait for it. Wait for it. MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE WILLLLLLLLLLIAMS!!! Williams catches his second ball of the game on a 50-yard strike to the endzone from Nassib. The touchdown (20th of his career) ties him with Mavin Harrison for second all-time.
9:00 – Camera shots of what’s left of the “Yes, we’re unfortunately still here” Orange student section.
8:00 – (Two dropped balls…) A three and out forces the Mountaineers into another punt. At this point, Scott Kozlowski is getting more action than Peter North in his prime.
7:00 – This brings us to our first “Panic Attack” mode of the day. Three tweets: 1) @mellijellybean “WVU looks like a completely different team in the second half,” 2) @RebeccaWVU “UGGGHHH!!!! Did we have butter applied to our hands at halftime? WVU should be up at LEAST 48 – 0!!!,” and 3) @penscruemember “nice hands, feet! Who greased the football?”
6:00 – 3:00 – Nassib continues to impress due to his intelligence to AT LEAST throw the ball in the vicinity of Williams. After a ‘Cuse punt, WVU will start at their own 40-yard line.
Breakdown of the possession: A Bradley Starks catch (26 yards), four straight rushes from Noel Devine, …. End of the third quarter ….
~4th Quarter ~
15:00 -- ….. capped off with a Devine rushing touchdown (34-6).
14:00 – 13:00 – Signs you know the home football team is getting absolutely crushed Vol. 76: You can here the stadium’s public address announcer clearly through your television set.
12:00 – Eugene Smith anybody?
11:00 – Holy shinanigans! I was right. Smith starts the possession at the 5-yard line. Also, Shawne Alston (freshman running back from Virginia) has entered the game.
10:00 – 5:00 – Tick. Tick. Tick. (Having flashes of the “60-minutes” commercial/promotion going through my head.) Also, somewhere along this time period was Smith’s first completion of the day to Will Johnson (pickup of 9-yards). Thank goodness for my notes.
4:00 -- ……
3:00 – (Thoughts running through my head: #1 Florida vs. #4 LSU and Michigan vs. #12 Iowa just five hours away!) With that, comes my first “sarcastic” tweet of the day from @OrangeChuck “WVU is killing the clock because they fear Nassib.” “EL OH ELLING.”
2:00 – Thinking about Paulus’s situation/future. Hmm. My favorite tweets of the day then started pouring in like cement. @A_E_M says, “Paulus on the bench? What, is he back at Dook?” Also this one from @hoyasuxa “And so Paulus waits, Paulus waits, Paulus wait . . . .” Finally, this tweet from @Bvaughan341, “Greg Paulus has now lost to WVU in 2 different sports and Jarret Brown was on both the basketball and football team to beat him.”
(Note: I must admit before finishing this column, that I am a Duke basketball fan. I have been since I was seven years old, and continue to love them more than any team. Duke basketball is my second life. [In all seriousness], I hope the best for Mr. Paulus.)
1:00 – Coach ‘Stew shakes Syracuse Head Coach Doug Marrone’s hand. The SCHWARTZWALDER TROPHY stays in Morgantown! 34-13.
Coach Stew’s interview at the end of the game with Quint: Typical humble Bill Stewart. I continue to think he is one of only two coaches in America that you could say “Hey grandpa can we sit on the porch all day, and swing on the swing, and drink chocolate milk, and eat cookies, and tell stories to each other all day?” regardless of age.
Yes. I did it. I completed the column in less than 2,000 words. (Doing the Tiger Woods fist pump and jumping around my house at the moment!)
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Jamie McCracken
