By Dave Morrison
MORGANTOWN — Job one for West Virginia Saturday night will be stopping Auburn’s talented running back one-two punch of Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb.
The game kicks off at 7:45 p.m. and will be shown on ESPN2.
Tate leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing (137 yards per game) and McCalebb leads the conference in all-purpose yardage (196 yards per game).
The dangerous duo have topped 100 yards each in the Tigers’ season-opening wins over Louisiana Tech (37-13) and Mississippi State (49-24).
And that’s just job one.
Auburn also has gotten outstanding results from its quarterback tandem of Chris Todd (27-of-49 for 441 yards and two TDs) and Kodi Burns (17 carries for 56 yards and four touchdowns rushing).
It is definitely a dilemma for the defense.
Especially with defensive lineman Scooter Berry banged up and listed as day-to-day.
Coach Bill Stewart Tuesday said Josh Taylor and Jorge Wright, who both filled in for Berry in last Saturday’s 35-20 win over East Carolina, would play.
“I feel real good about (the depth),” senior nose tackle Chris Neild said. “They both did a good job in training camp. When the time was needed last game, they stepped it up and did a good job. I place a lot of confidence in them.”
Stewart also hinted linebackers Ovid Goulbourne and Najee Goode could line up on the defensive line.
“Speed,” Neild said of the pair of linebackers, who would be undersized as defensive linemen. “They have a quickness about them. It’s definitely unique for us, especially on third down or any kind of passing down that we feel we need them in the game. I think it could be an advantage just because we have that threat of speed on the outside. And they can be either standing or in the three-point (stance).”
Neild likes the challenge of facing a team predicated on the run.
“It’s kind of boring for me when a team passes too much,” Neild said. “I don’t like to pass rush every play. But as far as (Auburn) goes, they have a real solid running game. That’s going to be something for us to defend. And we’re going to have to focus on that pretty good.
“But don’t take out the fact that they do have a good passing game, they do have a good quarterback and they do have that wildcat formation with Burns back there.”
Ah yes, the wildcat, made famous by Darren McFadden at Arkansas.
“It’s definitely (tough) to defend,” Neild said. “They could run, handing the ball inside, or they could run it outside because Burns is a real fast guy. Having him on the edge is really something we’re going to try to contain. It’s going to be tough going down there, to be honest.”
Neild said the Mountaineers can’t overlook the Tigers’ offensive line.
“That offensive line is big and they are fast,” Neild said. “They are going to be a challenge for us.”
— E-mail:
demorrison@register-herald.com
