By Dave Morrison
MORGANTOWN — Sometimes, crunching the numbers in sports is a losing proposition.
Take last year’s WVU-Colorado game, won by the Buffaloes 17-14 in overtime.
The Mountaineers rushed for 311 yards (Patrick White for 148 and Noel Devine 133) and they still lost the game.
Colorado struck fast, quarterback Cody Hawkins throwing for two first-quarter touchdowns while White completed just 10-of-14 passes for 43 yards in the game.
And Colorado still held the advantage in time of possession, 30:39 to 29:21. Of course, Rodney Stewart helped that stat with 28 carries for 166 yards.
This time might be a bit different as WVU has obviously opened up the offense. In three games, WVU (2-1) has already thrown 98 passes. Last year through three games, WVU had attempted 77.
Colorado has already thrown 135 passes but shows just four more completions (71-67) than the Mountaineers.
Last year, Hawkins, son of Buffs coach Dan Hawkins, completed 22-of-33 passes for 179 yards in the victory.
“Cody Hawkins is a coach’s son and a film rat,” WVU coach Bill Stewart said. “This guy knows the game. Last year I tried to keep the ball on the ground to keep him off the field. This year we are not going to change our offense. We are going to do what we do best. I hope our defense can contain him.”
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Injury update: Stewart said quarterback Jarrett Brown and linebacker Reed Williams should be good to go Thursday night.
“Reed Williams had a good practice (Monday),” Stewart said. “He hit in shells and ran full speed and competed in every drill. Reed Williams is cranked up and ready to go.”
Defensive lineman Scooter Berry is iffy.
“Scooter ran (Monday), we had him on the sled, but he did not hit live.
“I did not want to see his arm get pulled back. I am hoping Thursday Scooter can go.”
Josh Taylor would start if Berry is scratched.
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West Virginia will honor former All-American quarterback Major Harris at Thursday’s game.
Harris was recently selected to the National Football Foundation’s College Hall of Fame. He will be inducted in July 2010.
“It is going to be great,” Stewart said. “I know Morgantown is excited and the whole West Virginia nation should be excited. He is one of the great heroes of all time. He is very deserving. We are very excited and happy to have Major; it is going to be a neat sight. I thought he was way ahead of his time. He was a great player and he made things happen. He is one of my heroes.”
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Mountaineer offensive guard Josh Jenkins on the atmosphere at Auburn:
“After experiencing Auburn’s crowd, and they were pretty wild, we need to get our crowd wild, too,” the Parkersburg native said. “The atmosphere was crazy. It was so loud there that you couldn’t even hear yourself think. It was something else.”
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The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN with Chris Fowler, Craig James and Jesse Palmer on the call. Erin Andrews will be the sideline reporter.
