By Dave Morrison
That West Virginia had excellent success with the run late in its game with Colorado makes most wonder why West Virginia coach Bill Stewart hasn’t done more of it.
Noel Devine has been a terror in the last two games, compiling a combined 348 yards against Auburn and Colorado.
He is third nationally in rushing, averaging 135 yards per outing.
But Stewart isn’t going into any fight with one bullet in his gun.
And that includes today’s Big East opener at Syracuse (2-3, 0-1 Big East) at the Carrier Dome. The game is the Big East Game of the Week and will be shown live on WOAY-TV 4 at noon.
“We’re not going to change, I don’t care who we play,” Stewart said. “We are going to throw the ball deep. I am going to stretch the field vertically. We’re going to throw screen and play-action passes, try to create holes. Because when 7 (Devine) gets it, I want people to spread out and let him do his thing. We are who we are.”
Which may not be a good thing, given the Mountaineers’ propensity for turning the ball over.
WVU already has 14 turnovers after turning the ball over just 16 times all of last season.
Stewart said missed assignments led to turnovers in the season-opening win over Liberty. Game two was because WVU (3-1) had trouble fielding punts. Game three was an interception-fest. WVU threw five, four by starter Jarrett Brown. And last week, in a win over Colorado, WVU couldn’t hold on to the ball.
“There’s a thrill a minute in West Virginia football,” Stewart said. “Are you not going to see your assignment, are you going to fumble on special teams, are you going to throw interceptions or are you going to fumble the football? We’re not happy about some of the mistakes. But a lot of it is the kids straining, trying to make plays.”
Syracuse hasn’t been immune to turnovers, with 21 in five games.
The Orangemen had seven in a 34-20 loss to South Florida last week.
“We emphasize it every day,” Syracuse coach Doug Marrone said. “Prior to the South Florida game, we were plus-three and we were 30th in the country. So it’s something that we talk about to all the players on a weekly basis.”
The Orange aren’t the same pushover they’ve been in the recent past — which includes seven straight wins by WVU.
They are being led by quarterback Greg Paulus, the former Duke point guard who had a year of eligibility left and transferred to Syracuse. He has completed 103-of-160 passes for 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns. He has been intercepted nine times.
“How do you stop a playmaker?” Stewart asked. “You don’t. I don’t know how you defend a Michael Jordan. Greg Paulus is good, he is very good and he believes he’s good. He came back for all the right reasons.
“He’s a tenacious player. He thinks he can get it done. I see a guy who was a four-year player for Duke basketball. Pretty special. There isn’t a ball he doesn’t like to throw. That’s the same way Jarrett Brown is.”
Mike Williams is his top target with 41 catches for 623 yards and five touchdowns.
Delone Carter is the leading rusher with 88 carries for 327 yards and five touchdowns.
Kicker Ryan Lichtenstein is 14-of-14 on extra points and 9-of-10 on field goals.
Brown, for one, believes the Mountaineer offense, with a rebuilt offensive line and Brown himself a new starter, is gaining steam.
“As the season goes on, all of us are getting more experience and more confidence in our choices,” he said. “We’re starting to realize that this is our team and we’re the only ones who can get the job done, not our coaches.”
Brown has completed 73-of-108 passes for 946 yards and seven scores, with five interceptions.
Jock Sanders has 32 receptions for 327 yards and two touchdowns.
Devine has 540 yards rushing and six touchdowns, which is already two more than he had all of last year.
West Virginia hosts Marshall next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. while Syracuse next plays Akron on Oct. 24.
— E-mail: demorrison@
register-herald.com
