315 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

1-0!

[You Play to Win the Game]

God I love sending the Mountaineers back home 0-1. And questioning if they'll ever be able to stop an air attack again.

[Mike B]

The Oline got it done when it had to.  Great job!

[BSLZackKiesel]

What a way to start the year. Fought through some adversity, but made the plays you needed when you needed to. Nice to have Howard next week as a little tune-up before conference play starts.

[BSLRoseKatz]

Pretty neat that's the first football game for two year's worth of grad classes because of covid 

[BSLMikeLowe]

That ended up being a pretty clean game for MD. A couple costly penalties early, but only 5-for-39 yards total, and I don't think they had any in the 2nd Half. And of course no turnovers to go with the +4 margin.

 

That kickoff coverage though. I know teams seldom return them these days, but they might be trying that a lot more on MD if they don't clean that up.

 

Doesn't sound like there were any serious injuries either.

[BSLZackKiesel]

I’ll go back and look more closely, but two things that stood out to me on the defensive side was what looked like a very heavy rotation of defensive linemen and a ton of snaps for freshman LB Branden Jennings.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Looking at the box score, a few things that stand out:

• WVU had just 33 rushing yards. Maryland's run defense was one of the worst in the country last season, so improving that is crucial this season.
• Maryland converted just 40% of their third down attempts, that's obviously something they'll need to clean up moving forward.
• The +4 turnover margin in favor of Maryland is huge, especially after finishing last season with a -7 margin (4th worst in the country).

Leading Passer: QB Taulia Tagovailoa (26/36, 332 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT)

Leading Rusher: RB Tayon Fleet-Davis (18 carries, 123 yds, 0 TD)

Leading Receiver: WR Dontay Demus, Jr. (6 receptions, 133 yds, 1 TD)

 

Attendance: 43,811

[BSLMikeLowe]

• WVU had just 33 rushing yards. Maryland's run defense was one of the worst in the country last season, so improving that is crucial this season.

 

Brown ran for 69 yards. He averaged over 100 a game last season. Impressive indeed.

 

The lower team total is thanks to the sacks and other TFLs, which unlike the NFL count against rushing totals.

[Mike in STL]

Looking at the box score, a few things that stand out:

• WVU had just 33 rushing yards. Maryland's run defense was one of the worst in the country last season, so improving that is crucial this season.
• Maryland converted just 40% of their third down attempts, that's obviously something they'll need to clean up moving forward.
• The +4 turnover margin in favor of Maryland is huge, especially after finishing last season with a -7 margin (4th worst in the country).

Leading Passer: QB Taulia Tagovailoa (26/36, 332 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT)
Leading Rusher: RB Tayon Fleet-Davis (18 carries, 123 yds, 0 TD)
Leading Receiver: WR Dontay Demus, Jr. (6 receptions, 133 yds, 1 TD)

Attendance: 43,811

Good to see it was such a good turnout yesterday. That has to help.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Good to see it was such a good turnout yesterday. That has to help.

Looked like a decent number of WVU fans from pictures I saw, but having a full 13,000-seat student section certainly helps. Crowds for Howard and Kent State will obviously be lesser, but if they can start 4-0 the Friday night Iowa game should be packed (about to buy tickets for that one myself).

[BSLZackKiesel]

PFF reports that Tagovailoa was under pressure on just 12.8% of his drop backs in this game. For a team whose offensive line was its biggest question mark, they stepped up to the task against a talented defensive front.

[BSLRoseKatz]

Looked like a decent number of WVU fans from pictures I saw, but having a full 13,000-seat student section certainly helps. Crowds for Howard and Kent State will obviously be lesser, but if they can start 4-0 the Friday night Iowa game should be packed (about to buy tickets for that one myself).

I'm considering that game too but I feel like as soon I buy the ticket I'm gonna jinx them into losing to Kent State lol

[BSLZackKiesel]

I'm considering that game too but I feel like as soon I buy the ticket I'm gonna jinx them into losing to Kent State lol

Yeah my buddy did that two years ago when he bought Penn State tickets after the Syracuse game and they went and lost to Temple lol

[BSLRoseKatz]

Yeah my buddy did that two years ago when he bought Penn State tickets after the Syracuse game and they went and lost to Temple lol

Yeah there's a clear precedent here where I think my skepticism is deserved lol

[BSLZackKiesel]

For their performances in this game, QB Taulia Tagovailoa was one of eight quarterbacks named as a Manning Award Star of the Week, and WR Rakim Jarrett was one of six players named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll.