WVU football picked No. 2 by Street & Smith's magazine

Mountainer;s have the ability to be # 1 this year! If they listen to the coach &believe in him and hold the rope so he fall over the cliff!!! And that's legit

MREFAW, there's no question the Mountaineers can do it. I personally maintain this is not the year, but next is actually more likely. One thing is for certain, if they get through this year's schedule unscathed, they should be considered for the Natioanl Championship game. The following is how some other polls rated our Mountaineers:

Athlon - 5

AJC- 2

Fox - 11

Lindy's - 4

Rivals - 4

what in the sam hell is fox ranking them 11 for? I hope fox does not have their bowl game this year. I think fox carried it last year and it was very clear that the announcers had not watched WVU play that year or 2005.

I don't care where they are now, but where they end up. Let's avoid a South Florida this year and a major injury or two. That would make all the difference. I think most of us thought WVU would be higher than #10 last year, but that is why they play all the games!

Hey Big East fans! Just wnat you to know that you have me scared to death with S. Florida. lol I know they're good, but I need at least 10 wins this year and AU must play UGA, LSU, Arkie, and Florida on the road. I don't need a S. Florida this year either!!

Your worried about Georgia and Ark? Mcfadden would ride the pine at WVU. Not as good a QB as white and not as good a tailback as Slaton. I can't remember the last time a team from Georgia won. But I only pay attention to their bowl games.

Georgia has a good QB, but Arkie might implode this season.

Georgia's QB may be the best in the SEC, despite the hype my beloved Tebow is getting...

I expect Arkie will implode like you say... unless they just say screw it all and put McFadden at quarterback, Jones at tailback and start copying the UF playbook to use the spread option.

WVU will be good... but how is the strength of the rest of the big-east? Will they be ready for a BCS game in the end?

How well UF fares in the SEC this year will be a good indicator of how WVU would perform in the conference- Our offenses will be VERY similar in 2007.

The new coach at U of L will be interesting. It makes them hard to call. I also have a hard time believing Rutgers will be as good as last year too. I can't remember when Rutgers had two good years in a row. On the other hand Syracuse and Pitt have to get better sometime. I agree the UF game will be a good indicator. UF also plays chapel Hill with their new coach Butch Davis. WVU at Maryland also. U of L and Kentucky and U of L at NC state also will help show how the Big East will do at seasons end.

Please replace all of the UF coments I made with South florida.

I say Rutgers goes as Teal goes. He did nothing but get better as last season rolled on. Ray Rice will do even better, but he can't do it all. Rutgers did loose some big talent on "D", but I think their offense will be the key to their success this year.

S FL brings too much talent back on both sides of the ball to be discounted. Whether or not WVU is ranked as high as 2nd or as low as 11th pails to S FL being unranked. But, I agree with Mark. It may be fun to speculate, predict, and see who came out the closest, but it's not where a team is at the beginning that counts. It's where they are at the end. I think S FL will still be in it at the end. I fear this year’s Big East Championship will go down to the wire. No, Pitt & Syracuse haven’t been doing all that well, but Syracuse has made progress, and you can’t count Pitt out. Cincy will be the tough one to figure out with a new coach.

As for the Gators, an entirely different food group, to be certain. Not only are they in the tough (arguably toughest) SEC, but they have the unenviable task of plodding through this season having lost most of one of the best defenses I’ve ever seen, not to mention a QB, who was arguably the most athletic individual not selected in the draft. If Tebow can be patient, not rush his own progress, and let the game come to him, he’ll be just fine, and it’ll start to become easier as FL approaches season’s end. No, I don’t see the Gators repeating as National Champions this year, but I can’t imagine them not doing well. While the Big East will do just fine, the SEC may again produce the National Champion, in the form of LSU. Personally, I think the stars have lined up over USC, but that’s just me.

Zac,
your a very smart man and I agree with observation. I have a question for you and let me know if anyelse out there has an answer.

How will the L'Ville cars do this year with a new coach. Pitt went to a BCS bowl and then Dave Wannstedt came in supposedly recruited a lot of talent but they were horid last year.

I guess the question is, Is it the Ingrediants or the Cook that makes MEAL?????

Yo, Eagle3, Mark, WVUDave, have any of you guys heard of this “Zac” character, who Shane4EERS is talking about. We need to get him on here to answer this guy’s questions. Shane, I’m just messing with you, but all kidding aside, I’m only as smart as my opinions. Sound basis or not, opinions are just that, opinions and nothing more. In answer to your question, I think it’s a combination of the two. You have to have a good coaching staff; a coaching staff has to have talent with which to work. That doesn’t mean kids have to be 1-5 star players, it only means they have the raw tools with which a coach can work and bring to full potential. That’s why the loss of Rick Trickett was such a blow, in my opinion. He could take blue-collar line-men of average regard and turn them into heroes.

As for Louisville, Steve Kragthorpe is an awesome fit. He’s brought Tulsa a long ways in a short time. Brohm should fit right in with Kragthorpe’s play style and coaching philosophy. Like Rodriguez, however, defense is where Kragthorpe is a little lacking. The Cardinals were hit a tad hard on defense. Still, I don’t see them doing poorly this year. A 10-2 or 11-1 is hardly unreasonable. I would be surprised if they went undefeated, but I wouldn’t be disappointed should they loose 3 games. I don’t see them beating WVU in Morgantown, not this year. But again, that’s just my opinion. Hope that's what you were looking for, and thanks for asking.

What does LSU have at QB now that Russell gets to spend the next several years flat on his back in Oakland? Of course they will have speed to match up with everyone... I wouldn't worry about Gerogia, and Florida will reload to a 9-3 record or so.

Rutgers will miss Brian Leonard. But they will adjust. Teel will play his way into the first day of the NFL draft this year, especially as his WRs mature.

Will the BCS really not try to cook the books this year (like they did last year) to preserve ACC and Big 12 spots in the BCS? Or will these spots go to someone deserving from better conferences? Why do I not think I should hold my breath that a team from the SEC or Big East or Big 10 won't get one of these spots from a middle-feeder not deserving of the top 16?

Zac wrote:

I say Rutgers goes as Teal goes. He did nothing but get better as last season rolled on. Ray Rice will do even better, but he can't do it all. Rutgers did loose some big talent on "D", but I think their offense will be the key to their success this year.
S FL brings too much talent back on both sides of the ball to be discounted. Whether or not WVU is ranked as high as 2nd or as low as 11th pails to S FL being unranked. But, I agree with Mark. It may be fun to speculate, predict, and see who came out the closest, but it's not where a team is at the beginning that counts. It's where they are at the end. I think S FL will still be in it at the end. I fear this year’s Big East Championship will go down to the wire. No, Pitt & Syracuse haven’t been doing all that well, but Syracuse has made progress, and you can’t count Pitt out. Cincy will be the tough one to figure out with a new coach.
As for the Gators, an entirely different food group, to be certain. Not only are they in the tough (arguably toughest) SEC, but they have the unenviable task of plodding through this season having lost most of one of the best defenses I’ve ever seen, not to mention a QB, who was arguably the most athletic individual not selected in the draft. If Tebow can be patient, not rush his own progress, and let the game come to him, he’ll be just fine, and it’ll start to become easier as FL approaches season’s end. No, I don’t see the Gators repeating as National Champions this year, but I can’t imagine them not doing well. While the Big East will do just fine, the SEC may again produce the National Champion, in the form of LSU. Personally, I think the stars have lined up over USC, but that’s just me.

Dozer, good questions all. Unfortunately, the easiest one to answer is what LSU has. Arguably, they could field as many quality backs as can WVU. While LSU only returns 3 of its starting 5 ("O" line), they have depth to burn. The same could be said at receiver. Now, people would like you to think; the big question is at QB. Not so. Matt Flynn is a Sr. & a veteran, who has stood behind Russell, and stood in for him when necessary with distinction. Allow me to introduce to you Pat White like numbers: 13/22, 2 TD', 0 INT's, 196 yards. These were Flynn's stats in the 2005 Chick-Fil-A bowl, where a highly regarded 9-2 Miami squad got crushed by 10-2, LSU, 40-3. Two years later, the offense is his to run, under the guidance of new Offensive Coordinator Gary Crowton (replaced Jimbo Fisher who took the same job at FL St). Based upon news from LSU's spring game, Flynn & Crowton are getting along just fine. With their "D" expected to be stronger than last year, LSU could easily challenge for the National Championship. The only way a Louisville or our beloved Mountaineers can hope to challenge is to keep on winning. You asked; I'm just sorry I had to be the one to tell you.

Zac wrote:

Dozer, good questions all. Unfortunately, the easiest one to answer is what LSU has. Arguably, they could field as many quality backs as can WVU. While LSU only returns 3 of its starting 5 ("O" line), they have depth to burn. The same could be said at receiver. Now, people would like you to think; the big question is at QB. Not so. Matt Flynn is a Sr. & a veteran, who has stood behind Russell, and stood in for him when necessary with distinction. Allow me to introduce to you Pat White like numbers: 13/22, 2 TD', 0 INT's, 196 yards. These were Flynn's stats in the 2005 Chick-Fil-A bowl, where a highly regarded 9-2 Miami squad got crushed by 10-2, LSU, 40-3. Two years later, the offense is his to run, under the guidance of new Offensive Coordinator Gary Crowton (replaced Jimbo Fisher who took the same job at FL St). Based upon news from LSU's spring game, Flynn & Crowton are getting along just fine. With their "D" expected to be stronger than last year, LSU could easily challenge for the National Championship. The only way a Louisville or our beloved Mountaineers can hope to challenge is to keep on winning. You asked; I'm just sorry I had to be the one to tell you.

Flynn looked excellent vs Miami. I remember watching the game. He had some speed as well. LSU should be very solid this season. My boys should be solid as well w/ a 5th year sr QB and a nasty defense. I honestly do not see any SEC team on a fast track to the NC game.

WVU DAve wrote:

Your worried about Georgia and Ark? Mcfadden would ride the pine at WVU. Not as good a QB as white and not as good a tailback as Slaton. I can't remember the last time a team from Georgia won. But I only pay attention to their bowl games.

Don't kid yourself; McFadden is the best running back in America. You do not have to take that from me, 99% of all the experts in America agree. You've already showed your ignorance so please for your sake quite making a fool out of yourself.

StarMan wrote:

<quoted text>
Don't kid yourself; McFadden is the best running back in America. You do not have to take that from me, 99% of all the experts in America agree. You've already showed your ignorance so please for your sake quite making a fool out of yourself.

I don't think Dave's made a fool of himself, nor do I believe for one second 99% of the experts believe McFadden is the best RB, though many of them do. What is arguable is this (provided the season goes as expected): It's generally believed he'll win the Heisman by default; i.e. votes for Slaton & White will cancel the other out, leaving the lions share for McFadden. Though I'm far from being an expert, and every bit the fool Dave is, I've actually said as much on another blog site. Where I disagree with Dave is, I don't think McFadden would ride the pine, were he a Mountaineer. He'd be too perfect for Coach Rod's system to allow him to sit. Instead, I think you'd see him at not fewer than four positions on any given down, including QB. I asked a similar question involving a couple of other players, now imagine this one: McFadden at QB, White out wide, Raynaud in the slot, Schmidt at TE, and Devine & Slaton split in the backfield. Who gets the ball? I'd hate to be the "D" to figure that one out.

Something in my bones say Arkie will choke this year hard...

They're gonna' look alot like 'Bama last year.

I think Mcfadden will win the heisman just because the rest of his team is not very good. How many times do you think he will touch the ball in the game? How many times will he get the chance to make amazing plays? He will have a highlight year just because no matter how many yards needed for the first down the solution is Mcfadden.

But all that goes out thw window if Arkansas doesn't finish in the top 20. You can't get the heisman if your team does finish ranked