2011 West Virginia Mountaineer Football: What to Expect Week 1

Mountaineer fans have been waiting anxiously for September 4, 2011. I, like many other members of Mountaineer Nation, want to forget about this summer. It will be nice to talk about actual football in Morgantown rather than the drama related to the off the field issues. Let's face it, the coach-in waiting scenario blew up in our face. Bill Stewart shocked many people with his plan to undermine new coach Dana Holgorsen.

Now, with the new staff in place and the game only a few days away, fans are excited to see the new look offense. Last season, WVU was carried by the play of their defense, which was ranked amongst the best in the country.

The offense, on the other hand, did not perform very well in Stewart’s last year as head coach at WVU. The team ended the year with a 9-4 record, including a bowl loss to North Carolina State. This year, the ‘Eers are the early favorite to win the Big East, and the new offensive scheme is a big reason why.

New head coach Dana Holgorsen brings a high powered offense that has produced some of the best numbers in the nation the past few seasons. With playmakers all over the field such as WRs Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, Geno Smith has plenty of talent at his disposal. Geno will thrive in the system, and he will be looking to build upon his performance in the spring game when he tossed for just shy of 400 yards and four TDs.

Another factor that has WVU fans raving this season is that this offense has been very successful in the past. At Oklahoma State, QB Brandon Weeden put up monster numbers in this system. Smith is a QB that is ideal for this fast paced spread. With his ability to stretch plays with his feet, it will take pressure off the offensive line that is missing some guys up front due to injury.

Sunday when the Thundering Herd come into Morgantown, they will face a much different team than they faced a year ago. Last season, WVU needed a fourth quarter rally to send the game to overtime for an eventual victory. This season, Mountaineer fans are hoping that the the home team will put up a much better performance.

WVU is not the only team that will have a new look in 2011. Head coach Doc Holladay and the Herd also have a much different team as well. Marshall will start a pair of freshman with QB Rakeem Cato and RB Travon Van. These two impact freshman need to perform well if Marshall wants to have any success in a very tough environment. Coach Holladay will likely have to depend heavily on his defense to help out the young offense. 

Defensively, the Herd have one of the best defensive ends in the country with Vinny Curry. For the Mountaineers to win on Sunday, the offensive line must keep Curry in check. One advantage for WVU will be their conditioning. Marshall will have a very difficult time keeping up with a face paced offense that generally creates 80 plays per game. With that being said, the offense still has to come out Sunday and produce.

After all, this is a rivalry game, and after last year's near loss, WVU should not take their opponent lightly. Head Coach Doc Holliday, a former longtime WVU assistant, would like nothing more than to beat his former team. However, it remains to be seen if Marshall has the talent to stack up with the Mountaineers. Marshall will come out with intensity, but in the end, the WVU attack will be too much for the Herd.