MORGANTOWN – The day started with gray skies and rain and it is forecast to continue throughout the day.
It’s fitting for the Blue-Gold Spring Game to be played at Milan Puskar Stadium because you can bet the predictions in pre-season magazines and polls for the next football season will be little different than those for the Mountaineers.
But a strange thing happened. The rain stopped, the front moved on and by the time the scoreboard tallied the final numbers giving the Blue a 56-51 win over the Gold the sun was shining, the kids were on the field messing around and you had the feeling that the things are not as bad as you think.
The play itself is a three-ring circus, but minus the clowns. There was fan participation, there were big games, there was the debut of basketball player Jimmy Bell Jr. of the football player in the role of The Tall Man in the middle of the offensive line.
Bell showed his inexperience when he gave up a sack and was called for the only penalty of the game, a hold when hit on a play. His fate will be discussed between Brown and Bob Huggins next week.
For all involved it was set up for fun – and it was, from the moment quarterback Garrett Greene took the snap to start the sixth play of the game, it was delivered, seeing it reversed by a lateral to the wideout that Preston Fox, who in turn released a pass downfield that injured the hands of ….
Garrett Greene, who ran it the final yards for what turned out to be a dipsy-doodle (now there’s a word you don’t see often, or two words?) touchdown of 40 yards.
Oh, they celebrate that one and the theme of the day is already set.
“They’re going to get some reps in practice on that now, right?” Brown laughed. “I told (offensive coordinator) Chad (Scott) and (quarterbacks coach) Sean (Reagan) to make sure they had fun. Guys love to practice trick plays and that’s one they’ve been working on for a few days.
In fact, starting earlier, much earlier in the day than that game, as the players come all dressed up for a fashion challenge, where points are awarded, the game started with the score on the board at 7-4, although I’m not sure I remember who was on top but it didn’t really matter in this game.
There’s a little bit of everything. There was fan involvement with Greene mixing in a touchdown pass and a touchdown reception on a day where he went 8 for 11 passing for 156 yards with another TD throw to what looked like a 9 or more. year old child in a fan challenge.
After he fumbled it but hauled it in, Greene rushed him and hugged him and the whole team came over to congratulate him.
Fan stuff interrupted the game several times, once for a pass protection drill between a couple of seemingly college-aged contenders that ended up showing how tough that part of the game is and then there a field goal kicking competition that is as fun as the game itself.
Two young women, kicking from the goal line, have three field goal kicks. The first was wide left-itis but the second drilled his last two approaches, the third long and straight, deep enough that it was good from the 7 or 8-yard line.
On the road at the time there were a couple of GatorAde baths, one for a manager they called “Big Red”, and defensive line coach Andrew Jackson and defensive end Eddie Vesterinen, after a good defensive play, participate in jumping and chest bump on the sideline. , that Eddie V., as they call him, becomes very aggressive while Jackson’s wound is lying on the ground.
It was fun, that was.
“This is a fun group of guys to coach,” said Coach Neal Brown after the game. “It’s been a delightful spring.”
Considering the pressure he was under as new athletic director Wren Baker evaluated him, that was a necessary aspect of the job.
What did not lose sight of us was that there was some serious football going on and that led to many observations.
For starters, if there is a winner and a loser in the quarterback competition between Greene and Nicco Marchiol, Greene is clearly the winner. Brown admitted that after the game, but stood up for the left-handed Marchiol for making some plays and not having the kind of protection that Greene had.
“I think Nicco threw a couple of really nice deep balls and our receivers didn’t play the ball very well, but without a chance to watch (the tape) it’s hard to tell,” Brown said. “I thought they protected Garrett better, which is bad for Nicco, but it’s the long game, no matter what happens today or the first 14 (practices).
“It’s going to be a deal where we’ve been through winter and spring and it’s going to be summer and fall camp before we know it.”
Marchiol’s day featured 6 completions on 12 attempts for just 58 yards … and no, he didn’t have any receptions like Greene’s 40-yard touchdown.
Two receivers emerged from the crowd, both transitioning, both expected to do so. The first was former North Carolina State wideout Devin Carter, who had three catches for 77 years, including a 54-yard strike from Greene.
And tight end Kole Taylor, the 6-7 LSU transfer who was bored in drills, had three catches while being targeted just three times, two of which were stretch ou grabs where he used his height of his advantage.
Perhaps the best news, although there aren’t many stats to back it up, is that CJ Donaldson played without a reservation after returning from his season-ending foot injury last year, rushing for 8 times for 36 yards and showed he still knows where the end zone is. had a 9-yard scoring run set up by a sneaky move in the hole.
“He got hit down one time and got up. I think that’s a confidence thing for him,” Brown said.
On defense, Brown felt middle linebacker Lee Kpogba, who had four tackles, lead the way but Malachi Ruffin had a strong day at cornerback, as did Aaron Burton while safety Aubrey Burks showed that he will be the anchor of the deep secondary.
Finally, it happens every spring as another freshman running back bursts onto the scene in Jahiem White, a youngster Brown has always talked about, breaking off a 53-yard touchdown run and finishing as leading rusher in the game with 91 yards on seven carries.
“Obviously, Jahiem is a fan favorite. He can play,” Brown said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a factor for us in the fall.”