WVU v. Maryland was a great game this week. WVU is vastly improved, but still its a very tough schedule for an ok team to eek out 6 wins with. The offensive play calling and scheme is just vastly superior to most other teams and way ahead of ours. QB Clint Trickett threw 37 of 49 for 511 yards and 4 TDs. A couple long passes, but mostly short passes with WR doing all the work with tons of YAC. You see short passes slanting across the field with 3 blockers and the rest of that side of the field cleared out and you know there is one man to be beaten and its a 40 yard plus gain. Our problem isn't just a lack of blocking by the guy with the blocking assignment, its a lack of that quick hit forward momentum screen or flat pass with the WR and blockers already in motion at high speed. We have guys standing there, waiting on the ball for a bubble screen with the defense floating to that spot on the field already and waiting on it. Our plays take 10 times as long to run and even longer to develop. I don't think WVU has more playmakers than we do. I think WVU puts its WR in a position to catch and run free due to a much more advanced and knowledgeable offensive gameplan, scheme and plays.
Maryland is supposed to be vastly improved due to lack of injuries at this point in the year versus last year, but there are some major flaws. CJ Brown had some nice runs, 18 carries for 161 total. Many of those were scrambling to get away from pressure that was in the backfield all day, which he just avoided and ran for days. He will be a problem for us running the ball unless we keep contain. He was pretty ineffective throwing the ball at 19 of 35 for 241 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. Lots of yards, but those receivers are largely responsible for that with short passes turned into big plays. WR Stefon Diggs is one of the top 5 in the country and caught 5 for 127 yards, however, the major gain was a 79 yard TD catch on blown coverage with him wide open. Otherwise, he was 4 catches for 48 yards, nothing super. WR Deon Long is the other supposed stud recruit who showed glimpses last year and went 4 for 39, which isn't a real problem. He's only got 10 catches on the year. RB Brandon Ross went 5 for 50 out of the backfield on all short passes/screens/flat throws. Again, CJ Brown isn't very good at throwing the ball and the Oline is not great and allowed pressure all day. Keep in mind WVU's secondary was historically bad last year, but improved a lot this year. The Maryland running game was horrible with rushers other than CJ Brown gaining a total of 2 yards. Part of that is playing catch up after being down 3 TDs most of the game, but the Oline looked awful blocking run or pass.
Maryland's defense looked awful. WVU ran for 183 and was fairly effective at it. Maryland DLine got pushed around a good bit. WVU passed for 511, again mostly short passes turned into huge plays. Maryland defense looked out of position, slow and tackled poorly. I think that happens a lot when you get snaps off quickly as WVU does, which is why we and most other teams out there are trying to do that. Maryland was clearly gassed early and often.
Maryland looked good on special teams -- 7 punts for 47 yards average, 2 for 2 on FG including a 46 yarder, 3 for 3 on XPts, 1 punt return for a TD, decent job returning kickoffs, decent on kick coverage.
WVU had 4 turnovers, gave up a punt return for a TD, had a muffed punt return fumble that gave the ball to Maryland inside the 10, and a blocked FG. Otherwise, this was a blowout victory. We need to take care of the ball and we should win.