West Virginia head coach Neal Brown held his last radio show of the year on Tuesday night. He discussed a range of topics including a recap of the UCF game, previewing Texas Tech, as well as the importance of a win this weekend.
UCF Recap
West Virginia beat UCF 31-21 this past weekend to become bowl eligible. Brown said it was one of the more complete games the Mountaineers had played all season, and he was happy his group got to end the home slate with a win.
"First of all, really happy for our guys on Saturday... It is probably one of our more complete games of the year," Brown said.
Brown said they played well in all three phases, pointing out the play of Preston Fox on kick return, Hudson Clement at wide receiver, as well as the entire defense of limiting the big plays.
"We played well on special teams, and then defensively, we did a good job of outside the double move that went for a touchdown, we didn’t give up a whole lot of big plays… I thought we did a good job, and we got off to fast starts both halves defensively," Brown said.
Previewing Texas Tech
Brown and company head to Lubbock, Texas, to face the Red Raiders this weekend. Brown was adamant about the explosive ability of the Texas Tech offense, starting with the play of Tahj Brooks.
"They’re a team that, if you look at it, they’ve had some real quality wins this year… They’re a group they’re as good as anybody we’ll play offensively," Brown said.
Part of the appeal of their offense is how quickly they get the ball out on offense, as well as their talent at the skill positions. Tech's running back, Brooks, has been used a lot in both the running game and passing game, and Brown views him as the best player on the Red Raiders' roster.
"They’ve got really good playmakers across the front. At running back, receiver, and tight end… we got to get lined up, and we got to tackle Tahj Brooks, the running back, and then we’ve got to keep the ball in front of us," Brown said.
Brown added slowing them down on first down will be critical as well on defense and limiting their opportunities in the red zone.
"First downs are going to be critical, and then red zone defense is going to be critical, then we’ve got to find ways to force some takeaways," Brown said. "They’re going to have some success we’ve just got to make sure it’s limited."
Motvating His Team
With one regular season game to play, West Virginia would need a miracle to make the Big 12 Championship. With that said, the Mountaineers will likely fall short of their goal of reaching the Big 12 Championship, but that doesn't stop Brown from being able to find ways to motivate his team.
"They get pulled in so many directions, and I’ve really been pleased both the Cincinnati week and the UCF week… of really tuning out the distractions and being focused on the here and now," Brown said.
Brown added a lot is riding on this game as well in terms of finishing the season and how they can compare to previous WVU teams.
WVU is looking to go undefeated in road conference games for the first time since joining the league, and his group is also trying to get to six wins in conference play for the second season in a row. If they get to that number, it would be the first time they achieve that since joining the Big 12 as well.
With a win, WVU would also guarantee a top-three finish in the Big 12 standings this season, according to Brown.
Kickoff is set for noon on Saturday, with the game to be televised on FS1.
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