WVSports.com continues with our popular feature: The 3-2-1. We'll breakdown three things we learned that week, two questions we have and give one prediction.
Here is the next installment of the 3-2-1 looking at the West Virginia football program, the latest on basketball and what’s happening in recruiting.
3 things I learned:
1—Suspensions matter not; West Virginia starts off right. The Mountaineers were 40-point favorites heading into the opener against Eastern Kentucky so the 56-10 win isn’t all too shocking. But there was a little doubt cast into things when 11 different players were suspended prior to the start of the game due to a violation of team rules by head coach Neal Brown. Among those that didn’t suit up for the program included four expected starters in offensive center Chase Behrndt, offensive tackle Junior Uzebu, inside wide receiver T.J. Simmons and tight end Mike O’Laughlin. There were some other players that were expected to have a role as well, but it was a roadblock for a young team with question marks.
No, it didn’t change the outlook heading into the match up with the Colonels but it did make things a little shakier prior to kick. Turns out, it didn’t matter at all. Yes, things could have likely gone better with the first team offense in-tact but the group didn’t disappoint by any means. The Mountaineers rolled up the most points (56), yards (624) and first downs (31) of the Neal Brown era while dominating the game. All of the backups that filled in for the starters played admirably and the program rolled to a convincing win that could have been much worse for the visiting Colonels if the Mountaineers wanted it to be.
The 42 points the offense rolled up in the first half was the most since 2017 against East Carolina and the unit overall averaged 9.5 per play, not too shabby at all. The defense, outside of two drives, was very productive as well. The Mountaineers allowed 135 yards and 10 points on two drives to EKU, but 62 yards on the other 11 drives and forced a total of seven three and outs. The unit also held the Colonels to 1-11 on third down, which was one of the focuses for the group.
