West Virginia was able to avenge last season with a 17-6 win over Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl. WVSports.com takes a look at some of the advanced statistics to get a snap shot of the game as well as the season moving forward.
Rivals.com has partnered with PPF and we look at some of their data to review the game and different positions groups.
QUARTERBACK:
--Redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Greene played only 5 snaps, but misfired on both throws although he was kept clean on each.
--Redshirt freshman Nicco Marchiol was kept clean on 9 of his total 13 drop backs. In those situations he completed 5-8 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Against pressure on four drop backs, he completed 1-1 passes for 1 yard and was sacked twice.
--In play action or run-pass-option situations Marchiol completed all six of his passes in the game for 60 yards and a touchdown.
--Marchiol had 3 screen drop backs, resulting in 2 completions for 14 yards.
--Marchiol attempted only one pass over 20+ yards and just three over 10+ yards. He completed 3-4 for 39 yards.
--Marchiol had on average 2.77 seconds to throw the football and his average depth of target was 8.7 yards.
--Blitzed on only 4 drop backs, Marchiol completed 1-2 passes for 15 yards.
RUSHING:
--A total of 108 of the 162 rushing yards charted by PFF came after contact. CJ Donaldson led the way with 47 yards in that department.
--West Virginia forced a total of 8 missed tackles. That is now 31 through three games or over 10 per contest out of ball carriers.
--The Mountaineers were limited to just 3 runs over 10+ yards with Donaldson netting a pair of those in the game. The long run was 17-yards.
--A total of 7 of 18 carries by Donaldson netted a first-down.
RECEIVING:
--West Virginia targeted the tight end 4 times and that resulted in 3 catches for 21 yards and a touchdown. Kole Taylor hauled in all of that production. The position has been targeted 12 times for 109 yards over the first three games and is on pace to smash the 15 catches for 153 yards last season on 24 targets.
--Taylor was the only pass catcher to see more than 2 targets in the game and his 21 total yards paced the entire pass catching group.
--A total of 28 of the 60 yards came after the catch.
--The Mountaineers had only two contested catch situations with Preston Fox coming down with the only one.
--The pass catchers did not force a missed tackle.
--A total of 3 of the 6 receptions in this game traveled for a first down.
BLOCKING:
--West Virginia quarterbacks were kept clean on 11-15 drop backs in this game.
--The West Virginia offensive line did not allow a sack or a pressure, although CJ Donaldson was charged with both.
--West Virginia had the most success rushing behind the left guard with 5 carries for 30 yards or 6.0 per tote. The Mountaineers had just 2 carries for 4 yards running behind the left tackle but did manage to score a touchdown.
--The Mountaineers ran off the left end 8 times, the most, for 38 yards. That's where the long run of 17 yards came by Donaldson.
--Each of the five starters played all of the 65 snaps.
--Zach Frazier led the way in run blocking across 48 snaps at 66.8, while Tomas Rimac passed the 17 pass blocking snaps at 82.0.
--The offensive line was penalized three times.
DEFENSE:
--On 23 passing drop backs, West Virginia blitzed 7 times which resulted in 3-7 passes for 16 yards.
--When generating pressure, West Virginia forced Phil Jurkovec into completing just 1-7 passes on 9 drop backs with 2 interceptions. The third interception came when he was kept clean.
--Pitt ball carriers forced 7 missed tackles. In total, the West Virginia defense was charged with 7 missed tackles.
--Pittsburgh had only 4 runs over 10+ yards and 3 throws over 10+ yards.
--Malachi Ruffin did not allow a completion in two targets and recorded an interception. In the last seven times he has been thrown at, Ruffin hasn't allowed a completion with a pair of pass breakups and an interception.
--West Virginia recorded a total of 3 interceptions.
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