Before West Virginia can get to where Neal Brown wants them to be from an operational standpoint, the Mountaineers are going to have to first learn how to practice.

It’s a process that starts away from the practice field and then extends onto it in all areas. A process that the Mountaineers are still very much in the process of mastering.

“We were on the ground too much; we’ve got to learn to practice. Stay off the ground. We should be really efficient,” Brown said.

Saturday represented the first day with pads and overall Brown felt that the effort was sloppy, some of which is to be expected since it is the first time since players have strapped up since the bowl game, but other areas can be corrected by adjusting some of those habits.