Limiting Turnovers
August 30, 2005 10:48 AM | General
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Seventeen years ago West Virginia was rolling to a 35-25 victory over the Rutgers football team at the Meadowlands. I made the comment during our television broadcast that despite a multitude of WVU turnovers, the Mountaineers were still going to win because the opponent was Rutgers.
I didn’t know the audio of our telecast was being heard in the suite of the Rutgers athletic director, whom from what I am told became infuriated.
Sorry, but the truth is the truth. Some teams are so good they can handle multiple turnovers and win; others can’t afford to be generous with possession of the coveted pigskin.
Although the 2005 Mountaineers have yet to bury the ball into the belly of a superback or fire the oblong spheroid into the outstretched hands of a pass-catcher, here’s a little prediction for you. They CAN NOT afford to lose the turnover battle and expect to win.
This team must be as stingy and resourceful as the 2002 Mountaineers that were among the nation’s best in turnover margin. WVU’s ability to possess the ball and take it way was a major reason it won nine games that season. That could have easily been a six or seven-win season if the Mountaineers were turnover prone.
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| Tony says West Virginia needs some of that goop Lester Hayes used when he played for the Oakland Raiders.
Submitted photo |
If all goes as planned, next season’s Mountaineer team (2006) may be able to get away with a few turnovers and still win; they’ll be experienced and talented, however, that does not apply to the team that takes the field this Sunday in Syracuse.
The win/loss margin is razor thin. If the Mountaineers are among the nation’s best in turnover margin they’ll be right in position to win the Big East title. They will be in the middle of the pack if they lose the turnover battle.
Case in point: the 1987 Mountaineers were a talented but young team. Multiple turnovers in early-season games at Ohio State and Maryland proved costly. They finished with six wins and a berth in the Sun Bowl. That team could have easily won nine games, but their margin of error was small because they lacked experience and had a first-year starter at quarterback.
Sound familiar?
The following year turnovers didn’t bother them and they finished the regular season 11-0.
Yeah, I know, I’m not dropping neuroscience on you here -- it’s just old-fashioned common sense. Inexperienced offensive teams can’t commit turnovers and win
There’s no way to predict if a team will be turnover prone, you just have to play the games. Under Coach Rod the Mountaineers have done a very good job of not turning the ball over and if that trend continues, all should be fine Sunday in the Carrier Dome and for the rest of the season.
Just to be safe, I’ll put a call into Lester Hayes to see if he’s got any of his magic goop left.
