Rutgers Notebook
October 04, 2008 04:02 PM | General
Compiled by the WVU Sports Communications Office
October 4, 2008 Today’s game captains for West Virginia are John Holmes, John Bradshaw, Jake Figner and Doug Slavonic. Coach Bill Stewart selects game captains each week. Team captains will be elected at the end of the season.
Anthony Leonard was WVU’s lone first-time starter against Rutgers. West Virginia now has a total of 37 players with at least one game of starting experience. Tops on that list are Ryan Stanchek (39), Pat White (35), Greg Isdaner (30) and Jake Figner (30). All of Stanchek and Isdander’s starts are consecutive.
Pat White’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Urban was Urban’s first career catch.
The extra point by Pat McAfee on the first touchdown set the WVU career kick scoring record at 324 points. Entering the game, McAfee was tied with Paul Woodside with 323 kick scoring points.
Urban’s touchdown reception was the first touchdown reception by a West Virginia tight end since Michael Villagrana had a two-yard touchdown reception against Virginia Tech in 2005.
Pat White’s 18-yard run in the first quarter moved him into second place in all-time NCAA career quarterback rushing. White passed Antwaan Randle El, who had 3,895 career rushing yards at Indiana from 1998-2001. Brad Smith (2002-05) is the NCAA all-time leader with 4,289 career rushing yards.
Jock Sanders’ 14-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter from White was the fourth touchdown reception of the season for Sanders. Sanders has a touchdown in all three home games this season.
With two touchdown passes today, White now has 44 career touchdown passes, moving him into third place all-time at WVU for career touchdown passes. White moved past Oliver Luck and Chad Johnson, who both had 43 touchdown passes during their careers.
With three extra points today, McAfee moved into second place in BIG EAST career extra points made. McAfee passed Nate Trout of Syracuse, who had 187 career extra points made from 1996-99. Carter Warley (2000-03) is the BIG EAST all-time leader with 190 career extra points made at Virginia Tech.
Rutgers’ touchdown in the second quarter was the first touchdown scored against West Virginia since the first quarter of the Colorado game. Prior to that touchdown, WVU had gone eight quarters and an overtime without giving up a touchdown.
Jarrett Brown’s one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the first rushing touchdown of the season for Brown and seventh of his career.
Zac Cooper’s 18-yard run on a fake punt in the third quarter marked the first time WVU had a successful fake punt since Phil Brady had a 10-yard run vs. Georgia in the Nokia Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, 2006.
Pat White has now thrown two touchdowns in 15 career games, including 12 of his last 21 games. WVU is 13-2 when White throws two touchdowns in a game.
Wes Lyons’s four catches were a career high. He had three catches versus Eastern Washington in 2006.
Once again West Virginia won the time of possession advantage, 34:57 to 25:03. The Mountaineers also improved on third down going 8 of 16.
WVU improved to 30-4-2 all-time against Rutgers and has won 14 straight in the series. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano is now 0-8 against the Mountaineers. West Virginia is now 16-0 against Rutgers in Morgantown.
WVU is 36-7 over the last 43 games and 18-4 in the BIG EAST in that span.
WVU has won 48 of its last 58 regular-season games. WVU has won 51 of its last 63 overall games.
WVU improved to 29-6 with Pat White as the starting quarterback.
West Virginia is 35-14 in BIG EAST games since 2001.
WVU has outrushed its opponents in 37 of 38 games; WVU’s record is 32-6 during that span.
West Virginia is now 10-8 overall in BIG EAST Conference openers, including a 5-1 home record.
For the second straight game backup Jarrett Brown had to come in and finish the game. Last week Pat White left during the third quarter of the Marshall game with a thumb injury. Against Rutgers, White was knocked out of the game running for a first down on the Mountaineers’ only touchdown drive of the second half. Once again Brown had to finish the game.
For the second consecutive week Jeff Casteel’s defense limited an opponent to less than 300 yards of total offense. Last week Marshall was held to 158 total yards and this week Rutgers managed only 270 yards. The Scarlet Knights were 5 of 15 on third down and had just 72 yards on the ground.
Tyler Urban’s 25-yard TD reception was the first by a tight end in nearly three years. The last tight end to catch a touchdown pass in a game was Mike Villagrana against Virginia Tech in 2005.
A large contingent of players from the 1988 team were at the game today celebrating the 20th anniversary of the school’s first undefeated, untied regular season in history. The group was recognized during an on-field ceremony following the end of the first quarter.
October 4, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Postgame notes following West Virginia’s 24-17 victory over Rutgers Saturday afternoon at Milan Puskar Stadium:
The Scarlet Knights also got in the end zone midway through the fourth quarter. WVU has now held its opponents out of the end zone in 10 of the last 12 quarters.
Serving as honorary team captains for the coin toss were quarterback Major Harris, center Kevin Koken, offensive guard John Stroia and safety Bo Orlando.
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