Compiled by WVU Sports Communications
September 12, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – There are better ways to start a football game than the way West Virginia did Saturday afternoon against East Carolina.
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Ovid Goulbourne gets one of his two sacks Saturday against East Carolina.
Dale Sparks/All-Pro Photography photo
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The Mountaineers had an illegal block in the back on the opening kickoff return that sent the ball all the way back to the WVU eight. Then, two false start penalties put the ball back on the WVU three.
West Virginia's poor field position led to East Carolina’s game-opening field goal.
Four minutes later, the Pirates got a 38-yard punt return from Travis Simmons and a 15-yard personal foul on Ovid Goulborne that placed the football at the West Virginia 26. Seven plays after that, the Pirates were in the end zone for a 10-0 lead.
East Carolina’s final 10 points of the first half came as a result of two botched punt returns by Jock Sanders and Brandon Hogan. Sanders’ muffed punt ended in a Pirate 23-yard field goal with 4:20 remaining, and Hogan’s fumble set up ECU’s second score in a span of only two minutes when Patrick Pinkney hit Jamar Bryant for a four-yard touchdown pass, nearly wiping out an eight-point Mountaineer lead.
“Number one, we erased a 10-point deficit,” said Stewart. “We displayed mental toughness in the Old Gold and Blue. Number three, we showed the ability today to run the ball and pass the ball. Number four, I’m very proud of Jarrett Brown and his position coach, Jeff Mullen. Number five, that was Mountaineer defense today.”
Indeed it was. The remaining 54 minutes of the game West Virginia’s defense blanked East Carolina.
East Carolina’s four scoring drives on Saturday covered 31, 26, 0, and 18 yards.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” Stewart admitted. “We’re not close enough to being a good football team, but I’m happier to be where we are today than where we were a year ago.”
More Game Notes:
West Virginia game captains were Jarrett Brown, Boogie Allen, Reed Williams and Alric Arnett. Coach Bill Stewart selects game captains each week. Team captains will be elected at the end of the season.
Tavon Austin was the lone first-time starter for West Virginia against East Carolina. The Mountaineers now have 32 players with at least one game of starting experience. Scooter Berry made his team-leading 25th start today. Berry also leads the team with 20 consecutive starts.
Eric Jobe started at center while Joe Madsen started at right guard. Last week, Madsen started at center and Jobe at right guard.
Jarrett Brown’s 46-yard touchdown pass to Alric Arnett was Arnett’s first touchdown reception of the season and seventh of his career. It was Brown’s first touchdown pass of the season.
“In the end, I think Brown made all of the difference,” said East Carolina coach Skip Holtz. “He played special today, and I told him that after the game. I made a point to go and grab him. I told him I was impressed with the way he handled himself today.”
Holtz said Brown is difficult to bring down even when the Pirates managed to get pressure on him.
“He’s a big back,” Holtz said. “He stands tall in the pocket. He threw the ball well today, and his receivers went and got the balls. I thought he threw the deep ball extremely well today. Then, when we thought we had him a few times but we couldn’t finish tackles. That’s what he does – he is a big, athletic quarterback. I think he has the full package.”
Brown’s 55-yard pass to Bradley Starks was a career long for Starks.
Brown’s four-yard touchdown pass to Will Johnson was Johnson’s second career touchdown reception. He had a three-yard touchdown reception against Villanova last season.
Brown had multiple passing touchdowns in a game for the first time in a career. Brown has never had multiple rushing touchdowns in a game.
Brown’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Arnett marked the second time in Arnett’s career he posted two touchdown receptions in a game. The other was against North Carolina in last year’s bowl game.
Brown’s 58-yard touchdown to Tavon Austin was Austin’s first career touchdown and the second catch of his career. The pass was the longest of Brown’s career, surpassing the 48-yard pass in the Rutgers game in 2006.
Brown reached a career high in passing yards, breaking his 244-yard performance against Rutgers in 2006. Brown also reached a career high in completions, surpassing last week’s performance of 19 completions.
Brown’s four touchdown passes marked the most by a Mountaineer quarterback since Pat White threw five touchdowns against Villanova in the opening game of 2008.
Brown set a career best in total offense, breaking his previous mark of 317 yards against Rutgers in 2006.
Brown had more than 400 yards of total offense, becoming the first WVU player to have 400 yards of total offense since Pat White had 424 at Pitt in 2006.
Here are Jarrett Brown’s two-game stats: 43 of 57 for 577 yards and four touchdowns with only one interception. Brown has also rushed 19 times for 142 yards.
Noel Devine moved into 13th place in career rushing at WVU, passing Adrian Murrell, who had 2,097 yards from 1990-92, and Rasheed Marshall who had 2,040 yards rushing from 2001-04. Devine now has 2,108 career rushing yards.
Jock Sanders set a career high in receptions (9) and receiving yards (99).
Najee Goode played the entire second half with starting linebacker Reed Williams out with a sprained foot. Goode had a pair of tackles and a pass breakup. Ovid Goulbourne also had his most productive day as a Mountaineer with five tackles, two sacks and a pair of tackles for losses. Goubourne was personally responsible for 28 of East Carolina’s 56 yards in negative yardage plays.
Brandon Hogan also played well with a team-high 11 tackles to go with two pass breakups.
Keith Tandy’s fourth-quarter interception was the first of his career.
WVU is 44-9 over the last 53 games. WVU has won 55 of its last 67 regular season games.
Since 2000, WVU is 60-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a contest.
Jarrett Brown is 4-0 as the Mountaineer starter and WVU improved to 15-2 when Jarrett Brown throws at least one pass in a game.
WVU improved to 13-0 against East Carolina in Morgantown.
