Football Notebook: WVU, Virginia Tech Familiarity
August 28, 2017 04:25 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – It's been 12 years since West Virginia and Virginia Tech last played each other in football, but that doesn't mean the teams are lacking in familiarity.
The series predates current head coaches Dana Holgorsen and Justin Fuente, of course, but the two are pretty familiar with each other from their offensive coordinator days in the Big 12 - Holgorsen at Oklahoma State and Fuente at TCU.
Fuente also played quarterback at Union High in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the prep alma mater of West Virginia offensive coordinator Jake Spavital.
"I've followed him for a long time, way back to his playing days growing up in Tulsa, and in particular being at TCU and Memphis," Holgorsen said.
Holgorsen's nephew Clay played one season for Fuente at Memphis before Fuente took the Virginia Tech job prior to last season.
And the ties don't stop there.
Virginia Tech cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell spent three seasons working for Holgorsen at West Virginia and recruited a number of players who will play in Sunday's game. Longtime Virginia Tech defensive line coach Charley Wiles faced the Mountaineers 10 times when the two programs were playing on an annual basis in the Big East and is very familiar with the series.
Ditto defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who is spending his 31st season in Blacksburg this fall.
"The one thing I've known about Virginia Tech, even before I got to West Virginia seven years ago, is who Bud Foster is and what he does defensively. I have great admiration for him and what they do," Holgorsen said. "They're tricky; they've got really good players and they're always sound with what they do."
Holgorsen, too, has some coaches with knowledge of the Virginia Tech game and what it means to the people in the southern part of West Virginia, close to Blacksburg.
Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson coached five games against the Hokies when he was a member of Rich Rodriguez's WVU staff from 2001-07, and Bruce Tall has been involved in three games with the Hokies during the years 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Running backs coach Tony Dews also has experience vying for the Black Diamond Trophy as a graduate assistant coach on Don Nehlen's WVU staff in 1999 and 2000 and as a member of Rodriguez's staff in 2001.
"We have three or four guys on our staff that have been in this game," Holgorsen said. "They've educated the coaches that haven't been here in the past as far as what it means so I think the closer it gets the more it will mean for the coaches and players as well."
Additionally, Gibson, Tall and Dews have familiarity with Virginia Tech starting quarterback Josh Jackson. They spent three years working with Josh's father, Ray, at Michigan.
Keep in mind, too, that these two programs frequently compete on the recruiting trail as well.
Briefly:
* During his Monday morning Big 12 coaches' teleconference, Holgorsen said he is a big fan of opening the season with a high-profile, Power 5 opponent at a neutral site.
The last time West Virginia did this against preseason No. 2-ranked Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Holgorsen's team fared well against the powerful Crimson Tide, falling 33-23.
"The last time I dealt with this three years ago when we opened up with Alabama down in Atlanta, it makes the offense kind of flow better," Holgorsen pointed out. "The attention to detail in practices … you seem to not lose the guys like you sometimes do when you open with a lower-level team.
"Is it good or bad? I don't know. I know it's worked out good for us and I think our kids are ready to go," he added.
* Holgorsen said he's excited to hand over the play-calling duties to Jake Spavital, allowing him the freedom to more closely manage all three phases of play on game day instead of worrying about what plays to call.
Holgorsen said the team's mock week with Spavital calling the plays, Gibson running the defense and him overseeing the entire operation went very smoothly.
Because Holgorsen is considered such a fantastic play caller, he's spent a lot of time during the offseason answering questions about finally relinquishing that aspect of coaching.
"If I didn't think it was going to help I wouldn't have done it," Holgorsen admitted. "I can do some other things now. During our mock game last weekend I was way more in-tune with the transitional stuff, game management stuff and getting guys on and off the field and directing the sidelines."
Holgorsen managed these things before, but now he can do so without the burden of having to clear his mind, study the other defense and get organized for the next sequence of plays he has to call.
Spavital is now here to do that, with Holgorsen's input, of course.
* Holgorsen had this to say when asked how junior wide receiver Gary Jennings Jr. was developing after two somewhat pedestrian seasons in 2015 and 2016, catching a total of 17 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns: "It's going to be interesting to see – and I think I know the answer to this – if he's ready to start taking over more games."
To me, that's code for Jennings has had one heck of a preseason camp.
* And finally, Holgorsen said FedExField is going to be full of West Virginia running backs on Sunday night.
As many as six different ball carriers could see playing time against the Hokies, including the two true freshmen - Tevin Bush and Alec Sinkfield. That's saying something when you consider the Mountaineers have the Big 12's leading returning rusher in senior Justin Crawford.
"We're going to line up six of them and play them all," he said. "I consider Eli (Wellman) one of our main guys in that fullback/H-back role.
"Obviously, Justin Crawford is our starter and Kennedy McKoy has started games for us. Martell Pettaway has played games for us and we've got some freshmen that can carry the ball as well."
Interesting.
We'll have more from Holgorsen, his assistant coaches and select players on Tuesday.
The series predates current head coaches Dana Holgorsen and Justin Fuente, of course, but the two are pretty familiar with each other from their offensive coordinator days in the Big 12 - Holgorsen at Oklahoma State and Fuente at TCU.
Fuente also played quarterback at Union High in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the prep alma mater of West Virginia offensive coordinator Jake Spavital.
"I've followed him for a long time, way back to his playing days growing up in Tulsa, and in particular being at TCU and Memphis," Holgorsen said.
Holgorsen's nephew Clay played one season for Fuente at Memphis before Fuente took the Virginia Tech job prior to last season.
And the ties don't stop there.
Virginia Tech cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell spent three seasons working for Holgorsen at West Virginia and recruited a number of players who will play in Sunday's game. Longtime Virginia Tech defensive line coach Charley Wiles faced the Mountaineers 10 times when the two programs were playing on an annual basis in the Big East and is very familiar with the series.
Ditto defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who is spending his 31st season in Blacksburg this fall.
"The one thing I've known about Virginia Tech, even before I got to West Virginia seven years ago, is who Bud Foster is and what he does defensively. I have great admiration for him and what they do," Holgorsen said. "They're tricky; they've got really good players and they're always sound with what they do."
Holgorsen, too, has some coaches with knowledge of the Virginia Tech game and what it means to the people in the southern part of West Virginia, close to Blacksburg.
Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson coached five games against the Hokies when he was a member of Rich Rodriguez's WVU staff from 2001-07, and Bruce Tall has been involved in three games with the Hokies during the years 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Running backs coach Tony Dews also has experience vying for the Black Diamond Trophy as a graduate assistant coach on Don Nehlen's WVU staff in 1999 and 2000 and as a member of Rodriguez's staff in 2001.
"We have three or four guys on our staff that have been in this game," Holgorsen said. "They've educated the coaches that haven't been here in the past as far as what it means so I think the closer it gets the more it will mean for the coaches and players as well."
Additionally, Gibson, Tall and Dews have familiarity with Virginia Tech starting quarterback Josh Jackson. They spent three years working with Josh's father, Ray, at Michigan.
Keep in mind, too, that these two programs frequently compete on the recruiting trail as well.
Briefly:
* During his Monday morning Big 12 coaches' teleconference, Holgorsen said he is a big fan of opening the season with a high-profile, Power 5 opponent at a neutral site.
The last time West Virginia did this against preseason No. 2-ranked Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Holgorsen's team fared well against the powerful Crimson Tide, falling 33-23.
"The last time I dealt with this three years ago when we opened up with Alabama down in Atlanta, it makes the offense kind of flow better," Holgorsen pointed out. "The attention to detail in practices … you seem to not lose the guys like you sometimes do when you open with a lower-level team.
"Is it good or bad? I don't know. I know it's worked out good for us and I think our kids are ready to go," he added.
* Holgorsen said he's excited to hand over the play-calling duties to Jake Spavital, allowing him the freedom to more closely manage all three phases of play on game day instead of worrying about what plays to call.
Holgorsen said the team's mock week with Spavital calling the plays, Gibson running the defense and him overseeing the entire operation went very smoothly.
Because Holgorsen is considered such a fantastic play caller, he's spent a lot of time during the offseason answering questions about finally relinquishing that aspect of coaching.
"If I didn't think it was going to help I wouldn't have done it," Holgorsen admitted. "I can do some other things now. During our mock game last weekend I was way more in-tune with the transitional stuff, game management stuff and getting guys on and off the field and directing the sidelines."
Holgorsen managed these things before, but now he can do so without the burden of having to clear his mind, study the other defense and get organized for the next sequence of plays he has to call.
Spavital is now here to do that, with Holgorsen's input, of course.
* Holgorsen had this to say when asked how junior wide receiver Gary Jennings Jr. was developing after two somewhat pedestrian seasons in 2015 and 2016, catching a total of 17 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns: "It's going to be interesting to see – and I think I know the answer to this – if he's ready to start taking over more games."
To me, that's code for Jennings has had one heck of a preseason camp.
* And finally, Holgorsen said FedExField is going to be full of West Virginia running backs on Sunday night.
As many as six different ball carriers could see playing time against the Hokies, including the two true freshmen - Tevin Bush and Alec Sinkfield. That's saying something when you consider the Mountaineers have the Big 12's leading returning rusher in senior Justin Crawford.
"We're going to line up six of them and play them all," he said. "I consider Eli (Wellman) one of our main guys in that fullback/H-back role.
"Obviously, Justin Crawford is our starter and Kennedy McKoy has started games for us. Martell Pettaway has played games for us and we've got some freshmen that can carry the ball as well."
Interesting.
We'll have more from Holgorsen, his assistant coaches and select players on Tuesday.
Players Mentioned
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