West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson has been coaching football for almost two decades. Last year, Baylor earned a prestigious honor from the veteran, who was then the Mountaineers' safeties coach, by beating West Virginia 73-42
"That was the worst beating I've ever taken in coaching," Gibson told FOX Sports Southwest this week.
The Bears led 56-14 at halftime and racked up 832 yards of offense against the outmanned Mountaineers. Only 376 of those yards were through the air; Baylor ran for 476 yards by averaging 7.8 yards on 61 carries.
Saturday, he and his Mountaineer defense have a chance to atone for last year's nightmare. In two meetings as Big 12 bedfellows, Baylor has averaged an astounding 68 points against West Virginia.
"They're the same. They've got the same playmakers. They don't have 16 (WR Tevin Reese), but that (KD) Cannon kid is a really good player. They're not missing a beat right now. To put 61 up on TCU--TCU was a top 5 defense in the country," Gibson said. "Petty looks as good as he's ever looked. The wideouts are still running fast, the running backs are still running hard and the line's still blocking people. They're pretty damn good."
So if West Virginia's going to spring the upset and reset the Big 12 title picture (perhaps allowing itself to be included), the WVU defense better not be the same. So far this season, it hasn't been.
An improved offense has been the biggest reason why West Virginia equaled last year's win total (4) in six games, but the defense has gotten a boost from freshman safety Dravon Henry's speed and a breakout season from linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski.
In three conference games, West Virginia is giving up just 5.64 yards per play, down from 6.21 in conference games a year ago, which ranked ninth in the Big 12, ahead of only Iowa State.
"We make mental mistakes and give up some big plays," Gibson said. "A lot of the stuff that's happened, we're doing to ourselves, but we step up at the right time. We really have all year."
The Mountaineers have done it without top cornerbacks Ickey Banks, who missed three games with an academic suspension and Daryl Worley, who missed two games while a misdemeanor assault charge was investigated.
Both will be back on field Saturday when Baylor arrives in Morgantown as the Big 12 favorite and give WVU the speed and experience to help slow down Baylor's passing game.
"They run the ball pretty good, we feel like we run the ball pretty good. They can play at a fast-paced, uptempo offensively. We can do that. We've shown our defense that a good bit," coach Dana Holgorsen said. "Our defense is designed for this. They're equipped for this. Whether they can hold up, time will tell."
Gibson and the defensive staff spent more time evaluating Baylor's recent games against teams like Oklahoma State and Texas who have had success slowing down Baylor in previous games this year and last, but especially Texas, who did it with a similar three-man front as the Mountaineers. Gibson, though, also saw loads of uncharacteristic drops in Baylor's 28-7 win over Texas, when the Bears were shut out offensively in the first half.
"That helps, to try to see what (Texas) did that fits into what we do and try to put it all together and see if we can run it," he said.
Monday, Holgorsen called Baylor the nation's deepest receiving corps, and "maybe the deepest that I've ever seen."
A shutout isn't a reasonable goal, but preventing big plays and "one-play drives" qualifies as realistic and might be enough to give Holgorsen and the Mountaineers' offense a chance.
"We have to make them earn everything they get," Gibson said.
West Virginia has forced just four turnovers this season, more than only Michigan and Louisiana-Monroe. Gibson wants to change that trend, but the Mountaineers are 27th nationally as of last week in FD, a Football Outsiders stat that measures the percentage of opponent drives that convert at least one first down.
"You have to get them behind the sticks early in the possession. Get a negative play early," Gibson said. "People don't give Baylor enough credit for running the ball. They knock off seven or eight yards on first down, then the playbook's wide open and they can do whatever they want."
BEHIND BOWEN'S CHANGES
Clint Bowen is living out his coaching dream after being put in charge of his alma mater, Kansas. He even earned a vote of confidence from veteran assistant Dave Campo on Tuesday. KU's assistant head coach said Bowen was "ready" to be the full-time head coach.
As such, Bowen's not in the business of throwing stones right now.
Fortunately, I'm in the business of reading between lines.
I've wondered for weeks why Kansas, a team mostly devoid of offensive weapons, refused to find more ways to get the ball in the hands of its only legitimate big-play threat, Tony Pierson. Pierson began his career as a running back and led the team with 760 yards rushing in 2012 before moving into a hybrid role in 2013, when he had 24 catches and 24 carries before suffering a concussion that limited his availability the rest of the season.
This week, Bowen called Pierson the "most explosive" player KU has on the field.
As a senior this year, he'd been pushed into a traditional receiver role and had just 12 receptions and eight carries before Charlie Weis was fired four games into the season. (One of those eight carries, by the way, went for a 74-yard touchdown.)
Teams were able to negate Pierson with various coverages that didn't have to worry about many other dangers in KU's offense.
After Weis' firing, however, Pierson went back to work with the running backs in practice. Saturday, he made his debut and got 10 carries. He only turned them into 26 yards (including a 12-yard carry), but it was a concerted effort to get him more touches. Finally.
Monday, I asked Bowen about the change.
"Putting him at tailback a little more guarantees that they can't keep us from turning around and handing it off to him," Bowen said. "We felt we could get the ball in his hands more, and when he does, he's one of the guys that has a chance of making a special play for us."
So why the change now?
"At that time, the philosophy was that he was more valuable on the outside," Bowen said. "I just kind of saw it differently."
That's a little icy. It's also obvious.
I'll never understand Weis' unwillingness to use Pierson more and it seems the guy who had to try and defend Pierson in practice every day didn't understand it either.
BIG TASK AHEAD FOR POKES O-LINE
Mike Gundy's favorite word these days to describe anything involving his offense is "average."
Inexperience is the biggest reason why Oklahoma State's moved the ball with less explosiveness and consistency than it is accustomed, and that's especially true along the offensive line.
"We're just very average," Gundy said.
In 2011 and 2012, the Cowboys led the Big 12 in yards per carry with an average of 5.39 in both seasons. Last year, they were tied with Texas for fourth in the league at 4.44 yards a carry.
This season, that number has plummeted to 3.77, good for only seventh in the conference. Considering Oklahoma State only played one legitimate defense (Florida State) in nonconference play and its first three conference games were against three of the Big 12's four worst rush defenses, that's a major concern as the schedule heats up in the next month, beginning with Saturday's trip to TCU.
"We're just trying to learn and gain some ground," Gundy said. "Quarterback played average (against Kansas) and again, we don't run the football very well and when you don't run the football well, it makes it extremely difficult to be balanced on offense and have success."
Three of Oklahoma State's offensive linemen made their college football debut against the Seminoles and a leg injury sidelined redshirt freshman right tackle Zach Crabtree, giving sophomore Michael Wilson his first career start.
"They're just like a sophomore playing high school football. They're just trying to learn which way to go and who to block and we just weren't very good at it. We need to continue to improve."
TCU's defense demands it.
TCU is giving up just 3.08 yards per carry, third-lowest in the Big 12. The Frogs also lead the conference in sacks per game, with 3.8. Oklahoma State has given up 16, the most in the Big 12 and a half a sack more per game than any other team in the conference.
"Defensive linemen are more athletic than they've ever been. You have bigger, stronger, faster defensive players on the field there to expose an offensive lineman," Gundy said. "The majority of offenses that you see in college football now are more spread. They're not covered up with tight ends and fullbacks, so your linemen can be more exposed."
K-STATE'S TASTEFUL TRIBUTE
My stomach dropped on Saturday morning when I read former Kansas State star David Garrett had been shot and killed on Friday in Cleveland, his hometown. He was one of the Big 12's best cornerbacks in 2010 and 2011, helping lay the foundation for Kansas State's Big 12 title in 2012.
I only got to talk with him a couple times, but I enjoyed watching him and I was glad to hear Kansas State is working on a way to honor him on its uniform this weekend and likely beyond.
It's a good chance to remind Garrett's family that the word "family," upon which Snyder built his program, transcends blood. Garrett, best known as "Rat," was only 5-8 and 175 pounds, but earned a reputation for playing bigger than he was and getting the most out of his talent.
You'll have a hard time finding a player that better personifies what Kansas State's program is about.
A DECENT PROPOSAL
Nothing like a little Big 12-flavored love. Well played, sir. Here's more on the story behind this video, but you should give it a watch.
This lucky lady's now-husband debuted this video as a proposal by taking over all the TV screens at a bar in Addison.
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
“@ericakearbey: @b_petty14 saw these socks today, thought you'd like to see them! ? pic.twitter.com/o7zfNkBX5t” I want them!!!
— Bryce Petty (@b_petty14) October 9, 2014
Oklahoma defensive lineman Chuka Ndulue also took over the OU Football account after practice on Monday. The results were outstanding.
.@Soonerfbfan81 @chukaduka cause man Chuka's a weird name
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 13, 2014
FUN WITH NUMBERS
Iowa State is the only Big 12 team and one of just nine teams nationally who haven't missed a field goal this season. Cyclone kicker Cole Netten is 7-of-7 this season, including 3-of-3 in Saturday's win over Toledo. Netten is also 18-of-18 on extra points.
The Big 12's leader in defensive yards per play in conference games? Texas, at 4.36. No other Big 12 team is below 4.9.
In three Big 12 games, Texas has given up just one first down via penalty. Baylor has surrendered 12.
TCU has forced three turnovers per game this season, the most in the Big 12 and tied for fifth-most nationally. West Virginia has forced just four turnovers all season.
Iowa State has given up 20 rushing touchdowns. Only Bowling Green and New Mexico State have given up more, but both have played seven games. Iowa State has played just six.
Baylor didn't give up a sack in its first three games, but has given up seven (three vs. Texas, four vs. TCU) in its first two conference games. Both Texas and TCU are in the national top 15 in sacks per game.
POWER RANKINGS
What follows is the definitive, all-time breakfast cereal ranking. (Defunct cereals are included.)
