Texas Longhorns vs. West Virginia Mountaineers: Complete Game Preview

The theories behind West Virginia’s emerging identity as a run-first offense are numerous and, at times, bizarre.

West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard (3) is sacked by Texas Tech linebacker D’Vonta Hinton (34) during the second half of a NCAA college football game, Saturday, November 7, 2015, in Morgantown, W.Va. West Virginia defeated Texas Tech 31-26.

Each coming off much-needed wins, the Texas Longhorns and West Virginia Mountaineers will square off in Morgantown on Saturday. The highly productive back has 954 yards and 6 touchdowns on 6.7 yards per carry this season. “We can’t have any distractions”, Strong said. “It’s not where I want to be”. Holgorsen also points to improving his pass protection, his receivers running the proper routes and Howard timing his throws better.

“I know what it’s supposed to look like, and it doesn’t look like this”, Holgorsen said of the passing attack.

“West Virginia is going to be mad”, Strong said, seemingly embarrassed for celebrating so overtly after a win that merely improved his team to 5-5.

“They’re playing the same schemes as past year, just that the personnel is a lot younger”, he said, “but I see improvement”. It proved to be crucial to the Longhorns’ bowl hopes, however, just as this week’s game figures to be. The maligned Texas offense beat up on the Jayhawks, piling up 598 yards of offense in Saturday’s 59-20 win.

After West Virginia opened as a seven-point favorite over Texas, the line was quickly bet up to 8½ points.

Offensive line coach Ron Crook was pleased with the results. If West Virginia takes care of its business, the Big 12 stands unlikely to fill its bowl allotments, though WVU will take a huge step closer to one.

“The first five snaps were tough because those were the first five hits you get in the game, and when you haven’t played in a game it’s pretty different”. As it finished, Smallwood managed the most rushing yards in a game for West Virginia since Tavon Austin amassed 344 against Oklahoma in 2012. WVU routinely blew the Raiders several yards off the ball, and both Shell and Smallwood had significant holes on almost every possession. “I’m not naive. I understand that we have to do better in the passing game”. We have good run blockers, guys who take pride in it. One thing Skyler is doing well is getting us into the right run play.