HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ sports columnist Chuck Landon grades both the West Virginia football teamÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s win over Kansas and MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s win over Louisiana Tech
WVU 38, Kansas 17
OFFENSE: C+ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” So, which half do I grade? The gawd-awful first half, which included winless and head-coach-less Kansas taking a 10-0 lead, while the Mountaineers bumbled and fumbled?
Or the second half when running back Leddie Brown was a Moses in shoulder pads leading WVU out of the wilderness? Brown was phenomenal, punctuating a 195-yard rushing performance on 18 carries (10.8 per attempt) with an 87-yard breakaway touchdown. He was the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œplusÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ in this grade.
DEFENSE: A ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” This unit posted some staggering statistics. It had 11 tackles for loss, including five sacks; three pass breakups; and two interceptions. Now, thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a dayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s work.
The Mountaineers held Kansas to 95 yards passing and only 62 yards rushing for just 157 yards total offense. Oh, and by the way, ever seen a 282-pound nose tackle make a fully laid-out, diving interception? Me, neither. But thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s what Darius Stills did versus Kansas.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” WVU allowed Kansas triple-threat Pooka Williams to return a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. That alone drops this grade two letters. But WVU also gave Kolton McGhee a shot at punter with mixed results. He did have a 49-yard punt, but averaged only 38.0 yards on four kicks.
COACHING: C ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Coming off a bye week, WVU should have hit the ground running. The Mountaineers should have pummeled the winless Jayhawks into submission by halftime and, then, allowed the second- and third-team to play the second half.
But, instead, the Mountaineers had to wear down Kansas in the second half with BrownÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s breakaway touchdown run serving as the knockout punch.
OVERALL: C ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” WVU canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t afford slow, mistake-laden starts like this during the upcoming span of four Big 12 games in four weeks. That could be disastrous.
MU 35, LA Tech 17
OFFENSE: A ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” One statistic says it all. Marshall was an astonishing 13 of 16 on third-down conversions. Mull that over a moment. Thirteen out of 16! ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a conversion rate of 81.3 percent. ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s both unheard of and Un-Herd of.
The linchpin to that statistic was the offensive line. It allowed quarterback Grant Wells to connect on 19 of 24 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns without suffering a single sack. It also paved the way for running back Brenden Knox to rumble for 125 yards on 32 carries and score two TDs.
DEFENSE: A ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” One statistic says it all, again. MU allowed Louisiana Tech to convert only one of 10 third-down opportunities. Talk about a success rate. Or unsuccessful rate, as the case may be.
And since weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re on the subject of stats, this one speaks volumes, also. The Herd held LA TechÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s rushing attack to seven yards on 24 carries. ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 0.3 yards per attempt. The reason the totals were so low is the MU defense had six sacks. Defensive end Darius Hodge led the way with 1.5, but six other Herd defenders also had sacks. ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s phenomenal.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” MU punter Robert LeFevre punted only once, but it was a dandy that traveled 46 yards.
COACHING: A ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” The third-down conversion percentages on both sides of the ball says it all. The Herd overwhelmed LA Tech in all three phases of the game. And that takes good coaching.
0VERALL: A+ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Totally overwhelming a conference opponent on its home field when the visiting team never had played there during the modern era is an epic accomplishment.
