After defense sets standard, Gibson says ‘we can’t go back’

STILLWATER, Okla. — After a win over Baylor brought mayhem to the Big 12 standings, not to mention the streets of Morgantown, what can No. 22 West Virginia’s defense offer as a follow-up?

Coordinator Tony Gibson promises only that he’ll remain aggressive in his play-calling, an approach that gave players added bounce and swagger last week.

“The effort that we played with was like nothing I’ve seen before.Those kids were dialed in and flying around,” he said. “Our identity right now, and the kids know it, is we’re going to play physical and we’re going to play fast. We set the standard—we can’t go back.”

After blitzing on 48 of Baylor’s 79 snaps—including 19 cover-zero packages that left cornerbacks exposed without safety help—West Virginia hopes to bring the same nerve and pressure Saturday at Oklahoma State, which shares a 5-2 overall record and a 3-1 league mark.

“That’s the one thing that I promised when I took the job—that we’re no going to sit back,” Gibson said. “That’s easy to say when you’re not in game mode, but (against Baylor) we picked the best offense in our league and probably the best in country to try it against, and it worked.”

Oklahoma State’s offense isn’t nearly so scary as Baylor’s. Its offensive line is in rebuilding mode. Backup quarterback Daxx Garman, forced into action because of a serious foot injury to JW Walsh, is upside-down in touchdown-to-interception ratio during four Big 12 starts.

Garman aims to rebound from a brutal 42-9 loss at TCU, where he completed only 10-of-25 passes and was picked off twice.

“We didn’t give him much of a chance,” said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. “There were a couple throws he made I wasn’t fired up about … but if we don’t run the ball better and protect, it’s hard for him to operate.”

Despite the disparity in last week’s results, OSU is favored this weekend, a nod to the Cowboys having won 23 of their last 25 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

Oklahoma State quarterback Daxx Garman (12) is sacked by TCU’s Mike Tuaua (93) and James McFarland (40) during the Frogs’ 42-9 win last week.

 

Matchup: West Virginia (5-2, 3-1) at Oklahoma State (5-2, 3-1)

Kickoff: Saturday, 3:30 p.m Eastern (ESPN)

Radio: Nine hours of coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. on MetroNews affiliates across West Virginia

Line: Oklahoma State favored by 1

Mountaineers in the mix: Prevailing opinion is the Kansas State-TCU winner will nab the Big 12 crown. Yet with five games remaining, West Virginia controls its own destiny in the race—and hosts both of the top contenders in Morgantown. Sure, winning out might seem like pure fantasy, but the Mountaineers look far more capable than the team projected eighth in the preseason.

“I think Vegas had our over/under at like three wins, so I’m glad we got past that,” joked quarterback Clint Trickett.

Fighting the Baylor hangover: Claiming there’s good adversity and bad adversity, nose guard Kyle Rose said West Virginia is facing the former this week as it tries to maintain the momentum from beating Baylor.

The past two seasons WVU has followed up signature wins with lopsided road losses. It beat No. 11 OSU in 2013 only to lose 73-42 at Baylor the next week.  In 2012, after knocking off No. 11 Texas, the Mountaineers fell 49-14 at Texas Tech to begin a five-game slide.

“We’re coming off a high-flying win,” Rose said. “Are we going to choke it down like we did a couple years ago when we went to Texas Tech and got beat? I think we’re in a way better spot now, though, with different coaches and a different mentality as a team we worked on in the offseason.”

On the Heisman peripheral: Thanks to seven consecutive 100-yard receiving games, Kevin White has surfaced on several lists as a top-10 candidate for the ultimate hype award.

While the Heisman has become essentially a quarterbacks trophy of late, White could be positioning himself for at least a finalists’ trip to New York.

I think he should be there. Absolutely,” Trickett said. “Every time he gets a chance, he makes a play. I’m not a Heisman voter, but I’d give him my vote, that’s for sure.”

The rise of Riddick: After a quiet five games, Gardner Webb graduate transfer Shaq Riddick has four sacks the past two week, including three against Baylor.

“Now he’s the starter,” said defensive ends coach Damon Cogdell. “And like I told him, it’s your job to lose.”

While the slender Riddick’s adjustment to facing FBS linemen figured to be tough, having to miss team workouts this summer (while finishing an online undergrad course) also hampered him.

“He was behind the 8-ball,” Cogdell said.”He was getting a little frustrated. He just wanted it all to happen overnight.”





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