From one perspective, Saturday’s game between West Virginia and Maryland was a disappointment. This was billed as a showdown between long-time rivals, but instead we got a laughable blowout.
The course for the Mountaineers’ 45-6 destruction of the Terrapins was set on Maryland’s first possession when, after driving to the West Virginia 38, Wes Brown was stopped on fourth-and-1. The Mountaineers then drove the field for a touchdown, and followed up with touchdowns on three of their next four possessions, while the Terps devolved into a series of punts, penalties and turnovers.
At no point during the game was there any evidence exhibited by the Terps that they had a chance to win, come back or even avoid being humiliated.
One of the storylines heading into the game was how West Virginia’s young receivers would match up against Maryland’s mature secondary. The statement play on that question came when sophomore Shelton Gibson out-strode Maryland’s best defender, Will Likely, to haul in a perfect 41-yard scoring pass from Skylar Howard to extend the lead to 28-0.
Gibson finished with six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, the second coming on a short catch and run, which Metronews’ Allan Taylor described this way: “Watching Gibson stutterstep through three defenders on a 15-yard touchdown screen looked more suited for a high school highlight reel, not the kind of intensity we were promised in a border rivalry.”
Coaches caution to never get too high after the wins or low after the losses. Those kinds of emotional swings create their own sets of problems. However, Saturday’s game should at least contribute to a sense of optimism for Mountaineer fans as they set out on a demanding conference schedule that includes four teams that are currently ranked in the Top 25.
But West Virginia has now earned a ranking itself, coming in at No. 23 in the AP poll and No. 21 in the coaches’ poll. No doubt the Oklahoma press will bill this Saturday’s game in Norman as a matchup with a dangerous West Virginia team.
Meanwhile, the WVU-Maryland series takes an unfortunate hiatus until 2020. With the exception of a blowout loss to Maryland in 2013, the game has become an annual win on the WVU schedule over the last decade. But Mountaineer fans should still watch with interest for the next few years to see what becomes of their old rival.
Two weeks ago, Maryland was embarrassed by Bowling Green 48-27. Maryland’s second half implosion, combined with an in-game weather delay, collapsed the Byrd Stadium attendance by the fourth quarter to immediate family and vendors.
A Washington Post story last week strongly suggested that Coach Randy Edsall’s job is secure, despite a losing record over four-plus seasons. “Edsall maintains powerful support within the school and is only three months removed from signing a contract extension that would be financially burdensome to sever early,” the Post reported.
Under the extension, Maryland would have to pay Edsall $2.6 million if he’s fired before Jan. 15, 2017. After that, the buyout falls to $500,000 between 2017 and 2018 and nothing after that.
Maryland’s athletics department is already in a precarious financial position, prompting the question of whether the school can even afford to fire Edsall. However, if Saturday’s game in Morgantown is an indication of the state of the football program, the larger issue is whether Maryland can afford to keep him.