MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Wendell Smallwood, quicker through the hole than he is with a diagnosis, wasn’t sure why West Virginia’s offense experienced putrid first halves the past two weeks.
“It’s hard to pinpoint,” he said. “Just dudes missing assignments, brain farts, stuff like that. Guys not being focused or all-in.”
First, West Virginia trailed 24-7 at Oklahoma at halftime of what became a 44-24 loss. During Saturday night’s 33-26 overtime loss to Oklahoma State, the Mountaineers’ only score of the first two quarters came courtesy of Kyle Rose’s safety sack.
“We weren’t blocking. That’s the bottom line,” said coach Dana Holgorsen. “(Skyler Howard) was pressured in the pass game, again. We didn’t get a whole lot going. We didn’t start very good. It’s on me. I have to get them ready to go.
“You have to play four quarters if you want to win in the Big 12. Right now, we are not capable of doing that.”
On the Gold & Blue Lunch Report, we reprise a tradition like no other—the Monday stock report—in which the offensive sloppiness is addressed and the defensive resilience applauded.
Like cornerback Terrell Chestnut, with his hand on two interceptions and five pass breakups, saw his defense mitigate the WVU offense’s mistakes. But there was no mitigating J.W. Walsh scoring on a fourth-and-1 gamble in overtime.
“It was heartbreaking,” Chestnut said. “We fought so hard all game. We wanted the game on our backs and we didn’t make a play. To see him cross that goal line was hurtful.”