ORLANDO, W.Va. — West Virginia University football fans began arriving in more significant numbers Monday in Orlando ahead of Wednesday evening’s Russell Athletic Bowl between WVU and Miami.
MetroNews Statewide Sportsline Host Tony Caridi also arrived Monday and noticed a good number of Gold and Blue fans, many choosing to spend the day after Christmas driving to Florida.
“Anytime you can get there in a reasonable driving distance-we’re talking about 12 hours from the Charleston, 15 from Morgantown-that’s still a haul but doable,” Caridi said Monday on MetroNews “Talkline.”
The Mountaineers weren’t scheduled to do any on-field work Monday. They were having a walk-through practice in a ballroom at team headquarters. The physical preparation for the game is mainly done, Caridi said.
“Dana’s (Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen) big thing is to make sure that efficiently they will be ready to go. So emotionally, physically they’re going to be ready to go. He thinks that’s as important as knowing the x’s and o’s of the game,” Caridi said.
The Mountaineers will be at full strength Wednesday. Holgorsen announced previously there were no academic casualties after fall semester grades came in. Last year the Mountaineers lost two players before the bowl game for grades. Caridi said some changes were made in the off-season when it comes to monitoring academics.
“Some people are gone and new people have come in. Dana Holgorsen singled out the person in charge academically because they were caught by surprise last year. They had no idea that was coming,” Caridi said.
Also Monday, several Mountaineers visited a children’s hospital in Orlando.
MetroNews GameDay coverage of Wednesday evening’s game begins at 2:30 p.m.