Bounce back day the Mountaineers as they try to finish the non-conference portion of the season at 4-1 prior to a visit from the UConn Huskies to begin Big East play next week .
–The stadium record for combined pass attempts is 86. That record has about four more hours to live despite the poor weather today. Geno Smith set the school record with 65 attempts last week. The Mountaineers have averaged 47 attempts per game (in 3 3/4 games.) Bowling Green has averaged 35 attempts per contest. Falcons quarterback Matt Schilz leads the nation with 14 touchdown passes.
–One of the over looked sub-plots for this game is the Bowling Green offensive coordinator. Warren Ruggiero is the former head coach at Glenville State. Ruggiero was at Glenville in 1997 and 1998.
–The Mountaineers have had trouble covering kicks at times. Changes were made on the kick coverage units this week as veteran defensive players Pat Miller, Eain Smith and Keith Tandy were added to the coverage units. WVU is ranked 100th in the country in net punting. Last week, of course, the LSU game changed on the 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Morris Claiborne.
–The kick return game for Bowling Green will be affected by the loss of Eugene "Binky" Cooper. Cooper will miss this game due to an academic issue. Cooper, last year, was the first player in school history two return two kicks for touchdowns in the same season. Cooper is also Bowling Green’s 2nd leading receiver with 21 catches. His average of 17.8 yards per catch leads the team.
–Bowling Green’s leading rusher–Anthon Samuel–is slowed by an ankle injury. He will be a game time decision with his ankle. Samuel averaged 107 yards per game in the first four games of the season for the Falcons.
–The Mountaineer defense will be down one starter as linebacker Doug Rigg is out with a broken bone in his wrist. Morgantown HIgh School product Tyler Anderson is expected to make his first career start.
–The Mountaineers had forced just three turnovers in the first four games of the season. They got one today on the opining kickoff as they forced a fumble and quickly scored on Tyler Bitancurt.
–Freshman Dustin Garrison made his first career start today. Garrison moved to the top of the depth chart with his 46 yard performance last week vs. LSU.
–Special teams problems again as the 76-yard kickoff return leads to a Bowling Green touchdown.
–The Mountaineers did use a double safety on the punt return as Devon Brown joined Tavon Austin deep. Some indecision in the LSU game last week cost the Mountaineers field position several times.
–Keith Tandy gets his first interception of the season. Of course, it helped that Schilz threw into triple coverage on the play late in the first half.
–On pace for that Mountaineer Field pass attempt record: Smith and Schilz combined for 24 attempts in the first quarter.
–Garrison has a season high 85 yards rushing through one quarter. His previous high was 46 yards last week.
–Hall of Fame coach Don Nehlen is here today with most of his former quarterbacks. Nehlen got a chance to watch his grandson–University High School graduate Ryan–score his first collegiate touchdown. Nehlen got his first career catch earlier in the season in the Maryland game.
–Garrison’s 42 yard run early in the 2nd quarter makes him the first Mountaineer to go over 100 yard mark for the season. In fact, Garrison has more yards here in the second quarter than the highest team total of the season previously.
–The Mountaineers get just their second sack of the season. It came late in the first half as Terence Garvin ran Schilz down from the back side.
–Halftime stats: Dustin Garrison’s 233 yards is already a WVU freshman record. In fact, it’s the 6th highest single game total in school history.
–The Mountaineers have already forced more turnovers at halftime (four) than they have in the previous four games combined (three.)
–The Mountaineers have bottled up Schilz. He has just 63 yards on 18 attempts and three interceptions.
–Garrison’s 260 yards through three quarters tie him for the third most all time. Avon Cobourne had 260 vs. East Carolina in 2002. Kerry Marbury had 291 vs. Temple in 1971. Kay-Jay Harris has the school record with 337 yards vs. East Carolina in 2004.
–The Mountaineers stopped a 19 play Bowling Green drive on the double hit on the quarterback. It was the 5th turnover forced on the day.
–True freshman Paul Millard will QB the Mountaineers in the 4th quarter.
–Vernard Roberts in the game at running back for the Mountaineers. Garrison’s day is over. He finished with 291 yards, tying Marbury for the second most all time.
–Headed for the field to gather post-game reaction. Tune in to the MetroNews Point After for more……