After inserting true freshman receiver Travares Copeland for his first action of the season against Texas Tech, Dana Holgorsen said another rookie receiver, Devonte Robinson, will make his debut against Kansas State.
Though atypical for a staff to sacrifice a player’s redshirt year so late in the season, Holgorsen said Robinson — a 6-foot-2. 184-pounder out of Delray Beach, Fla. — earned playing time.
“If you’re ready to go, you’re ready to go,” Holgorsen said on the MetroNews network’s “Dana Holgorsen Statewide Sportsline” show Thursday night. “We’re going to take the shirt off and tell him it’s time to go play ball. We almost put him in the game last week. Decided not to, but wished we would have.”
Copeland, among the second-half fill-ins after Stedman Bailey’s ankle injury in a 49-14 loss to Texas Tech, will start at H-receiver against Kansas State, supplanting Jordan Thompson, Holgorsen said.
Bailey, the national leader with 14 touchdown catches, will be a game-time decision at the other outside receiver spot.
“I don’t know if Stedman’s going to be able to go or not. Hopefully he can, because he’s made a lot of plays around here,” Holgorsen said.
The blowout loss in Lubbock seemingly left WVU shellshocked. While it wasn’t the first time the Mountaineers’ defense had been victimized, Holgorsen sounded disappointed in the offense’s inability to keep the game competitive.
“They gave in to the situation,” he said. “(Texas Tech) pressed us and they said throw it deep, and we weren’t able to do that. It was a combination of our guys not being able to get off the line of scrimmage and Geno not being very accurate downfield.”
HOLGORSEN: TEAM IS ‘ANGRY’
No. 4-ranked Kansas State (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) is the league’s lone unbeaten and best-positioned to make a run at the BCS title game. There’s no better opponent to grab WVU’s focus after an embarrassing loss.
“We’re angry, we’re a little on-edge, and I have no doubt we’ll bounce back and play hard,” Holgorsen said. “We’ve got a tough, physical football team coming in. That’s ironically what we need to get better at. Their style of ball is hit you in the mouth, then get up and do it again.”
West Virginia (5-1, 2-1) ranks 114th out of 120 FBS teams in total defense and 109th in scoring. With seven freshmen in the defensive rotation, Holgorsen emphasized the need for upperclassmen like linebacker Terence Garvin, safety Darwin Cook, defensive end Jorge Wright and nose tackle Shaq Rowell to
“You can’t stick freshmen in that role — you just can’t,” Holgorsen said. “We need those guys that have played football before to step up. We’ve been changing captains a lot for a reason, because we’re waiting on some guys to step up and make a difference.”
Co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Keith Patterson has been frustrated by the unit’s tendency to unravel, with mistakes compounding into more mistakes. “When one thing goes wrong, it’s like you have a meltdown,” he said.
KLEIN’S IMPERSONATOR
WVU freshman receiver Devonte Mathis spent the week masquerading as K-State’s Collin Klein on the scout-team offense. At 6-1, 219 pounds, Mathis gives away four inches and 30 pounds to the real “Optimus,” though he has given West Virginia’s defense some authentic looks.
“His throwing motion’s similar,” joked Holgorsen, “but he’s not as accurate.”
PATIENT PLAY-CALLING
Though ball-control offense is Kansas State’s forte, WVU may need to resist its quick-strike mentality Saturday. Holgorsen suggested the Wildcats’ defense is a bend-don’t-break unit that baits opposing offenses into mistakes.
“I’ve got to be patient, and I’ve told myself that approximately 25 to 30 times a day, because it’s not my personalty,” Holgorsen said. “It’s all about getting first downs. We’ve got to be happy with 5 yards, 5 yards, 5 yards and then, when we get a chance in the open field, we need to take advantage of that opportunity.”