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West Virginia Mountaineer football fans are an enthusiastic supportive group. They show up for home games in large numbers and create a boisterous fan atmosphere. The limitations of competing as a second tier football program are understood. We know WVU is not going to challenge for national championships at the level of Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, etc. Fans appreciate that winning is hard, and have been very patient over the last several years when results on the field have fallen short of hopes.
But patience is wearing thin. Mountaineer Field has historically been a difficult place to play for opponents. But that is no longer the case. Over the last two and one half seasons West Virginia has lost Big 12 Conference home games by 12, 27, 14, 34,49, 17 and 21 points. There is no singing of Country Roads. Instead thousands of fans head for the parking lots with long faces.
If you are reading this column you likely watched the game Saturday against Arizona, and we don't have to tell you much about the details of another home thrashing by a 52-31 score. The West Virginia offense continued its outstanding play, putting up 522 yards and 31 points. But they were not perfect, committing two turnovers leading to an Arizona scoop and score and another at the 3-yard line preventing a WVU touchdown. And when your defense is the worst of all of Power 4 teams in college football your offense has to be perfect even to have a chance at victory.
Arizona was missing its three top receivers due to injury, but it didn't matter. The Wildcats completed passes of 24, 23, 48, 72, 33, and 42 yards. Just to show they weren't one dimensional they also scored touchdowns on routine handoffs to running backs of 40 and 30 yards. They scored from 75 yards in 3 plays, 75 yards in 3 plays, 75 yards in 2 plays, and 52 yards in 2 plays.
In my view it was the worst performance by a West Virginia defense in the 36-year history of Mountaineer Field.
Athletic Director Wren Baker fired Neal Brown because he fell short of expectations. But in a season and a half since little has changed. The offense is much better. The defense is much worse. And one-sided home losses continue to be the norm. It is time to show us that things soon will be better.
THIS SATURDAY: Cincinnati had its own problems a couple weeks ago traveling to play that same Arizona squad losing 34-7. They do, however, tout a 4-1 record including wins scoring 34 points vs Boston College and 31 vs Kansas State. Seeing another team that can score points is not a welcome sight, so our only chance is to find a way to win another shootout. Just when you thought I had lost all hope: WEST VIRGINIA 38 CINCINNATI 37.