The West Virginia Mountaineers stumbled and bumbled around last season. This team has a lot to prove after missing out on a bowl game. Will that frustration be channeled effectively?
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide – Game in Atlanta
Saturday, August 30th – 3:35 PM ET
Odds: Alabama -26
Why The Mountaineers Can Cover
They have nothing to lose and can play the freewheeling kind of game that suits the personality of their coach. Dana Holgorsen is a wild man in college football. He’s a head coach who is known for loving the casinos and a good time. He is not the tightly buttoned-down version of a classic 1960s coach with a fedora, a thin black tie, and a crisp white collared shirt. He’s not conservative or timid. He takes a lot of risks and wants his team to play with reckless abandon if he can possibly help it. Last year, though, injuries at the quarterback position and a poor offensive line created a nightmare for his offense, one year after the departure to the NFL of star quarterback Geno Smith. It was Smith who made Holgorsen’s move to West Virginia as a head coach (following his departure from Oklahoma State as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator) a smooth one. Smith enabled Holgorsen’s offensive concepts to come alive and have a maximum of impact. A great college quarterback and an aggressive schemer with bold ideas about offense was the perfect blend for West Virginia, but last season, that mixture just didn’t continue to exist. This year, Holgorsen has had another year to work with quarterback Clint Trickett and the offensive line. If he can put the pieces together, West Virginia could have a dangerous offense once again. Alabama struggled with a pass-oriented vertical offense against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. West Virginia could cause problems.
Why The Crimson Tide Can Cover
They are far more physical and deep at the line of scrimmage. Alabama will have a new quarterback, Jacob Coker, this season, after enjoying three highly successful years with A.J. McCarron under center. That’s a problem, but everything else about this team is expected to be great. Alabama was young up front last season, and the school doesn’t recruit marginal linemen. Alabama should be a great running team this year, covering up Coker’s limitations at quarterback and setting up an effective play-action passing game. The Crimson Tide should be ready to blast away at West Virginia with straightforward running plays. Alabama won’t have to be fancy or cute on offense the way the Mountaineers will probably have to be. The Crimson Tide can just rear back and go straight at the middle of West Virginia’s defensive front and expect to get good results. If West Virginia wants to put eight or nine men in the tackle box, Alabama can use short passes to the tight ends and a screen game as well to get big yards.
Outlook
If West Virginia wants to play aggressively, it will have to do so without making mistakes and while getting perfect pass protection. That’s just not going to happen. This will be a blowout.
Picks: Alabama -26
