Michigan State AD: WVU Series Replaced
Late Tuesday afternoon on Twitter, Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis tweeted that his school would play Oregon in 2014 and 2015 on the football field, "replacing WVU due to their transition into the Big 12."
West Virginia was scheduled to face Michigan State in Morgantown in 2014 with a return trip in 2015 -- however, the Mountaineers already had one non-conference game too many set for 2014 with the move to the Big 12 and one of their games had to be dropped. West Virginia has other non-conference games in 2014 set against Towson, Maryland and East Carolina.
The Mountaineers already dropped a game against Florida State that was set for 2012 on the road.
Late Tuesday afternoon on Twitter, Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis tweeted that his school would play Oregon in 2014 and 2015 on the football field, "replacing WVU due to their transition into the Big 12."
West Virginia was scheduled to face Michigan State in Morgantown in 2014 with a return trip in 2015 -- however, the Mountaineers already had one non-conference game too many set for 2014 with the move to the Big 12 and one of their games had to be dropped. West Virginia has other non-conference games in 2014 set against Towson, Maryland and East Carolina.
The Mountaineers already dropped a game against Florida State that was set for 2012 on the road.
Offensive Line and Defense Making Progress on Day 5
Through five practices one of the areas the coaching staff has been very impressed with is the offensive line. The more practice they, the more they improve. WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen has even said it could be one of the best lines in the Big 12 Conference this upcoming season.
West Virginia has all of its starters returning for next season, including fifth-year senior Josh Jenkins, who missed all of last season with an ACL tear. Jenkins is now back to full health and says he’s getting used playing on the field again.
Senior center Joe Madsen is considered the leader of the group and says what's helping the team the most is how they all motivate each other.
“I just try to get the guys motivated,” said Madsen. “We all do as seniors and Jeff Braun and everybody gets out there [and] Josh [Jenkins] coming back is real nice to have a set line of old guys and just being able to take charge.”
“I can’t wait,” said Madsen about the upcoming season. “I feel like we haven’t stopped playing football. Since the bowl game we had about four days off and then we started lifting and going back at it. I feel like the sky is the limit.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the defense is still adjusting to the new 3-4 scheme. This was also the team’s third day in pads and they have been able to run around, get physical and hit each other. Throughout all of the hitting going, on many of the players said this defense is easier to understand than the 3-3-5 defense.
Junior linebacker Doug Rigg says everyone has a chance to do well in the 3-4 defense.
“Last year there was less competition because people would just make mistakes with how difficult the defense was,” said Rigg. “This year it’s much easier. So anybody who gets in and if you play hard you’ll look good. It’s about effort and that’s what’s making our defense look so much better because everybody is giving a lot of effort.”
Even the younger players agree.
“I think it allows us to run around and play a little bit more and not think as much,” added sophomore linebacker Jared Barber. “
West Virginia is one one-third of the way through its spring practices and will have their next practice on Thursday afternoon.
Through five practices one of the areas the coaching staff has been very impressed with is the offensive line. The more practice they, the more they improve. WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen has even said it could be one of the best lines in the Big 12 Conference this upcoming season.
West Virginia has all of its starters returning for next season, including fifth-year senior Josh Jenkins, who missed all of last season with an ACL tear. Jenkins is now back to full health and says he’s getting used playing on the field again.
Senior center Joe Madsen is considered the leader of the group and says what's helping the team the most is how they all motivate each other.
“I just try to get the guys motivated,” said Madsen. “We all do as seniors and Jeff Braun and everybody gets out there [and] Josh [Jenkins] coming back is real nice to have a set line of old guys and just being able to take charge.”
“I can’t wait,” said Madsen about the upcoming season. “I feel like we haven’t stopped playing football. Since the bowl game we had about four days off and then we started lifting and going back at it. I feel like the sky is the limit.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the defense is still adjusting to the new 3-4 scheme. This was also the team’s third day in pads and they have been able to run around, get physical and hit each other. Throughout all of the hitting going, on many of the players said this defense is easier to understand than the 3-3-5 defense.
Junior linebacker Doug Rigg says everyone has a chance to do well in the 3-4 defense.
“Last year there was less competition because people would just make mistakes with how difficult the defense was,” said Rigg. “This year it’s much easier. So anybody who gets in and if you play hard you’ll look good. It’s about effort and that’s what’s making our defense look so much better because everybody is giving a lot of effort.”
Even the younger players agree.
“I think it allows us to run around and play a little bit more and not think as much,” added sophomore linebacker Jared Barber. “
West Virginia is one one-third of the way through its spring practices and will have their next practice on Thursday afternoon.
Barber Hoping To Thrive In New Defense
Through the first couple weeks of spring practice, new Mountaineer assistant Joe DeForest and his defensive staff are slowly implementing the new 3-4 defense in Morgantown. The old 3-3-5 stack defense that Jeff Casteel ran at WVU is now something everyone has to put in the past. Take sophomore linebacker, Jared Barber, he was recruited by Casteel and excelled throughout 2011 playing in the 3-3-5 stack.
“(Casteel) was the big reason why I came here. But once you get here you learn that it’s a business, and that somethings don’t work out and situations don’t go your way,” he said. “I like (Casteel) and I care for him, I’m just glad I had the experience to play under him for a year."
Barber will be a key factor for the Mountaineers going forward. As a true freshman in 2011, the Mocksville, North Carolina native played on special teams early in the season and eventually worked his self onto the field defensively as well.
Following an injury to Doug Rigg last year, Barber was the first guy to step in and replace Rigg while he was injured. Barber made plays for the Mountaineer defense, in a time where they were very thin at the linebacker position. From that point in the season, Barber never looked back, having a solid game in the Discover Orange Bowl where he recorded five tackles.
Fast forwarding to the spring, everybody is learning the defense, no one has secured a starting role, which makes for healthy competition early on.
“Honestly, I’m just trying to get my starting spot. We (Barber, Rigg and Jewone Snowe) all had spots last year. But these new coaches have only seen five practices. Its new to them, its new to us, I’m just trying to find my identity and my role,” Barber said.
That role for Barber will be at the MIKE linebacker position. Barber is a natural in the middle of the field, and the new defense should benefit him even more. Of course the 3-3-5, is designed to free up linebackers, but it also had Barber running sideline to sideline just to make tackles. In this defense, Barber has to just simply react to what he sees, from his designated MIKE spot on the field. With three other backers instead of four, Barber won’t have to chase down as many running backs on the outside, as his responsibility will just be to pound the run inside.
“It’s less complicated than the stack, I think it allows us to run around and play a little more and not think as much,” Barber said.
Once Barber and the rest of the defense completely grasps the ins and outs of the 3-4 scheme, it should be a defense capable of forcing turnovers as the Mountaineers matchup against powerful Big 12 offenses.
“It’s a whole lot easier, it gives you the space to run around a little bit to play and hit people,” Barber said. “You’re not gapped sound like you are in the stack. Running around and playing, it’s the best.”
Through the first couple weeks of spring practice, new Mountaineer assistant Joe DeForest and his defensive staff are slowly implementing the new 3-4 defense in Morgantown. The old 3-3-5 stack defense that Jeff Casteel ran at WVU is now something everyone has to put in the past. Take sophomore linebacker, Jared Barber, he was recruited by Casteel and excelled throughout 2011 playing in the 3-3-5 stack.
“(Casteel) was the big reason why I came here. But once you get here you learn that it’s a business, and that somethings don’t work out and situations don’t go your way,” he said. “I like (Casteel) and I care for him, I’m just glad I had the experience to play under him for a year."
Barber will be a key factor for the Mountaineers going forward. As a true freshman in 2011, the Mocksville, North Carolina native played on special teams early in the season and eventually worked his self onto the field defensively as well.
Following an injury to Doug Rigg last year, Barber was the first guy to step in and replace Rigg while he was injured. Barber made plays for the Mountaineer defense, in a time where they were very thin at the linebacker position. From that point in the season, Barber never looked back, having a solid game in the Discover Orange Bowl where he recorded five tackles.
Fast forwarding to the spring, everybody is learning the defense, no one has secured a starting role, which makes for healthy competition early on.
“Honestly, I’m just trying to get my starting spot. We (Barber, Rigg and Jewone Snowe) all had spots last year. But these new coaches have only seen five practices. Its new to them, its new to us, I’m just trying to find my identity and my role,” Barber said.
That role for Barber will be at the MIKE linebacker position. Barber is a natural in the middle of the field, and the new defense should benefit him even more. Of course the 3-3-5, is designed to free up linebackers, but it also had Barber running sideline to sideline just to make tackles. In this defense, Barber has to just simply react to what he sees, from his designated MIKE spot on the field. With three other backers instead of four, Barber won’t have to chase down as many running backs on the outside, as his responsibility will just be to pound the run inside.
“It’s less complicated than the stack, I think it allows us to run around and play a little more and not think as much,” Barber said.
Once Barber and the rest of the defense completely grasps the ins and outs of the 3-4 scheme, it should be a defense capable of forcing turnovers as the Mountaineers matchup against powerful Big 12 offenses.
“It’s a whole lot easier, it gives you the space to run around a little bit to play and hit people,” Barber said. “You’re not gapped sound like you are in the stack. Running around and playing, it’s the best.”
