MAILBAG: Importance of This Week for Neal Brown, Main Key vs. Oklahoma State + More

Answering this week's questions from the fans.

Schuyler Callihan | Sep 30, 2024

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West Virginia Mountaineers

With no game to recap this past weekend, we have a shorter, condensed mailbag this week but we still have a few questions that were submitted. A special shoutout to those who contributed. If you want to participate in next week's mailbag after the Oklahoma State game, watch out for my tweet in the postgame, or shoot me a DM.

From @rosscfh:

Q: Say this game turns out to be a loss. Would you expect any ramifications (big/small), or will it be "on to the next game" as usual from Wren and Brown?

A: In the short-term, it will be on to the next game. In the bigger picture it could have an impact on Neal's future, but likely won't be the deciding factor. WVU will not fire Brown in-season. Well, I should say I'd be shocked if they did. Plus, if they lose, they're 1-1 in Big 12 play. There's a lot of season left and you don't want to make a move before you're mathematically eliminated from the title game.

From @wvufan2023:

Q: Other than stopping Ollie Gordon, what does the team need to do in order to have a chance at winning?

A: Control the ball longer for one. This is something they were exceptional at a season ago, possessing the ball for an average of 32 minutes and 41 seconds per game which led the Big 12. This year, they're sitting at 28:26 per game which is 14th in the league. How do you do that? Be better on 3rd down. Converting only 31% isn't going to cut it. Secondly, stop turning the darn ball over. They've lost three fumbles and thrown five interceptions this season giving them a turnover margin of -5. Some of this is on the defense too for not forcing any turnovers prior to the Kansas game, and no, I'm not counting Penn State's gift-wrapped fumble.

From @wvlawgeek:

Q: With OSU having similar adversity to Kansas going into this game what is the likelihood that they too would struggle to finish against WVU? (I acknowledge that this game is in Stillwater.)

A: It's certainly possible, but I've learned to stop counting Mike Gundy out. Just when you think their season is about to go into a tailspin, they rip off several wins in a row and end up in the mix for the Big 12 title. After getting beat soundly this past weekend, he'll have his team ready to go as they understand falling to 0-3 in league play pretty much ends their season. I don't see Oklahoma State playing poorly again. West Virginia's going to have to be on its A-game.

From @rhazardb:

Q: Last week you said you would replace Oklahoma State with Houston, if you could. Are you sticking by that after seeing Kansas State run for 300 yards on them?

A: I would. Oklahoma State rarely plays poorly in consecutive games let alone in three straight. You have to go all the way back to 2014 for the last time they did that. Houston has a pretty stingy defense, but they have the worst offense in the league. Outside of scoring 33 on Rice, they're point totals are 7, 12, 0, and 0. Give me Houston all day.

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