Charleston Gazette: USF game had same feel of last season’s at Louisville

[Jim Johnson]

USF game had same feel of last season’s at Louisville

By Mitch Vingle

Sports Editor

TAMPA, Fla.  West Virginia’s national championship chances went out with the tide on Friday. When South Florida bottled up WVU  yes, again  those chances sank on a balmy night like a bejeweled treasure chest in the nearby Gulf of Mexico.

Steve Slaton’s Heisman Trophy hopes were more than likely shipwrecked. Ditto those of Pat White, who left injured early.

All that’s left now for the Mountaineers  and keep in mind it was just Week 5  is a rebound and a run at a Big East title. And, yes, that even looks like a long shot. The mirage  and reality  USF, Syracuse and Connecticut are in first place. WVU and Louisville are in last.

Big picture, it’s a real shame for Rich Rodriguez’s program. The Mountaineers had the national respect. They had the high ranking to start the season.

They just didn’t have the team.

Especially on Friday night. Before a record crowd of 67,018, No. 18 South Florida outwilled and, much of the time, outhit and outhustled No. 5 West Virginia.

Those WVU fans who were at Raymond James Stadium may tell you it had the feel of another game, that of last season’s Nov. 2 affair at Louisville. That city too was fired up. WVU was third-ranked at the time, while the U of L was No. 5.

And three fumbles spelled doom for the Mountaineers.

They were shaky that Thursday in front of a hostile crowd. They were shaky on Friday in front of a hostile crowd. And there’s no shaky in college football. Not at the top.

Louisville beat the Mountaineers 44-34 in 2006. South Florida turned the trick 21-13 this time.

Much of it had to do with the Bulls’ players. The defensive front caused havoc, especially defensive ends Jarriett Buie and George Selvie. Quarterback Matt Grothe and the USF offense did what it needed.

Much of it had to do, again,

with South Florida coach Jim Leavitt. Once again, Leavitt outcoached Rodriguez. And this time Leavitt spotted Rodriguez two of his former assistants  Rod Smith and Greg Frey. WVU should have known USF from top to bottom, inside and out.

But six turnovers.

Six uncharacteristic West Virginia turnovers.

Or are they? Think about it. Two years in a row. Two huge Big East games on the road. Two shaky performances. West Virginia actually fumbled the ball six times in that Louisville game, losing possession three times. The team fumbled five times on Friday, losing three. Toss in three interceptions.

Maybe what it says is don’t underestimate the pomp. Don’t underestimate how it can affect players, especially college players. And, well, perhaps especially WVU’s players. The Mountaineers haven’t learned how to win this game. And the reference isn’t limited to USF.

South Florida’s players wanted the game. The school’s fans wanted it. Heck, Tampa as a whole wanted it.

And WVU was off. Even Rodriguez, who started the game with seven passes and three rushes. After a fourth-and-3 pass that fell short of Dorrell Jalloh (or “J-Lo’’ as the press box announcer called him), someone asked, “Didn’t West Virginia used to run the ball?’’

Then came the turnovers. Steve Slaton on a stick from Tyrone McKenzie. Ben Moffitt’s interception return for a score after Buie hit Pat White’s shoulder. Then, after a bad snap, which led to a shaky handoff, another Slaton fumble that went into the hands of Rudy George.

Sound sort of like that Louisville game? Slaton fumbled once that night and it was returned 13 yards for a score. He was hampered that night with a bum wrist. White left Friday night’s game.

But there weren’t excuses for West Virginia’s performance against USF. Center Mike Dent had perhaps the worst half in regard to snaps in spread offense history. They were high. They were to the right. His bad snap was what caused Slaton’s second fumble.

One snap mind-boggingly went to the fullback. And the coup de grace was the snap over the head of 6-foot-4 quarterback Jarrett Brown as WVU was driving to close the score to 14-7. The halftime count, instead, after a 17-yard loss, was 14-3.

The Mountaineers had a shot in the end because Grothe wasn’t his usual self either. He threw two picks in the first half. USF tossed in a pair of fumbles. Just like at Louisville, it was ugly.

If you’re wondering, by the way, what happened to WVU after last season’s loss to the Cardinals, it fell to No. 10. We’d have to wait to see what happens this weekend to California, Texas, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Rutgers, etc., to project. But expect the Mountaineers to be punished by the pollsters because of the golden rule of college football.

If you can’t hang onto the football, you can’t hold onto a high ranking.

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