What bettors need to know: West Virginia vs. Oklahoma
By JUSTIN BANKS | December 21, 2007 | 31 comments
West Virginia Mountaineers at Oklahoma Sooners (-7 ½, 63 ½)
Mountaineers name coach
West Virginia named Bill Stewart its interim head coach on Dec. 18 and asked him to prepare the Mountaineers for their Fiesta Bowl outing against third-ranked Oklahoma.
Stewart, a former head coach at Virginia Military Institute - and WVU’s current special teams coach - conducted a full-contact practice just one day after former head coach Rich Rodriguez announced he was leaving to coach Michigan.
“I’m very proud of the way these young men have stepped up and responded to this situation,” Stewart told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It’s a tough situation they’re in.”
Stewart says the Mountaineers will be ready for their meeting with the Sooners, despite their 13-9 setback to rival Pittsburgh on Dec. 2.
“We did some banging and we did some passing work,” Stewart continued. “Pitt knocked us around a little bit in our last game and you really get the sense our guys do not want to end this season on a losing note. My compliments to the University of Pittsburgh, but I also have to compliment our players in blue and gold who are working so hard during a tough time to end this season on a positive note.”
The Fiesta Bowl will take place on Jan. 2 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
White out?
Redshirt junior quarterback Patrick White, a two-time reigning Big East Player of the Year, dislocated his thumb in the Mountaineers’ setback to Pittsburgh.
White, listed as probable for the Fiesta Bowl, had a team-high 33 yards on nine carries in the first half against the Panthers. He also completed four of six passes for 30 yards.
“It was just frustrating we weren't able to put the ball in the end zone, White told reporters. “It hurts, but everything happens for a reason.”
Though White returned midway through the fourth quarter with WVU trailing, 13-7, he couldn’t manufacture a comeback.
“I just wanted to help the team as much as I can,” White told reporters. “It was killing me sitting on the sidelines.”
White, who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy balloting, has 1,177 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. White also accumulated 1,528 passing yards with 12 TDs.
Mountaineers backup QB Jarrett Brown, who had 29 passing yards and a TD against Pittsburgh, trusts that White will be ready for the Fiesta Bowl.
“Pat White is a champion,” Brown told reporters. “He will bounce back from it.”
Sumlin’s going bowling
Sooners assistant coach Kevin Sumlin, named Houston’s head coach on Dec. 14, will stay at Oklahoma through the Fiesta Bowl.
“It gives me the opportunity to do things the right way,” Sumlin told the Norman Transcript. “There are some guys here that have performed and done a lot. I think I owe it to them, coach [Bob] Stoops and the university, to finish this year out.”
Sumlin doesn’t think his decision to stay in Norman will adversely affect his commitment to Houston.
“I still think there is going to be time to do what I need to do for Houston,” Sumlin continued. “From a recruiting standpoint, it is not that big a hit. It is a dead period. I couldn’t be out in anybody's homes right now anyway. You are not able to do that until after Jan. 6. After we play our game, recruiting will start up. I am in communication with the commitments there, so from an organizational standpoint, it is a little hectic.”
Stoops believes Sumlin’s decision was the right choice for Oklahoma.
“It is a positive thing,” Stoops told reporters. “The players look at it that way and I do as well.”
Oklahoma, 11-2 overall, finished its regular season on Dec. 1 with a 38-17 triumph over Missouri.
Missing Sooner
Oklahoma will be without star cornerback Reggie Smith against ninth-ranked West Virginia.
Smith, the Sooners’ first-team All-Big 12 cornerback and starting punt returner, will miss the Fiesta Bowl due to a fractured toe suffered against the Tigers.
Third-year starter Lendy Holmes will move to cornerback from safety. Senior defender Darien Williams will start in place of Holmes.
“We won [the 2006] Big 12 championship with those two guys in those spots,” coach Stoops told the Norman Star-Telegram. “It's a pretty easy transition.”
Smith accumulated 57 solo tackles with one sack. He ranks second on the team with three interceptions.
