Sunday Morning Thoughts: Several Red Flags

Final thoughts on West Virginia's loss to Oklahoma.
Sunday Morning Thoughts: Several Red Flags
Sunday Morning Thoughts: Several Red Flags

West Virginia's 59-20 loss to Oklahoma Saturday night was something not many something coming. No one was taken by surprise as to who won the game but more so the fashion in which the Sooners did.

The Mountaineer offense came out ready to play going right down the field and into the end zone on the opening possession of the game. Unfortunately, that first drive was the only bright spot in the game. The offense went three and out on five consecutive drives and then finally worked its way down to the Oklahoma one-yard line and got stuffed on three straight plays turning it over on downs.

The o-line got whipped up front constantly. They had issues getting to the second level of Oklahoma's defense and for your team's best unit to play that poorly, you stand almost no chance.

Jordan Lesley's defense was abysmal, to say the least. The defensive line generated zero pressure, the linebackers oftentimes played out of position, and the secondary was carved up all night long. 

One of the several red flags coming out of this game is how unprepared this team was. The coaching staff can say what they want, but when you have guys having miscommunication in zone coverage and have absolutely no answers for what Oklahoma is throwing at you, you're unprepared. It looked like a team that was blindsided on both sides of the ball. 

All last week, the conversation was about Oklahoma's psyche. How would they feel coming off of two straight losses, one of which to Oklahoma State, essentially knocking them out of the College Football Playoff picture? They were ticked off and ready to lay a beatdown. They had West Virginia on the ropes as early as the opening minutes of the second quarter. And for whatever reason, the Mountaineers looked like they wanted no part in the fight. How do you not get up for this game? A primetime road showdown against a big-time program like Oklahoma in what is an elimination game in the Big 12 race. Everything West Virginia wanted to accomplish at the beginning of the season was still on the line entering last night's contest. They wasted that opportunity. If they somehow happen to drop either of these final two games to Cincinnati or Baylor, it's a disappointment of a season.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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