Quick Hits: Reviewing the Bucs Loss, No Regrets, Focus in Week 18 + More

In this story:
Why he didn't play Josh Norman more
"When you get a guy that's been sitting on the couch, he's been running his coffee shop doing the things that he's been doing...I felt very pleased with him being in the building. Coming back trying to contribute and help but not to the extent where he was going to play a lot yesterday. I didn't want to put him in that situation."
Darnold's interception
"As I just explained in the team meeting, the post safety cut the over route, Dean, the backside corner didn't climb to the middle of the field, so the post was wide open. We got to throw it out there. We got a tight end that's 6'4" against a smaller corner. That ball should have been over the top. Either Sully catches it or it goes through the end zone."
If Darnold will start vs the Saints
"Yeah. Sam's going to start this week."
If the second fumble was on Darnold or Ekwonu
"Ickey got beat off the edge. And let me say this, as I told him, he had an outstanding game. He really did. But that's one play we can't have in a critical situation where I still felt like we had time to go down and try to make something happen. Could Sam have seen that? It was coming from his blindside. We want him to step up and be able to go through his progressions but I can't really tell you whether he saw it or not."
If he regrets punting it rather than going for it on 4th & 1
"When we had 4th & 2 and we're in plus territory, we went for that. There was two opportunities where we're not in plus territory that I did not and I wouldn't change it because the one I think we were up 7-0 and the other was 14-0. When you have number 12 on the other side, he's already in field goal range. I felt pretty comfortable trying to pin those guys back inside the five and let our defense go to work."
If the team plans on playing younger guys
"I think our main concern is winning the football game. Whatever that takes. Young guys, old guys. You're one of eleven that's out there performing, so go execute. We've had that whole conversation to be honest the whole year about bringing certain guys up and playing certain guys. We just need to go win a football game and finish the right way."
If he feels like he's done enough to become the next head coach
"That's not my call. And to be honest, I'm not focused on that. As I told you guys from day one, I have thirteen weeks and my focus is just trying to win the day. And my focus right now is trying to make sure that we finish the right way. I'm very positive that we're going to bounce back and that's where my focus is. Nothing else.
If Norman will play more vs the Saints
"We're going to try to do everything we can to win this football game. Will he be ready to step up a little bit more than the plays that he had? I know I spoke on 20, no more than 25 plays and I can see that possibly being the same. We need to see exactly where he is from a conditioning standpoint and one of the biggest things in bringing guys back are hamstrings when they've been sitting around sitting out and all of a sudden they're going top-end speed, so I wanted to make sure we try to avoid that. I think he's ready to play based off what he told me but I got to make sure going through the proper channels and watching him that he can go out there and execute."
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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.