The Smoking Musket 13 hours ago
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Of Our First Win Over Texas Tech in 5 Years
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports Fan thoughts from a rainy Saturday win in Morgantown The Good: Kole Taylor - This guy is a beast. He’s huge and has an incredible wingspan. Our offense needs to run through him even more than it already does. With two quarterbacks short on game experience, a big time tight end is a great safety valve to have. Look at the difference in the offense of the Kansas City Chiefs with vs without Travis Kelce. They are a completely different team when he is not on the field. Beanie Bishop, Aubrey Burks, & Marcus Floyd - These guys were...
The Smoking Musket Sep 24, 2023
What I Think About 3-1 West Virginia
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports It wasn’t pretty and if you had a heart pills, you may need a new prescription, but we’re 3-1 We are now at the point of the season where trends are beginning to emerge and you what you see with your own two eyes are things you have to believe may be true. That is certainly the case with the West Virginia Mountaineers who are now 3-1 and sit tied for #1 in the conference standings. There were some.......things that happened, some were good, some were not good and some are inbetween, but the single most important stat right now is that...
The Smoking Musket Sep 23, 2023
West Virginia Holds On for Gritty 20-13 Win Over Texas Tech
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports A ugly win is a win. The West Virginia Mountaineers secured their third consecutive victory of the season Saturday evening in a battle with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Led by backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol in his first collegiate start, the Mountaineers fought their way to a 20-13 victory, marking Neal Brown’s first win over Texas Tech during his tenure in Morgantown. The game had its share of turnovers, with Marchiol throwing an interception that led to a field goal for the Red Raiders early. West Virginia responded with a 13-play...
The Smoking Musket Sep 23, 2023
GAME THREAD: West Virginia vs. Texas Tech
Join the conversation in the comments as the Mountaineers look to avoid a fifth straight loss to Texas Tech Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here but, for the uninitiated, we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, and don’t be a troll. GAME VITALS Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023 Time: 3:30PM ET Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West “By God” Virginia WVU Football WATCH/LISTEN Channel: Available exclusively on Big 12 Now on...
The Smoking Musket Sep 22, 2023
How to Watch West Virginia vs Texas Tech
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports The Mountaineers will look to avoid a fifth straight loss to Texas Tech, while Neal Brown will look to put together a three-win streak for the first time at WVU. Here’s everything you need to know to catch all the action. How To Watch WVU vs. Texas Tech Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023 Kickoff Time: 3:30PM EDT Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West Virginia TV Broadcast/Streaming: Available exclusively on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Radio Broadcast: Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG (Radio Affiliates) | WVU Gameday App (Apple...
The Smoking Musket Sep 22, 2023
THE SMOKING MUSKET PREDICTS: Texas Tech
Gather ‘round the crystal ball while our soothsayers take a glimpse at what’s to come when the Mountaineers take on Texas Tech tomorrow in Morgantown The time has come once again for the staff here at The Smoking Musket and a very special guest to put on our Nostradamus robes and hats to glean from the future. Without further ado. Joel Bracken (2-0 Straight Up — 2-0 ATS) Texas Tech ML ● Texas Tech -6- Tech poses some problems for the Mountaineers. Their offense wants to go fast and I worry we will fall victim to a few quick moving scoring drives. This will be a...
The Smoking Musket Sep 22, 2023
WEST VIRGINIA FOOTBALL PREVIEW - West Virginia vs Texas Tech
Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK The Mountaineers checked the first box of a crucial three-game stretch with a 17-6 win over Pitt. Next up: Texas Tech, and a shot at revenge. WHEN/WHERE Date: September 23rd, 2023 Kickoff: 3:30PM EST Where: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium - Morgantown, WV WATCH/LISTEN Live TV: N/A Streaming: ESPN+ Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG (Radio Affiliates) | WVU Gameday App (Apple | Android) Radio Announcers: Tony Caridi (PBP), Dwight Wallace (analyst), and Jed Drenning (sideline) Reminder: It is...
The Smoking Musket Sep 21, 2023
Texas Tech Offers Brown A Chance at Redemption
Photo by Peter G. Aiken/ There are many things on the line this Saturday and Saturday’s game becomes very important in the legacy of Neal Brown A coach on the hot seat rarely gets off that hot seat without either good luck, good fortune or the stars aligning. In this business, you are who you are and rarely - not always - do you get to stick around long enough to “change your stars”, to quote A Knight’s Tale. This Saturday, for West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown, is a chance to change his stars. Let’s start with the obvious, Neal Brown has...
The Smoking Musket Sep 16, 2023
West Virginia Mauls Pitt, Wins Backyard Brawl 17-6
Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via West Virginia wins the 106th version of the Backyard Brawl! In the most anticipated game of the 2023 season, the West Virginia Mountaineers continued their rivalry with the Pitt Panthers on Saturday night and in the loudest environment Mountaineer Field has seen in the Neal Brown era won 17-6. The game started out with the Mountaineers going three-and-out and then the Panthers running the ball off-tackle on their only real successful drive of the night. That drive would stall in the red zone and the Mountaineers held the...
The Smoking Musket Sep 16, 2023
BACKYARD BRAWL GAME THREAD: West Virginia vs. Pitt
Join the conversation in the comments as the Mountaineers seek payback against the Panthers tonight in Morgantown. Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here but, for the uninitiated, we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, and don’t be a troll. GAME VITALS Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023 Time: 7:30PM ET Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West “By God” Virginia WVU Football WATCH/LISTEN Channel: ABC Announcers: Sean McDonough (PBP),...
The Smoking Musket Sep 15, 2023
THE SMOKING MUSKET PREDICTS: The Backyard Brawl
Gather ‘round the crystal ball while our soothsayers take a glimpse at what’s to come when the Mountaineers take on Pitt in the 106th Backyard Brawl The time has come once again for the staff here at The Smoking Musket and a very special guest to put on our Nostradamus robes and hats to glean from the future. Without further ado. Joel Bracken WVU ML ● WVU -3 Backs against the wall, Neal has to get it done this week. This Pitt team is not good, and we may not be either, but this is our program’s measuring stick. A nervous, low-scoring first half with a healthy dose...
The Smoking Musket Sep 14, 2023
West Virginia Thread Alert: Take Me Home Country Roads
West Virginia unveils Country Roads uniform ahead of Backyard Brawl Date: September 9, 2023 Time: 7:30 PM TV: ABC Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West Virginia Opponent: Pitt Panthers Threads: Blue Helmet - Gold Jerseys - Blue Pants Record in Uniform: 5-4 Game 3. "Cue Country Roads" by @CharlesWesleyG @GoMartStores | #HailWV pic.twitter.com/v6NWQs5mUf— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) September 14, 2023 The West Virginia Mountaineers have unveiled their Country Roads home uniforms and they hit the ball out of the park. Showing off a blue helmet with...
The Smoking Musket Sep 13, 2023
WEST VIRGINIA FOOTBALL PREVIEW - The West Virginia Mountaineers vs the Pitt Panthers - THE BACKYARD BRAWL
A chance to right last year’s wrongs, and a chance for Real Deal Neal to start winning back this fan base. Pitt. At home. At night. No excuses. OPENING THOUGHTS It's all teed up now, gang. Shit’s about to get real. I made a joke on our preview pod about the fate of the world resting on game, and while it might be a joke as it relates to THE world, it certainly is not one as it relates to MY world. Everybody has a core set of beliefs that help guide the way they live their life, and for better or worse, foundational among mine is the idea that Pitt eats shit. We’re at a...
The Smoking Musket Sep 10, 2023
What I Think After Lightning Storm Saves WVU
Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Hudson Clement Earns a Scholarship The West Virginia Mountaineers entered the game with 84 scholarship players and left the game with 85 as former Martinsburg wide receiver Hudson Clement hauled in 5 passes for 177 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first action of the season. Clement, a walk-on, shined brightest early and often. Before the lightning delay, Clement had 2 catches, one for his first collegiate touchdown, and about 50 yards. After the lightning delay, he did this - 70 yard catch for a touchdown 8 yard catch 46 yard...
The Smoking Musket Sep 10, 2023
Lightning In A Bottle? — West Virginia Storms Past Duquesne After Weather Delay
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports Where’d this guy come from? (The answer is Martinsburg) We simply live in Tuddy Huddy’s world. quirked up white boy szn pic.twitter.com/7QrBpy01Dn— Michael Miller (@yall_walker) September 10, 2023 West Virginia bounced back from their season opening loss to Penn State with an emphatic 56-17 victory over Duquesne. After a one hour and 54 minute delay due to lightning, the Mountaineers came roaring back with an impressive offensive display, both rushing and passing over 300 yards for the sixth time in school history and the second...
