AMES, Iowa — A tickle in the throat. That first labored breath. An achy twinge. All warnings to a body of what’s in store.
For two weeks we saw the symptoms facing West Virginia’s offense, and we ignored them, believing it was too skilled, too talented, too versatile to flounder.
Well, Will Grier and his unit took the mother of all sick days Saturday during a 30-14 loss to Iowa State.
One offensive score. One!
Seven sacks. Seven!
Zero drives that exceeded five plays. Zip!
That once-vibrant and healthy touchdown machine that presumably made West Virginia a Big 12 championship contender clunked and sputtered and threw up on itself. Try 1-of-11 on third downs. Soak up the excruciating reality of 152 yards total offense.
The ordeal was so puny as to invoke shades of Baltimore 2013.
“This one was on the offense,” said receiver David Sills, who caught the Mountaineers’ only offensive touchdown. “We really didn’t give the defense anything to feed off of. It hurts me saying that.”
Sills had never sounded so dejected, but that’s the toll of running around in futile anticipation of passes that rarely came. Their entire evening reduced to a scramble drill, West Virginia’s receivers couldn’t make a dent against a secondary that dropped seven or eight into coverage.
“It was very frustrating not being able to be open on the initial route,” Sills said.
After throwing three interceptions against Kansas, Grier did not suddenly regain his Heisman form. Not unless they redesigned the trophy in the form of a confused-looking quarterback lying supine on the Iowa fescue.
Grier was sacked seven times, a stat that warrants repeating because WVU had yielded 11 across the previous five games combined.
“Our receivers were having trouble getting open, and Will took some unnecessary sacks when he was out of the pocket,” said offensive coordinator Jake Spavital.
Grier’s 11-of-15 passing line generated a measly 100 yards, less than one-third his season average, and he attempted only two deep passes. The first sailed 10 yards over the head of Gary Jennings with the receiver looking in the opposite direction. The second try wobbled and died into the arms of a Cyclones cornerback.
West Virginia snapped the ball only 42 times and went backward on nine of them. It produced eight punts and a safety.
An offense that previously struck for 41 points per game completely disintegrated inside Jack Trice Stadium. And those Big 12 championship hopes? Let’s be real — they probably disintegrated too.
With Oklahoma and Texas left to play, the Mountaineers are backed into a corner.
At least there’s a bye week upcoming.
When you suffer through a performance so sickly as this one, bed rest is the recommended approach.
TWITTER @GAllanTaylor
