MORGANTOWN — A lot of talk coming into WVU’s late Tuesday match up against Minnesota in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl was about the sheer size of the Golden Gophers’ offensive line.
While the Mountaineers’ defense played well at times in the 18-6 loss, when Minnesota was successful, it was when its mammoth offensive line, loaded with seniors who averaged 6-foot-6 and 334 pounds, were able to move WVU defenders out of their spots.
“We knew coming in that this was a tough matchup,” WVU head coach Neal Brown said. “They are really big up front. I was proud. I think our d-line, in the second half we got tired there. Their time of possession was higher than us. But it has been higher than everyone they have played.”
The Golden Gophers finished with 249 yards on the ground on 51 carries, just under 5 yards per attempt. The two most notable carries were a Ky Thomas 50-yard run in the second quarter, with eventually resulted in a touchdown to make it a two-possession game, and 6-foot-8, 380-pound offensive tackle Daniel Faalele rumbling in for the first score of the game.
“Once that thing gets moving forward, it’s hard to be able to stop that thing,” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said. “We ran the ball with him a few years ago in the spring game. We threw it last year. And we decided to run it this time. There was no hesitation. I thought coach [Matt] Simon did a great job calling the game. Smart game. Especially as you miss a field goal to start the game, right? Then you fumble, which we won’t have to talk about.”
Finger pointing?
Brown noted after the game that his offense was limited with certain personnel, especially at tight end. The top three on the depth chart at the start of the year — Mike O’Laughlin (injured), T.J. Banks (transfer portal) and Charles Finley (COVID protocols) — were unavailable, so Morgantown native Nick Malone and defensive nose tackle Akheem Mesidor were several reps at tight end, especially in jumbo packages.
“They probably knew that we were limited in some personnel,” Brown said. “They probably had some information that a normal opponent wouldn’t have, so they knew we were down. They mixed it up and had a good game plan.”
While Brown didn’t expand on his comments, new Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarocca was an analyst for the Mountaineers the last two years, and was hired away just days after the bowl game was announced.
Brown and Fleck talked after the hire was official in early December, agreeing Ciarocca would not coach in the bowl game for the Golden Gophers.
Woods finishes with two turnovers
WVU cornerback Charles Woods was in the right place at the right time on multiple occasions against the Golden Gophers, starting with a fumble recovery with Minnesota threatening deep in WVU territory in the first quarter.
But his most impressive play was a third-quarter interception, snatching the ball out of the out-stretched arms of wide receiver Michael Brown-Stephens. It didn’t appear Woods knew the ball was coming, but quick reflexes allowed him to make the play.
“He ran a deep comeback. I just drove the man and made sure my eyes were in the right place,” Woods said. “When I saw he had the ball up, I just took it from him.”
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