MORGANTOWN – The West Virginia University football team finished its home slate with a win over UCF, but its passing offense in that game received only a passing mention.
The Mountaineers finished that game with its fewest passing yards of the season, just 118 from the arm of Garrett Greene in the win over the Knights. WVU players and coaches know that, while such output was good enough to best UCF, trying to defeat Texas Tech with a sputtering passing game will be a much taller order.
The Red Raiders will enter Saturday’s noon game in Lubbock, Texas, sporting one of the most prolific overall offenses, scoring offenses and passing games in the Football Bowl Subdivision. TTU averages 450 total yards (17th nationally), 292.5 passing yards (11th nationally) and 37.4 points (tied for 12th nationally). If WVU wants to compete, it will need to pass.
The Mountaineers (6-5, 5-3 Big 12) said a key to making the passing game work against Texas Tech (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) will be for Greene to get the ball out of his hands as soon as he can.
That, head coach Neal Brown said, was one of the issues that led to low numbers against UCF. And it wasn’t all on Greene’s decision making. Several factors, he said, led to it.
“We didn’t protect very well,” Brown said. “Pass protection has been something that’s been a strength of ours this year, and we just didn’t protect well (against UCF).
“And there were a few times, especially on a couple of big plays, where Garrett’s got to deliver the ball,” he added. “He kind of scrambled. I’m careful to take that away from him, but he’s got to trigger when it’s an opportunity for a big play, especially when it’s on the first read.”
One of Greene’s strengths has been his mobility. He’s No. 2 on the team in total rushing yards (649) but leads WVU in rushing yards per game (72.1) after missing two contests. A lot of those yards come when Greene is flushed out of the pocket.
But at 194.6 yards per game, WVU’s passing offense ranks 103rd in the FBS. And while the Mountaineers have done well holding onto the ball, averaging 31 minutes, 35 seconds in time of possession, they’ll need quick-strike capabilities against a Texas Tech team that runs more plays than all but two other teams in the country.
The Red Raiders can score fast, so WVU has to make the most of each possession and be ready to retaliate at the same speed.
Greene knows that has to happen, and knows it’s up to him to kickstart it.
“We have to do a better job than we did Saturday night of connecting on shots downfield,” he said. “And that starts with me. So when we really go full speed and start working on the game plan – routes and stuff like that – that’s something for me to work on, connecting on those downfield shots.”
The Mountaineers have shown an ability to hit big passing plays. They’ve connected on 54 passes of at least 15 yards and 22 of at least 25 yards. They’ll need more of those to keep up with Texas Tech’s offense, and offensive coordinator Chad Scott said it’s simply a case of Greene letting the ball go.
“(Greene) has got to do a great job of keeping his eyes downfield, trusting the protection in front of him and knowing will pick it up, and just letting it go,” Scott said.
-by Derek Redd
