COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Two of the biggest fall camp battles for WVU were at right tackle and cornerback, and both spots had mixed results in Saturday’s loss at Maryland.
Daryl Porter Jr. beat out Jackie Matthews at corner, but it was Porter who perhaps had the worst play of the day for a Mountaineers’ defender. On a fake zone read, Porter bit and was beat badly by wide receiver Dontay Demus and Taulia Tagovailoa hit him for a 66-yard touchdown.
“With DP, he just had really bad eye discipline,” head coach Neal Brown said. “It was a good route, but he just didn’t have his eyes where they needed to be. They were in the backfield and you can’t do that.”
Porter bounced back later, though, making a nice breakup on a Tagovailoa deep ball in the fourth quarter.
Matthews also played significant snaps at nickelback, playing inside to cover the slot receiver.
“I thought Jackie did some good things — we played him inside and I thought he was physical,” Brown said. “He had an injury in camp that limited him.”
At right tackle, sophomore Parker Moorer earned the start but rotated with true freshman Wyatt Milum. Quarterback Jarret Doege took several hits, but perhaps the biggest was when Milum was forced back and right into him. A couple plays later, Milum was called for holding.
“In Wyatt’s defense, he is a true freshman and that’s the hardest position to play,” Brown said. “We’re asking a kid who’s a true freshman to do it — he’s deserving of the chance, but there’s going to be some highs and lows.”
First time since…
Saturday’s loss at Maryland, in front of 43,811 fans, was the first time the Mountaineers started the season in a true road game since a 15-7 win at Syracuse in 2005.
This is the first time in three years Brown lost the season opener as WVU’s coach — the last for the Mountaineers was to Virginia Tech in 2017 at FedEx Field.
The last loss to Maryland game in 2013, a 37-0 loss at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. WVU was on a two-game winning streak entering this weekend’s game with victories in 2014 and 2015. Last season’s game in Morgantown was canceled due to COVID-19. WVU is not currently scheduled to play Maryland again.
Injuries
Brown mentioned last Tuesday tight end Mike O’Laughlin and running back Tony Mathis were questionable, but neither played against Maryland.
T.J. Banks took most of the snaps at tight end to replace O’Laughlin, while true freshman Justin Johnson played just one play at running back — Doege’s first interception in the second quarter. Otherwise, it was Leddie Brown who was in the backfield.
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Morgantown High alum Nick Malone was able to celebrate a touchdown, blocking for Brown on the Mountaineers’ second touchdown of the day in the first quarter.
Listed as the backup left guard, Malone came in in a jumbo package at the goal line, helping the push to get Brown into the end zone.
Another MHS alum, Preston Fox, traveled and dressed, but did not see game action.
