West Virginia Football: Bill Stewart Holds The Rope

To many Mountaineer fans, WVU’s lack of production in the “style point” category has been proof positive that Jeff Mullen is not a good offensive coordinator at WVU.

Until this season, and this point in this season, Mullen had not found the perfect quarterback to run his offense. Mullen, in his third year, has in Geno Smith that quarterback. Smith is a pass first, run when necessary quarterback.

Throw in, literally, a fleet receiving corps with depth, and add a dose of Noel Devine’s magic. Suddenly, “style points” may no longer be a product of WVU’s past.

The WVU record now stands at 4-1 entering the USF game. The lone loss of this season was to the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a loss that is widely accepted to have removed the Mountaineers from consideration for the national championship game.

In 2007, WVU lost an early season game to the same USF team they play on Thursday. At the time, the loss was considered devastating to the Mountaineer hopes of playing in the national title game.

Yet, as the season wore on, and the Mountaineer victories continued to pile up, WVU again found itself in the enviable position of needing one win on December 1, against rival Pitt to play Ohio State for the national title.

The reason that WVU was able to climb back into the championship picture was due in large part to the “style points” that particular team scored.

In the three games following the loss to USF in 2007, WVU outscored its opponents by a combined score of 124-30.

Two of those wins came on the road at Syracuse and Rutgers, in between was a home game against Mississippi State.

The game just prior to the Pitt game WVU beat the University of Connecticut by the score of 66-21. Keep in mind that the winner of the game would become the Big East Conference Champion.

There were certainly losses by other teams that should be factored into WVU‘s return. Still, it was the WVU offense lead by quarterback Pat White, and running back Steve Slaton that fueled the return to prominence.

WVU ended the first half of the UNLV game leading 35-0.

UNLV would receive the football first to start the second half of play. WVU had won the coin toss at the start of the game and elected to receive the opening kick-off.

The UNLV drive ended when Keith Tandy intercepted a pass and returned it to the UNLV 34 yard line, preserving the 35-0 lead.

WVU’s starting offense marched onto the field for the possession. Smith would eventually throw his third and final touchdown pass of the game to end the possession and Bradley Starks would catch his third touchdown pass of the game.

That brings us back to Stewart’s contention that he does not believe in “style points”.

Why would a coach that does not believe in “style points”, leading 35-0, send his starting offense onto the field and throw the football? Stewart understands his team needs those “style points”.

Apparently, Stewart has not given up all hope of potentially playing for the championship this season. Having lost to LSU, the only way for WVU to climb back into contention is to generate Stewart’s bane, “style points”.

Ultimately, the Mountaineers may find themselves too far back to mount a serious challenge to the eventual national champion. Stranger things have transpired throughout the course of past seasons, at this point WVU remains the longest of long shots.

Look for the Mountaineers to start their contest against USF with the same proverbial chip on their shoulder that they demonstrated against UNLV. USF will assuredly have something to say in the outcome.

Bill Stewart has chosen the 2010 season to demonstrate to fans and media alike the depth of the competitive fire that burns in him. A competitive nature that many have felt was lacking.

Stewart often speaks of his “daily walk”, referencing his Christian beliefs. As such, “style points” would not be high on his priority list.

As head football coach at WVU, Stewart may understand that “style points” are imperative for inclusion into college football's elite.