MORGANTOWN — Throwing the soccer and Texas Tech go collectively like meatballs and spaghetti.
They didn’t invent the ahead cross, however they’ve made probably the most use of it over time and this yr is not any exception, as evidenced the final time the Red Raiders took the sector and misplaced to No. 7 Oklahoma State, throwing the ball no fewer than 62 occasions.
One would possibly say this isn’t precisely what the physician has ordered for the West Virginia secondary once they journey to Lubbock this week to start out the second half of the Big 12 season.
See, WVU has had every kind of bother this season attempting to maintain its gamers on the sector. Injuries come by the handfuls, sophisticated by just a few ejections for concentrating on. For instance, this week when WVU takes the sector it is going to be with out Andrew Wilson-Lamp, who ejected final week, for the primary half.
“We appealed it but we were denied,” coach Neal Brown mentioned.
So, there’s one other patch on that worn out tire he’s been driving within the secondary all season. There’s a blowout right here, patch it up. Per week later, identical factor. Per week later, identical factor.
The result’s that it’s nonetheless a piece in progress, even after an enormous victory over Baylor, a victory through which it gave up 40 factors with many of the bother coming by way of the air.
“Defensively, we have to cover better,” Brown admitted. “We gave up a bunch of yards passing.”
Even good news carries an asterisk.
Charles Woods, an all-Big 12 Preseason first staff choice, performed 12 performs earlier than he suffered a leg harm. Their greatest defender was out.
On Tuesday, Brown introduced that he can be again for the Texas Tech recreation. Sort of.
“Woods will practice some today, hopefully,” Brown. “I wouldn’t say more than that. If he plays it will be in a reduced role.”
Any residing, respiration physique helps.
It isn’t at all times a expertise downside when secondary gamers go down. The 4 or 5 secondary gamers work as a unit, signaling, timing, working with one another and that may get loopy when there’s a distinct man taking part in alongside you each week, usually each half.
They are hoping that now they’ll begin seeing a vivid aspect of that.
“Early in the year it was to the point of catastrophic,” defensive coordinator Jordan Leslie admitted. “When you get into that situation and are forced to adjust to things that are really hard and then lose pieces, you aren’t ready for that.”
It’s a part of the brand new recreation of soccer. With the switch portal beckoning gamers who aren’t beginning, it’s usually the second staff man who transfers.
“To what they think is greener pastures,” Brown mentioned.
But which means the following spring you might be usually breaking in a backup who’s beginning over, both a freshman or a switch, or you are attempting to exchange a starter. It hit WVU coming into this season badly and it did the yr earlier than too.
But now they consider they’ve some guys with expertise … lastly.
“Now, in the same situation, when you continue to adjust you can do it. Early in the year, there was no continuity. Now, you have guys who have played. The more you play, the easier the game,” Lesley went on. “You know, the extra guys down, then you must carry the following man up and so now they’ve expertise.
“It’s completely totally different 4 video games later. The solely approach to get higher is the expertise. The vivid factor for the longer term is you will have a bunch of men with recreation expertise.:
The result’s that you’re who you might be and the sport is what it’s.
“We are not going to out and pitch a shutout,” Brown mentioned. “You are going to give up passing yards. We just have to do a better job of holding them down and in the pursuit angles we take.”
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