MORGANTOWN - The last time Mortty Ivy crossed the goal line with the ball in his hands, it didn't count. When he did it Saturday in West Virginia's 48-21 win over Villanova, he didn't even have a chance to turn around and see if, like the last one, it was going to be called back.

"Everybody was jumping on my head, so I couldn't turn around anyway,'' Ivy said.

On an afternoon when West Virginia's defense had its problems, giving up 399 yards and allowing Division I-AA Villanova to run a mind-numbing 87 plays, Ivy wasn't much to blame. He finished with only five tackles, but had a sack, a fumble return to set up a touchdown and an interception to score another.

The touchdown with the interception was his first that counted since he was a high school quarterback. He had one last season against Mississippi State on a fumble return, but it was nullified by a clip on the return.

While the interception return is the play that put him in the scoring summary, it was the fumble return that likely made the most highlight reels.

It came early in the game, on Villanova's second possession. The Wildcats had controlled the football to that point, running 21 plays to West Virginia's six. In fact, Villanova was in WVU's red zone, but faced a third-and-15 at the 19-yard line.

That's when Wildcat quarterback Antwon Young - who would go on to complete 17-of-33 passes for 218 yards and run 18 times for 66 yards (before five sacks reduced his rushing total to 13 yards) - dropped back under a heavy rush. He cocked his arm to throw and the ball slipped out and went backward. After John Holmes kicked the ball trying to pick it up, Ivy came along and finally got it and lumbered down the field.

He lumbered because Young had pretty much saddled him up and was riding along. At the Villanova 24, Ivy was pulled down. WVU scored on its next play.

"I didn't even notice it was the quarterback. I just felt somebody hanging on my back,'' Ivy said. "When I got to the sideline I watched the replay on the [scoreboard] and saw who it was.''

How's this for a wide receiver's college football debut?

First catch, 24-yard touchdown; second catch, 34-yard TD.

Meet Alric Arnett, West Virginia's new go-to deep threat.

"I didn't expect it to be like this, but I'll remember it forever,'' Arnett said after catching four passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns in his West Virginia debut. "My first two catches went for six points. It's something I can tell my children.''

Arnett has been at West Virginia for more than a year, but sat out last season injured. He emerged in the spring as the Mountaineers' best wide receiver, but still maintained a fairly low profile in a run-oriented offense.

Then, on Saturday, WVU opened the season by turning Pat White's throwing arm loose, passing the ball 33 times and completing 25 for five touchdowns, all career bests.

"We knew we were going to get some passes," Arnett said. "But it's like the coaches say, 'If you want us to throw the football, you've got to catch it.' ''

Linebacker Reed Williams not only didn't start, he didn't dress for the game. That despite coach Bill Stewart's statement at midweek that he had recovered from shoulder surgery and would likely start.

"Reed will be back when he's ready,'' Stewart said. "Reed will be close to playing next week [at East Carolina].''

Pat Lazear started in place of Williams, but Anthony Leonard was in for the second series and was the middle linebacker for much of the game.

Apparently Parkersburg freshman Josh Jenkins will not be redshirted.

Jenkins made an appearance at right guard in the fourth quarter when West Virginia went to its No. 2 offense. Other true freshmen who played included tight end Tyler Urban with the No. 1 offense and safety Robert Sands, running back Mark Rogers and fullback Ricky Kovatch, all with the defensive reserves.

Reach Dave Hickman at 348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.