GREENVILLE, N.C. - It's hard to argue that a play so early was the turning point. It's especially difficult to argue it when it was just West Virginia's sixth play of a game in which the Mountaineers lost so badly.
GREENVILLE, N.C. - It's hard to argue that a play so early was the turning point. It's especially difficult to argue it when it was just West Virginia's sixth play of a game in which the Mountaineers lost so badly.
Still, what might have happened had Pat White not turned the ball over while trying to stretch for a first down?
From an optimistic WVU standpoint, the Mountaineers would have gone on to score, matching East Carolina's opening drive and knotting the game at 7. It might have been shocking if they hadn't, although they may have had to first convert a fourth-and-inches because White might have been short even with the stretch.
Instead, though, White's turnover was merely a precursor to everything else that would go wrong for West Virginia during its 24-3 loss at East Carolina Saturday. If anything could go wrong for the Mountaineers on offense, it did, and that was the play that started the snowball.
"I reached out for the first down,'' White said. "I thought I was down. But you can't argue.''
Well, actually you can, but West Virginia didn't. Perhaps it would have done no good. Perhaps White did let go of the ball before he was down, although it appeared on television replays that his right hand might have touched out of bounds just before he lost the ball while stretching it out with his left. The ball actually sat there near the sideline unbothered for a second before East Carolina's Jay Ross picked it up.
There was certainly momentary confusion among the officials on the field, only one of whom seemed sure of what he had seen and called it a fumble. But there was no long conference, the ECU offense came onto the field and ran a play and, as soon as the ball was snapped, the point was rendered moot.
So why didn't West Virginia call a timeout and ask that the play be reviewed? Each team has that right.
"If seven officials [on the field] and TV [the officials in the replay booth] can't figure it out, I certainly can't,'' Stewart said. "But that was a big, big turnover.''
Normally, the West Virginia assistant coaches in the press box would tell Stewart to challenge the ruling. They would watch the ESPN replays just like everyone else and make a quick decision on whether it is worth a challenge.
GREENVILLE, N.C. - It's hard to argue that a play so early was the turning point. It's especially difficult to argue it when it was just West Virginia's sixth play of a game in which the Mountaineers lost so badly.
Still, what might have happened had Pat White not turned the ball over while trying to stretch for a first down?
From an optimistic WVU standpoint, the Mountaineers would have gone on to score, matching East Carolina's opening drive and knotting the game at 7. It might have been shocking if they hadn't, although they may have had to first convert a fourth-and-inches because White might have been short even with the stretch.
Instead, though, White's turnover was merely a precursor to everything else that would go wrong for West Virginia during its 24-3 loss at East Carolina Saturday. If anything could go wrong for the Mountaineers on offense, it did, and that was the play that started the snowball.
"I reached out for the first down,'' White said. "I thought I was down. But you can't argue.''
Well, actually you can, but West Virginia didn't. Perhaps it would have done no good. Perhaps White did let go of the ball before he was down, although it appeared on television replays that his right hand might have touched out of bounds just before he lost the ball while stretching it out with his left. The ball actually sat there near the sideline unbothered for a second before East Carolina's Jay Ross picked it up.
There was certainly momentary confusion among the officials on the field, only one of whom seemed sure of what he had seen and called it a fumble. But there was no long conference, the ECU offense came onto the field and ran a play and, as soon as the ball was snapped, the point was rendered moot.
So why didn't West Virginia call a timeout and ask that the play be reviewed? Each team has that right.
"If seven officials [on the field] and TV [the officials in the replay booth] can't figure it out, I certainly can't,'' Stewart said. "But that was a big, big turnover.''
Normally, the West Virginia assistant coaches in the press box would tell Stewart to challenge the ruling. They would watch the ESPN replays just like everyone else and make a quick decision on whether it is worth a challenge.
But the visiting coaches didn't have access to a television in their box, said offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. Is that unusual?
"Yes,'' Mullen said. "That's unusual.''
The play was also on the side closer to the press box, which meant that most of what the West Virginia coaches saw was the mass of purple uniforms standing in front of the play.
"That play didn't cause the loss,'' Mullen said. "It didn't help it, but it didn't cause it.''
Briefly
As expected, Mortty Ivy started the game at middle linebacker, moving there from the strong side. John Holmes started in Ivy's old spot. Reed Williams traveled with the team but did not dress for the game. Sidney Glover also made his first start, replacing Boogie Allen at a safety spot, and Pat Liebig started at defensive end in place of Zac Cooper.
Stewart, following the first loss of his WVU head coaching career, wasn't ranting and raving and throwing fits. "I'm not going to scream and yell. I'm not going to call them dirty, filthy, vulgar names,'' Stewart said. "If that's what people want, they'd better put me somewhere else.''
The loss was West Virginia's first against a non-conference opponent in 14 games, or since a home loss to Virginia Tech in 2005. The important thing, though, was that it was a non-conference loss. "We're going to be all right. Our goal every year is to win the Big East title and I still believe we will do that,'' said offensive tackle Ryan Stanchek. "One of our goals may be gone [an unbeaten season], but we can still do what we want to do.''
The attendance of 43,610 was the fourth largest in stadium history. The fans saw ECU earn a win over its highest-ranked opponent ever (No. 8). Miami was No. 9 in 1999 when the Pirates won 27-23 in Raleigh.
Reach Dave Hickman at 348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.
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Later there was a phantom pass interference that resulted in a big ec gain.
Then the personal foul, which was deserved but should have been called on both teams.
Then the very generous spot that resulted in a ec first down.
Not necessarily game changers, but the officiating was terrible.