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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Scouting West Virginia's Linebackers
December 18, 2007 | Football
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Scouting West Virginia | OL | DL | RB & FB | LB | WR & TE | DB | QB | SP | Coaches & Intangibles |
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Scouting: Linebackers |
Much like its high-octane offense, the Mountaineer defense relies on its speed and athleticism to cover the field. West Virginia led the Big East and ranked fourth nationally in total defense, allowing just 291.92 yards per game during the regular season. The Mountaineers are equally proficient against both the run and the pass, ranking No. 16 and No. 12 in the country in each respective arena. They also rank seventh in scoring defense, allowing just over 17 points per game.
With WVU utilizing a 3-3-5 defensive scheme, it is typical for the backers to see a lot of action. It should therefore come as no surprise that West Virginia's top three tacklers are its starting linebackers. The trio of Reed Williams, Mortty Ivy and Marc Magro have combined for 263 total tackles on the season.
The LBs play a critical role in West Virginia's scheme whether it be stopping the run or the pass. With the Mountaineers sending just three down linemen up front, the linebackers are relied upon to shoot the gaps to shut down the running game, but they must also be able to drop back in pass coverage either on a tight end or a flanker out of the backfield.
In a defense tailor-made for zone blitzes, the linebackers are also the critical link in disguising WVU's coverage. The Mountaineers do most of their damage blitzing from the outside. Magro, a second-team All-Big East selection, is tied for the team lead with eight sacks and ranks second with 12 tackles for loss, while Ivy ranks second with six sacks and third with 11 tackles for loss. Zac Cooper also will often enter on passing downs as a rush end.
All things considered, the biggest key to West Virginia's success on defense lies in the linebacking corps' ability to create pressure up front and also cover multiple receivers and formations. Magro and Williams both have the ability to play either the strong side or in the middle, while Ivy possesses a great combination of size and speed. The three of them work together to form one of the most versatile groups of linebackers the Sooners have faced all year.
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Key Matchup |
Oklahoma has made a habit of utilizing its tight ends in the passing game all season, especially deep in the red zone. Jermaine Gresham leads the Sooners with 11 touchdown catches on the season, more than any other tight end in school history, and ranks third overall in receiving. Senior Joe Jon Finley is fifth on the team in receiving yards and has caught four touchdowns.
The Mountaineer linebackers will likely attempt to neutralize OU's tight ends with a variety of blitz packages to try and force the Sooners into max protection. If the Sooners are able to establish the running game early, it will enable Gresham and Finley to get off the line where they could be key factors in the play-action passing game. The size and athleticism of Oklahoma's tight ends would seemingly give them an edge against West Virginia's backers in one-on-one coverage.
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Key Numbers |
| 107.58 | Yards rushing allowed per game by the WVU defense (No. 16 nationally) |
| 191.77 | Average yards on the ground per game by the Sooners |
| 184.33 | Passing yards allowed per game by the West Virginia defense (No. 12 nationally) |
| 259.46 | Yards the Sooners average per game through the air |
| 291.92 | Average total yards allowed by the Mountaineers (No. 4 nationally) |
| 451.23 | Total yards the Sooners average per game |
| 43.38 | Average points the Sooners put on the board per game (No. 3 nationally) |
| 17.25 | Average points the Mountaineer allowed per game (No. 7 nationally) |
| 65 | Average national rank of offenses going up against WVU this season |
| 18 | Oklahoma's national rank in total offense |
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2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl |
No. 3 Oklahoma faces No. 9 West Virginia in the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 2 in Glendale, Ariz. It's OU's sixth BCS bowl game in eight seasons and second consecutive trip to the Fiesta Bowl. The Sooners clinched a BCS berth with the program's fifth Big 12 title since 2000 by defeating then-No. 1 Missouri in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Complete coverage of the game and an archive of the scouting reports are available at Sooner Fiesta Bowl Central. The OU Athletics Department has a limited amount of tickets in official OU sections of the stadium. Sooner fans can check availability online or call the OU Athletics Ticket Office toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU or locally at (405) 325-2424.
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