The West Virginia State and University of Charleston football teams, who face each other in seven days, both would like to enter that game with some momentum. The Yellow Jackets and Golden Eagles today must bounce back from Week 2 losses in order to regain some of that momentum.
And after their opponents for today's 1 p.m. games - State visits West Virginia Wesleyan while UC hosts Glenville State - turned in jaw-dropping offensive performances last week, both teams know looking past them could be devastating.
The Yellow Jackets (1-1, 1-1 Mountain East Conference) watched red-zone turnovers, defensive breakdowns and the loss of their starting running back factor into a last-second 30-23 home loss to Urbana. The Golden Eagles (1-1, 1-1 MEC) sat through an hour-plus lightning delay, then faced the maelstrom that is Shepherd's defense in a 45-25 loss in Shepherdstown.
State coach Jon Anderson said there were plenty of lessons to take from that setback, sealed on the Blue Knights' 38-yard touchdown pass with six seconds to go. Chief among them was not letting chances slip away.
On top of fumbles on the Urbana 17 and 19, the Yellow Jackets also had a 2-point conversion pass attempt intercepted, made just one of three field goal tries and had a punt snap sail into the end zone for a safety. WVSU's defense also allowed several big pass plays, including what would have been the game-winning touchdown to the other side of the field with 13 seconds left, but was nullified by offsetting penalties.
"We're going to be focused on maximizing opportunities," Anderson said. "We missed some. And when we have those opportunities, we have to find ways to capitalize on them as an entire football team, and that's all three phases for us."
The Golden Eagles' task for today's game is to minimize mistakes, both mental and physical. UC quarterbacks Jeremy Johnson and Mason Olszewski each threw a pair of interceptions, and Shepherd turned those turnovers into 17 points. Charleston also converted just one of 14 third downs.
UC coach Pat Kirkland said that when examined the game film, he felt his Golden Eagles won the majority of the 139 snaps in the game.
"The problem was, in crucial situations, we didn't make plays and [Shepherd] did, and that was the difference," Kirkland said. "They're an older, experienced football team and I think we can show [our team] that, hey, we have to make sure we play every snap and focus every snap. Because when we don't, we make some mental busts."
Mental errors can't be on the menu for either team today, considering how explosive the Glenville and Wesleyan offenses were last Thursday. The Pioneers (2-0, 2-0 MEC) beat the Bobcats (0-2, 0-2) 64-48, and needed a Glenville- and MEC-record 412 yards from senior running back Rahmann Lee to do it. That total also was 7 yards short of breaking the NCAA Division II single-game record.
UC's defense isn't surprised at Lee's prowess. There hasn't been a season since he arrived at Glenville where he didn't break 1,000 rushing yards, and he's more than halfway to that goal after just two games this year.
Stopping the run has been a weak spot for Charleston this season. UC is 10th in the 11-team MEC, allowing 270 yards per game on the ground. Senior defensive back Torie Wagner said his unit's key to keeping Lee at bay is to stay sharp mentally.
"We just have to make sure we eliminate the mental mistakes," Wagner said. "A lot of it has to do with experience. We're pretty young, so we have to focus up and eliminate a lot of mental mistakes. If we eliminate them, we'll be in good shape."
Kirkland cautioned that focusing solely on Lee could backfire. The Pioneers also lead the league with 321 passing yards per game.
"He's not the only offensive threat," Kirkland said. "It's tough to say we're going to load the box and take away Rahmann Lee and the running game, because they're equally a threat in the passing game."
Despite the loss, the Bobcats could say they rebounded from an abysmal season-opening offensive performance. Wesleyan gained zero points and just 81 yards of total offense in a loss to Shepherd, but torched Glenville for 431 yards, including 317 through the air. Wesleyan freshman quarterback Luke Casey, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound transfer from Rhode Island, completed 22 of 33 passes for those 317 yards and four touchdowns. He took six sacks, but didn't throw an interception.
"They have a quarterback who can extend some plays by scrambling and moving around in the pocket," Anderson said. "He's got some good vision downfield. They attack the middle of the field really well."
State senior defensive back Will Merritt said film of that Glenville-Wesleyan game showed the Bobcats could run, too, but Casey's long throws were the key.
"We have to be prepared for anything," Merritt said. "Running the ball, passing the ball. A lot of deep balls were thrown. There were a lot of jump balls and we have to be ready for those as a defensive backfield."
Is that mentality even more important considering how State lost the Urbana game?
"Exactly," he said. "The Urbana game showed we have to extend our plays as a defense and cover for the entire time we're on the field. If not, it could be a matter of one second and we have to make that play."