Mountaineers travel to Austin for crucial tilt | News, Sports, Jobs

Photograph courtesy of BlueGoldNews.com
WVU working again Tony Mathis (24) is grabbed by the face masks by Virginia Tech defender Jalen Stroman (26) throughout final Thursday evening’s recreation in Blacksburg, Virginia.

MORGANTOWN — It will be solely becoming, have been somebody to take West Virginia’s essential soccer recreation at Texas tonight and switch it right into a full-length film characteristic movie, that it will be of the style of the 1950’s monster films.

You might recall seeing them — or actually have heard of a few of them — which included Creature From the Black Lagoon, Godzilla, The Blob, Monster From Inexperienced Hell, Monster From the Ocean Flooring and, maybe most fittingly, Monster on the Campus.

If such a step can be taken to memorialize the matchup between a pair of 2-2 soccer groups that kicks off at 7:30 p.m. in Austin on FS1, the groundwork has been laid within the pre-game hype for essentially the most becoming of titles:

“Battle of the Three-Headed Monsters”

Certainly this week the secure of working backs on either side have been known as “three-headed monster.” West Virginia sophomore Justin Jackson Jr., who had a breakout recreation within the Mountaineers 33-10 victory over Virginia Tech 10 days earlier dubbing the nickname upon the trio of working backs — himself, freshman sensation CJ Donaldson and junior Tony Mathis — who mixed for 218 rush yards in opposition to Tech.

“We’re a three-headed monster,” Johnson mentioned after he added 83 yards to the 106 Donaldson placed on the board and the 43 that got here from the starter Mathis earlier than his taking part in time was lower quick by an premature fumble.

And, whereas WVU coach Neal Brown professed the respect he has for star Texas working again Bijan Robinson all week, he had that 1950ish type of feat that got here out of monster films from a “three-headed monster” they’ve hidden of their working again room.

Robinson has confirmed himself over two years and Texas is pushing him for All-American and Heisman recognition.

“You may make a robust argument that he’s the perfect participant within the nation,” Brown mentioned, however didn’t cease there. “Then they’ve Roschon Johnson and Keilan Robinson. All three working backs are particular.”

Whereas Texas leans extra closely on Bijan Robinson, who’s so good in all areas of the sport together with go defending and lead blocking, to go together with his apparent working and go receiving abilities, WVU is extra balanced however is starting to tip towards Donaldson.

Not recruited as a working again, by no means having performed there earlier than and being moved there largely as an experiment as a result of the numbers weren’t what was wanted there, Donaldson has caught the nation’s consideration proper from his first carry, a 44-yard burst in opposition to Pitt.

Three 100-yard dashing video games out of his first 4 video games have earned his head a spot there among the many monsters.

Johnson, nevertheless, appeared to determine the sport out in opposition to Virginia Tech with that 83-yard efficiency that included a late, key 6-yard landing run that put WVU up a few scores.

“The sport is type of slowing down for me as I’m beginning to get extra reps,” Johnson mentioned. “I needed to wait my flip, however that’s all the time the story. Simply be affected person and blessings will come. We’re all large working backs; a three-headed monster. Me, CJ and Tony are actually one thing particular.

“I believe we’re the perfect within the nation,” he concluded.

That could be a little bit of hyperbole, but it surely actually is a big step ahead within the working recreation from the place WVU was within the first three years beneath Brown.

Johnson and Mathis supply a distinction to Donaldson. Each are evasive sort runners whereas Donaldson, at 240 kilos, is extra an influence runner … however he’s a novel one.

He has “evadability”, if we are able to coin a phrase that seems like one thing out of TV advert.

He’s slick with the ball in addition to highly effective, an inside runner who can get you a landing — he owns six of them — but in addition capable of get to the nook and make the primary man miss so he can construct a head of steam downfield.

“We’ve been intentional about taking part in all three,” Brown mentioned. “Within the first half of each recreation we’ve performed all three and we’ll proceed with that. We could have a look at some a number of working again packages down the highway, particularly if all three of them proceed to run the ball successfully and are unselfish.”

What they’re doing, with a wise and artful quarterback in JT Daniels and three strong receivers in Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Kaden Prather and Sam Jones, is play possession soccer, which seems to be the required ingredient to beat Texas.

The Longhorns have been upset final week by Texas Tech because the Crimson Raiders ran 100 performs in opposition to them in an time beyond regulation recreation and WVU, beating Virginia Tech, had 32 first downs and ran 23 extra performs than the Hokies.

“If we maintain on to the soccer, cease the run and run the soccer we now have an opportunity in opposition to anyone we play,” Brown mentioned. “It’s going to be that method. Our league is getting some respect nationally now and in the event you have a look at it 1 via 10, there’s no layups on that card.”