MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Neal Brown hopes the third time is in fact the charm when his West Virginia football team clashes with Texas Tech at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
The contest will air on ESPN2 and feature the jersey retirement of one of West Virginia’s most decorated defenders in Darryl Talley’s No. 90.
In his third season at West Virginia, Brown is seeking his first victory over a Red Raiders program he was the offensive coordinator for from 2010-2012.
“They’ve had our number the last two years,” Brown said. “They beat us, but we have not played very well.”
Texas Tech (3-1, 0-1) allowed 70 points one week ago as it was doubled up by Texas in its first loss this season. The Red Raiders lost more than the game, as starting quarterback Tyler Shough suffered a broken collarbone and will miss at least six weeks.
Shough’s injury allows senior Henry Colombi to start at quarterback, and the Mountaineers are plenty familiar with Colombi after he made his first career start in last season’s 34-27 win over WVU.
Colombi passed for 324 yards and three touchdowns last week against the Longhorns.
The Red Raiders lead FBS with nine plays of 50-plus yards and rely on several players for production in the run game. Sophomore Tahj Brooks leads the team with 284 rushing yards and four touchdowns, though he missed last week’s game with a leg injury. Xavier White and SaRodorick Thompson will be featured ball carriers if Brooks is unable to go.
Eight different Red Raiders have a touchdown catch and wideout Erik Ezukanma leads the team with 23 grabs and 406 yards. Tight end Travis Koontz has two TD receptions, making him the only Tech player with multiple touchdown receptions.
“Their offense is underrated and it was underrated last year,” Brown said.
Defensive lineman Tyree Wilson’s two sacks and four tackles for loss are tops on a unit that has six interceptions, but has yet to recover a fumble.
Tech’s defense should have no shortage of motivation to put forth a better showing against the Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1) after being humbled in Austin.
“Defensively, they played well through three games,” Brown said. “When you look at Texas, obviously the number is high. I think it’s a little bit of an anomaly.”
Tech defensive coordinator Keith Patterson held the same title at WVU in 2013 and was the Mountaineers’ co-defensive coordinator in 2012.
WVU is out to produce its highest point total this season after the Mountaineers scored 13 and their only touchdown on their opening series in last week’s 16-13 loss at Oklahoma.
Only five times in 26 games under Brown has West Virginia scored 30 points, and the Mountaineers remain in search of their first second-half touchdown this season against a Power 5 opponent. In losses to Maryland and the Sooners and a victory over Virginia Tech, WVU managed three second-half point.
“We’ve had productive drives in the second half to start, but it’s been early in the fourth quarter where we’ve kind of dried up,” Brown said.
Quarterback Jarret Doege remains the starter, while Garrett Greene should continue to spell him at times. Greene adds another dimension to the offense with his ability to run and has played in each of the last three games after not seeing action against the Terrapins. Still, he’s thrown only 12 passes, compared to Doege’s 117, of which he’s completed 73 for 889 yards.
Greene is the team’s second-leading rusher with 141 yards and three scores, while WVU looks to get tailback Leddie Brown back on track after he was held to 56 yards and did not score for the first time this season at OU.
More than half of Brown’s 321 rushing yards this season came when he ran for 161 in the victory over Virginia Tech and half of that output came on his 80-yard touchdown run on his first carry.
“We have to be more productive in the second half with him,” Neal Brown said.
Wideout Bryce Ford-Wheaton has a team-high 219 receiving yards, while Sam James has 187 and three touchdowns — the only WVU player with more than one receiving score.
A year ago, James lost a fourth-quarter fumble in Lubbock that was returned for the game-winning touchdown by the Red Raiders.
“If you’re looking for two key points why they’ve won and why we have not won, the two of them that stick out are rushing yards and turnovers,” Neal Brown said. “The third one would be in the red zone just looking over a two-year window.”
The WVU defense looks to maintain its strong play, much of what can be attributed to its performance in the red zone. In 15 trips inside WVU’s 20-yard line, opponents have produced only three touchdowns and five field goals.
Defensive linemen Dante Stills (2 sacks) and Taijh Alston (team-high 3.5 sacks) and bandit Jared Barlett (3 sacks) have combined for more than half of the team’s 14 sacks, while Akheem Mesidor has been praised for his consistent high level of play up front.
Mesidor wears No. 90 and will be the last player at West Virginia to do so.
“I think Darryl would be pretty proud of how Akheem’s played in that number this year,” Neal Brown said.
Linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo has a team-best 35 tackles, while safeties Sean Mahone (29 stops), Alonzo Addae (26) and Scottie Young (17) are second, third and fourth, respectively in tackles.
The Mountaineers have forced only two turnovers in four games and came up with their first interception this season at Oklahoma when defensive back Jackie Matthews dove to pick off a Spencer Rattler pass.
“We have to get deeper on defense,” Brown said, “but we’re developing a standard that we’re going to play defense at a high level.”