August 29, 2025 • 34 mins
Mike Ast of WV Sports Now joins to preview WVU-RMU.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Ladies and gentlemen, grab your coffee and donuts, because it's
time for the Morning Spiel, brought to you by Royal Water.
The Athenians and topics discussed on this show do not
reflect that of WVRC Media or our advertisers. Now we
head straight to the one three to three WKMZ newsroom
with your host, Alex Wiederspiel.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hello, Hello, Welcome back in folks. I guess if you've
been listening to the show, listening to the WKMZ this morning,
not this show specifically, but WKMS this morning, you've been
hearing lots of football talk that's going to continue on
this show where we're going to transition over to the Mountaineers,
which we are going to talk about with Mike Austi
of wv Sports. Now, this is going to be his
(00:41):
official new time slot, at least for the fall, but
probably for a while. I like the Friday conversation switching
to mountain your talk after high school talk. And I'm
going to give you my official prediction record record prediction. Yeah,
record prediction, because Mike as asked me to give him.
He does this every year. He pulls a bunch of
(01:03):
different writers, broadcasters, folks who are either directly covering the mountaineers,
or folks who are tertiarily covering the mountaineers, or folks
who are just like you know, mountaineer fans. And it's
actually it's out right now over at WV sports now,
and so I felt it would be critical that I
(01:24):
share my prediction with you, and you are welcome to
share your prediction the Morningspiel at gmail dot com. The
Morningspiel at gmail dot com is the email address I'd
love to hear from you. I apparently am a little
more bullish on the Mountaineers than most are. I'm a
little more now, I'm not as bullish. I'm not as
bullish as Steve Slayton. Steve Slayton has picked them to
(01:45):
go nine and three, and I would expect nothing else.
I'm going seven and five. That's my pick for West
Virginia this year. I think they're going to go seven
and five. I think they're going to be surprising. I think,
like most folks, they're gonna get off to a I think,
how should I put this. I think they're gonna labor
through the first three games, but I think they're ultimately
(02:07):
gonna win all of them, and I think they're gonna
win seven other first ten, and I think the last
two are gonna be tough. That's kind of how I'm
looking at us. So I think this is gonna be
a kind of roller coaster season that ultimately lands on
seven wins, and I think we can all be kind
of content with that, because I think that's just scratching
the surface. I think seven wins will be real proof
(02:28):
of concept for rich Rod two point zero in year
one of two point zero. On that note, we're gonna
go ahead and get to your first break so we
can get to your news and sports headlines here on
the radio side of things. On the podcast side of things,
we'll go straight into the main segment with Mike and
we'll meet up back at the main segment one way
or another radio or podcast after this. Here on the
Morning Spiel presented by Royal Water Treatment, I want to
(02:49):
through three wkmz.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Now back to the Morning Spiel brought to you by
Royal Water on w kmz.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
This is the Morning Spiel presented by roy Water Treatment.
I want to three to three wkmz. Good morning, folks,
and welcome into the main segment. The main attraction the
main addition, Mike Gosti of wv sports Now is with us.
And while admittedly I get it, Mike's a regular guest,
so it's it's like it's like, you know, why roll
out the carpet for Mike. No, no, no, We're rolling out
the carpet for micause this is the first time he
(03:20):
is joining us in his new time slot with us
as the Friday morning preview man for WU football. UH.
And I'm very excited about this. We haven't we haven't
really done this in years past. Friday has been a
high school day. And of course, you know, folks, have
you missed any of our high school coverage, Go check
out the Friday free for all in podcast form, all
sorts of great high school coverage.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
There.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
We're switching gears to the Mountaineers because this Labor Day
weekend in north central West Virginia, it's jam packed with
high school football, the Italian Heritage Festival, and Mountaineer football.
So Mike from wv sports Now Managing editor is here
with us UH to break down a little bit of everything.
We're gonna we're gonna jump around a little bit today.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Good morning, Mike, Good morning, Yeah, breaking down everything is
what I do best. So of analysis, let.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Me ask us, have you ever been to the Italian
Heritage Festival in Clarksburg.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I don't believe. So I've been to Italian hair festivals.
I am Italian, but I don't. I don't believe I've
been to that one.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
We gotta, we gotta get you down. So this is
there are like, there are a lot of festivals in
the state of West Virginia, but I'm atival.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I'm a festival fan.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
This might be the best one in the states. In Clarksburg.
They draw so I think last year they drew thirty
five thousand people over the three days, which was like
a little bit low and it was very rainy. But
most years they're upwards of fifty and in years past
they have gotten into six figures. That's how That's how
big the Italian Heritage Festival is here.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
It's a lot of people for for Clarksburgh.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
It's a little tiny, little, tiny little city and uh,
you know, uh, they drawed a lot of people for
this festival, so it's gonna be crazy. We gotta get
you here.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Here's my question. Then here's my question. Because there are
some in festivals or some heritage festivals. There's one that
I even go to near Lee in Pittsburgh that kind
of now a days, and I don't know if it's
for people there or just because the way of the
world obviously you want to be in everybody that they're
not really just Italian food. It's Italian, it's in festival,
(05:19):
but there's food of every different culture, and it's just
games for every different culture, and there's flags of every
different culture. If you didn't know it was an Italian vote,
the one I'm talking about that I won't fully name
here to throw into the bus, it's it's you wouldn't
know it by going there. It's just it is just
a collective I'm very not really an Italian festival, for example,
to this one I'm talking about, you're the one in Clarksburg.
(05:42):
Just know it's it's legit or did they linger into
giving you a cheeseburger.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
No, No, it's uh, it is a like I'm there
might be on the outskirts of the festival, there might
be some like non Italian food, but like maybe maybe
American food, but like for the most part, it's it's
it's heavy on a couple of things. You've got lots
of Italian food pepperoni roles, because of course it was
the Italian American coal miners. And these are the best
(06:07):
pepperoni roles in the state. I I I tell this
to everybody. Clarksburg, Fairmont, in my opinion, that the two best,
the two best places for pepperoni roles in all of
West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
I've had a pepperoni role and that there is money. Yeah, okay, okay, good,
good to know, good to know. I will have to get.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Down well, yeah, we will definitely get you down here
for one of these. I uh, many years ago, many
years ago, I actually walked in the parade for w
d TV, back when I was a back when I
was a team, back when people were okay with seeing
my face on TV. I was a I was a
in the parade, in the parade. Now now they're like,
we think the radio would be fine for you, sir.
(06:45):
All right, on that note, let's uh, let's switch gears
to something that we do actually want to see, and
that's Mountaineer football. Because even if you have the lowest
expectations possible, which as it turns out, I do not,
I I am I am surprisingly bullish on this Mountaineer team.
But he even if you have the lowest expectations possible,
you can't help but be a little bit intrigued by
(07:05):
this game against Robert Morris, by the return of rich
Rod and finally getting to see what this is going
to look like with seventy plus new players. We've been
talking about it all off season. I know on this show,
I have beaten that storyline to death, just beaten it
to death. But it's because I again, it's almost unprecedented
in college football to have this level of turnover and
(07:28):
to pair it with this intriguing, maybe the most intriguing
head coaching situation in all of the United States in
college football. So Mike, it's finally here. It's finally here.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Yeah, it's finally here. And the most anticipated season in
Mountaineer history in a Whill for sure, is now finally
here and definitely the most anticipated for you know, since
maybe the middle of any Dinahogerson year. It's been a
while since there's this much intrigue, this much excitement going
(08:04):
into a year. And of course rich Rod returned is why.
But not only rich Rod's return, it was eighty new
players are going in and out of the transfer portal
all off season, as they brought it in the spring, they
then didn't even carry all over the fall. And in addition,
a whole new coaching staff with rich that also includes
some former mountaineers and Pat White and Noah Devine, so
(08:26):
they kind of have a return of sorts as well.
There's so much to make intriguing and make this interesting
and make this an exciting year for West Virginia at
least going into it for the fans. And it does
feel like and I've told this to everybody who's asked,
it does feel like that even the people that still
(08:46):
aren't willing to forgive rich Rod for almost two decades
ago and still have Samul feelings and really don't want
this to succeed because they just don't like rich Rod
and they're gonna win a conference title. They want someone
else to be the head coach, even though those people
are intrigued by this season more so than in recent years.
The word intrigue, I think is the appropriate term. And
(09:09):
you just really don't know when there's this much turnover,
you don't know. I mean de brought into you know,
seventy plus when he first started Colorado. That's the thing
you've done this the only thing you really can compare
it to. But it didn't have the the magnet even
of this because you have Richard going back home to
West Virginia. Dion was a new there and was known,
(09:30):
of course, but you didn't have a homecoming. He's not
He wasn't a Colorado alone, have any Colorado connections prior
to being the head coach. You didn't have a Zach.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Alley with him.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Zach Alley is a major national figure. West Virginia plucked
him from Blood and Oklahoma. That wasn't the case with
what Dion was doing. This is even more rich Rod
has the record he brought in more new players than
Deon did that year. And you have a quarterback competition
that year. You knew Shworg Sanders. He's the opening pressler.
Here's our quarterback. You have a quarterback competition all year
(09:59):
again from money, it's Nico Markiel. But Jamn Henderson's going
to play. We'll get into that. He's going to play.
This is not going to just be a one guy
in and that's all you see. And they carry over
these roster battles into the Robert Morris game. So you
don't have a Penn State. I'm have a big opponent
in Week one like in recent years and some kind
of down on that they'd rather have the ses game
later on. This provides some momentum. This provides a way
(10:23):
to know you're looking at probably a victory for rich
Rod or else it's really going on, you know, off
the rails are gone. It allows them to start one,
to know and get momentum, have a happy day for
home coming, and have that intrigue of ri Rod still
makes this Week one game mean something because coming back
and I would say the only head coaching story nationally
(10:44):
that really competes with rich Rod coming back to West
Virginia in terms of intrigue and national interest is Bill
Belichick in North kind of being a college football coach
when he's been you know, the greatest NFL each of
all time, Bill Bell checking rich Rod. There are the
two intriguing head coach stories in new places this year
and in almost still surreal. We knew it was gonna happen.
(11:10):
Been covering off season, he had his intro presser, He's
been talking every day of fall camp. Rich Rod's been
back for a while now, but to actually have a
real game with Richrod on the sidelines. That does kind
of feel surreal. And that's what's going to happen this weekend.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, it's uh, it's about so we're gonna preview this
game a little bit. We're not gonna spend a ton
of time on it because I think there's there's generally
an expectation that Dundldling of the Mountaineer is gonna win,
but they're probably gonna roll even though even with all
the change. Now again nothing's a given, uh could.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Do over underspread it's pretty high.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yeah, and and as you've said, like the the indicator
here is like, yeah, we can all expect something, but
the thing is, no one should be surprised if things
don't go totally right right away. But so here here's
what I'm I'm I'm more intrigued by. So short of
getting the win, what big things? What are big boxes
that need to get checked this weekend for WVU to
(12:03):
make it feel like this was a they accomplished what
needed to be accomplished this Saturday.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, So the spread I just saw on FanDuel's thirty
eight half, that's very very big. That's a that's a
I would almost be tempted to maybe god the under there,
even including our four FCS games around the country, Like,
for example, for another regional mass that fans care about,
Pitt against Dukane they're opening up Week one, Pitt is
(12:30):
only a thirty seven and a half favorite against Dukane.
West Virginia is actually your favorite against RMU, and Pitt
is bringing back the same head coach and same quarterback.
That's kind of surprising to me. You could argue the
under here, but I think for Virginia fans to feel
good about things, and I hate putting a point total
bar here. I know Ren Baker hates when people do this,
but I would say they got to win by twenty points,
(12:52):
if not twenty five, maybe a flirt with thirty. They
gotta gotta Individually speaking, Jaheim White has to look good.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
We've seen the least.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Of him throughout the offseason because he was banged up
in spring ball. He has, of course, but no one's
really dissecting him. But he needs to look like he
is more talented, maybe the best individual athlete on the
field for either team. That's what he needs to look
like to make fans comfortable. Doesn't matter what yards he
puts up because he may not play in the second half,
but he needs to look like he's a beast and
(13:22):
if you carry him into the brawl with big games,
he'll still be a powerful, productive back like him, but
even more so under rich Rod. He can't look like, oh,
I'm just getting some of your FCS team, but you're
still concerned. There needs to be a pep in the
step of Jaheim also looks bigger, looks in better shape
than he's been in recent youth. In addition to that,
(13:43):
you need to see Nika Marciol or whoever ends up
being back one start this game. They need to look
really good as well. Obviously it goes without saying also
will be interesting and this is storyline to watch and
kind of a story that I'll give you here that
I'll release on Friday, right before the game Friday night.
Probably is that you need to be able to see
something from Jalen Henderson as well. You need to be
(14:05):
able to see these ever are the backups really they're
going to carry on a position battling game, I'm sure,
but in rich Ross talked about it, but you need
to be able to see them. This cannot be a
game where you have to play your starters all the
way through it because you're crawling out of it. Like
against Ohio on the road, I think that they're going
to win, but I think it could be very, very
tough in Ohio. If they win it by one point
(14:28):
in a game winning field goal, you take it. It's a
tough place to play despite a LOWERCAL team. That's fine.
You're probably playing your starters all through that game against RMU.
You got to be able to wrest some starters. You
got to be able to see Jalen Henderson or the
backup in that second half. You got to be able
to see what you got from everybody on team, not
just from the guys that maybe you're gonna roll with
throughout most of the year. And then you just need
(14:51):
to see a team that doesn't mental mistakes, that plays together,
that has some chemistry, that doesn't coaches to yell at
them to correct mistakes. Because that's something the coaching staff
brought up a lot this week that what they want
to see from their team in an actual game count
that they can't see during a scrimmage or a practice,
even when quarterbacks are live. Is every team, ever, no
(15:14):
matter whether your hall of fame or not. You make
a mistake during practice, the coach can yell, you can
laugh about it, you get it corrected. That needs to
be at a minimum in games, but no team is perfect.
They assume mistakes will happen. What they want to see,
Will the players correct themsel or if a player has
a missed assignment in the middle of a play, will
another player cover it to make sure it's not a
(15:36):
blown play and a touchdown? The other way because you
can't rely on the coaching staff to yell from the
sideline this is wrong. That guy needs to fix it.
That doesn't happen in a snap snap middle of a game,
high tempo offense, especially when their offense is on the
ball or anything, and you might not be able to
hear the coaches on the sideline. They need to be
(15:56):
able to correct themselves knowing mistakes will happen. So that's
a big deal too.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
I am very curious. I mean, I feel like Nico
is gonna is gonna start this game. He was listed
at the top of the depth chart though it was
ordered by weight.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
It's all or yeah, it was all. It was ordered
by weight, is what rotters. It was all for or
or the only thing he revealed from the depth chart
which I put out on this end, the starting offensive
line and defensive line are kind of revealed. They didn't
have wars, but everybody else's wars, even while receivers are.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
How about uh, I didn't realize Nico had had gotten
up to two hundred and thirty one pounds.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Hey, they're all bigger. They're all bigger. Ron Gallagher is bigger,
Nico Markiel is bigger. Jahee White is really bigger from
just what my eyes tell you. And Jalen Henderson did
not look good in the spring. He looked out of
then he looks actually slimmer and in better shape now
(16:56):
than he did before. He was bigger before kind of
the wrong way. So everybody looks like they're in better shape.
They look either bigger with more muscle or maybe leaner,
which can be a good thing. It's been proven there's
something too rich gets you in the spring, he'll make
your hard edge. But then he gets you a whole year,
and by the fall camp you're in even better shape
(17:18):
than you were a three months earlier. And that looks
to be very very true, just off the naked eye.
Cam Vaughn who people think shouldn't be receiving the national
recognition that he is on these naw Wash lists. There
are people nationally thinks he should not be on those
lists because they think he's too small. They're watching Jacksonville
State film and what we're seeing in practice now he
looks bigger as well. Everyone looks bigger. Now. The trick
(17:41):
is you got to be bigger and also fast. You
can't lose speed because bigger. But yeah, that is interesting.
Rich Rod has got them in the weight room, Mike
Joe has put them to work, and he's been there
a while. But now under rich Rod, and they look
hard edge. We'll see if they play hard edge.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, Before we move on to a couple of other
scattered store where he's around the sports world and around
the w football world. So I know every year you
do this exercise where you pretty much you gather up
predictions from as many people in and around or near
the industry as possible to try and get an idea.
(18:19):
You know, a couple of years ago, I remember everybody
was a little bit too bearish, and last year I
think folks were a little too bullish. And the question,
the question is you know, you know So what's the
deal is this? Are we are we being too pessimistic
going into based on what you've seen from everything you've gathered.
Are we being too pessimistic or too optimistic in your
(18:41):
mind based on on sort of the sample that you've
gathered from writers and broadcasters.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Here's what's funny about this year's And I won't say
the person because I'm not trying to mean this as
anything other than it's just the way this year is.
But this year, there was somebody who's in a colleague
who's been part of that media prediction pole gathering whatever
you want to call it, for every year I've done it,
(19:09):
literally told me this year, I don't feel comfortable doing
it because of the overall turnover. I would like to
decline invitation. So I literally have main stays saying that
they don't feel they can even do it. They don't
feel comfortable. There's eighty new players. You know, anyone who's
not covering this proably on a daily basis probably doesn't
(19:29):
know enough to the people who are giving predictions who don't.
But this particular person said, just do not feel comfortable
giving a prediction. I do not want to give it
this year sorry, I've mean every other year. This is
a very difficult team to predict, So that tells you
there what it's going to look like. Actually there are
there are fewer people were polled in this because one
person said they literally can't and others didn't want to
(19:53):
give predictions or taking too long to fit out. I've
had people take days on end. How can I figure
out this prediction because it's it's very difficult to predict
a team with almost eighty new players, a new coaching staff,
a new culture, a new system. Very very difficult. Way
harder to predict this than even a couple of years
ago when a Neil Brown team was predicted to win
(20:13):
three games and they won nine and proved out wrong.
That's the year everyone was so down, but they end
up winning big. Okay, those players we were familiar with,
at least they were being doubted. This is totally different.
It's a wild unknown, and I do honestly think this
team has a floor of probably four wins.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
I think the three predictions are always obvious. We've talked
about this before. Robert Morris has won. You know, fitting
you win one in conference play and then maybe win
the group of five games at three, like they're gonna
win three to four games, even though it's a horrible year.
Holgerson's worst year, they won four. Rich Rod's first year,
he won only three. But you know, figuring they'll do
(20:55):
one better than that, maybe now twenty plus later.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Yeah, that was his first program, That was his first
year as an FCS coach, So yeah, no, that he
would be.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Yeah, yeah, he learned a lot since then. Yeah, that
was a three and eight year. He said, I can't
do that again. He doesn't figure to do that again.
But if that's the worst of his care and he's
only had four losing seasons, you figure maybe one more
for just more experienced and he's not gonna blow a game.
So the floor for is four, which would be a
horrible first year. Obviously. I think the ceiling is probably
(21:23):
realistically eight. I put it out there. I think they're
more of a sixteen seven and five probably would be
that if they can swing again, and maybe that'll be
the really best case scenario this year in all reality.
But I do think a six and six year getting
a decent Bowl game, winning the pit games the big deal. Obviously,
you got to win. That would make your one of success.
(21:43):
But most people are predicting anywhere from five to seven.
I have not seen anybody go eight plus. I do
have a couple that went four. Nobody went below four.
There are a lot five and seven. There are a
lot of six and six. That's the neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
And I was on I was on the I was
on the high end.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Then what you're on the high end, you're on the
higher end because there's really there's all There's a few
people that are seven in, but I don't think anybody
is above seven. There's nobody below four. There's only one
guy at four. And I will tee. There is a
who we both know, an um who is normally very
(22:24):
positive on the Mountaineers. He usually me a game or
two higher than what he really thinks, and on this
annually he's he works for the Steelers. I'll put that
out there. He is low in these predictions right now.
So there are some people who are normally criticized for
being very optimistic or it looks like they're just a homer.
(22:45):
This person who's accused of being a armer, he's on
the low end of the predictions right now. So that
shows you how all the place this is, but it
also shows you that there are people who were saying,
I love the team, but you know, I like rich Rod,
but I'm expecting the worst because you just don't know
what that wowould unknown now so that exists too with
(23:05):
this year's team.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Okay, very good. Let's uh, let's try to rapid fire
a little bit few through a few different things. Uh.
First one, I wanted to get to you really quickly
just because I saw that you guys put this out
there as part of your your All one oh five
series that you guys highlighted Bridgeport Zone Carter Zuliani, uh
and that he is looking like a tight end in
(23:28):
in West Virginia blues. So folks can go check that
out at the website wvsports dot com. What did you
learned about Carter while you were doing this? Well, Griffin,
which Griffin Floyd did this? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, Griffin Floyd did did did did cover Carter there.
He's mostly running in flag chigmar are All one oh five,
which is which is a series that we're actually through.
It's amazing not everyone's been able to get through there.
We'd really like an All one twenty four uh for
West Virginia Yeah, it's it's cool to have him there.
It's cool for his family, is there. There's a lot
of tight end depth that it'll be interesting if he
does not get more of a tight end four back
(24:00):
hybrid thing, because he's gonna be a tight end. There's
really no fullback position. But Michael Niswander then coach, did
bring up that he's you know, if somebody's a bad SOB,
he'll maybe kind of an Owen Smith type of fullback.
I wrote about that actually weeks ago as well. Maybe
he could fit in the mold. But he's just really
cool to have him there and talking to him. I
did interview him month when he when he became a mountaineer.
(24:21):
He's just really happy for the street, for the region
to be there too. So yeah, his kind of cool
for anyone who's not familiar. I don't know exactly how
much impact he'll do on the few year one right away,
but it's cool to have him there for sure.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah. Uh fill in the blank on this one. Alabama
canceling the series with WVU or I guess Alabama w
mutually agreeing to cancel the series is blank. Fill in
the blank.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Is common U its slumming to this day and age
Indiana canceled the series Virginia. We're seeing Power for program
cancel series with other four programs and out of conference
play all the time now because they all know no
matter what conference you're in, Big twelve or Big ten, whatever,
(25:09):
you don't it's not beneficial. You don't need to stack
the out of conference schedule. When Baker's this, you do
one Power four, one group of five, one f Everyone
should do it. Now there are some programs who are
not playing a Power for Virginia wants to play at
least one, but you don't need to stack at any
more than that. And this is also common because it
was expected. Expected could be another word because the SEC
(25:32):
is now moving to nine conference league games like the
Bigs had everyone but the ACC and the Power four
will now play nine conferens. I imagine they'll get there too.
So when that was the case, bam not going to
start a series a season with two out of conference
or four opponents. They had Florida State on the schedule
as well. They knew West Virginia wanted at this West
(25:52):
Virginia's wanted out of people who think West Virginia got
screwed over here dam have forced them out of this
because of the SEC schedule change. I don't know how
any nicer I can be. You're just wrong. West Virginia's
wanted out of four years. Reren Baker's wanted out of
this four years. They do it on their own because
they didn't want to pay a fee on their own,
and they knew this was likely to occur. They bought
(26:15):
their time until the SEC made this schedule change and
forced Bama's hand to say, okay, we have out a
Conference Power four games. We don't want both. We have
our hand forced. Oh West Virginia, you went out of it. Cool,
We're mutually deciding to get out of it now. It
doesn't worry. We don't have to worry about any money
on either side. So I'm gonna expected any of those terms,
(26:36):
and I just want to throw in it's the brawl
is not going to happen until twenty twenty nine. Maybe
some fan mad that there's not going to be a
Marshall game in there. That's a different story. They want
a home and home. You can do it two and one.
I'll talk about it, but would have had to agree
to go to West Virginia back to back years during
this year, they weren't going to agree to that. Pitch
(26:57):
still has eight conference league and they have two right now.
Power four is NATO conference play because the AEC plays
eight instead of the Big twelve playing nine. They're not
gonna play three even though there's a difference of league
games right now, the schedule doesn't fit. And Virginia's not
gonna lose a home game because the Bama Series are
supposed to starting with Virginia, they would lose a home
revenue gate, They would lose a home game competitive Why
(27:20):
that wasn't gonna happen. It wasn't really possible unless those
programs agreed to bite a bullet. That would have been
unfair to them. To play back your brawl in twenty
twenty six or twenty twenty seven. Maybe you can fit
a one off in later before twenty nine and twenty eight,
who knows, But that was not likely to occur, so
people mad about that. It didn't work out logistically in
(27:43):
what West Virginia screwed themselves and lost a home game,
but losing the Alabama Series I expected in a germmonplace
to what's been going on around the country.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
One of our mutual friends from college texted our our
little group chat, and my initial thought was I literally repet.
I was the first one respond I said just one word. Good.
That was That was my I was. I was completely
content with seeing that one off the schedule. All right,
final one for you. This one's a fun one. Who
which Mountaineer in the NFL this season will play the most? Actually,
(28:14):
this month might be too easy. Let's let's do it
this way. Who will play more games in the NFL
this season? Both currently on practice squads? Garrett Green or
Beanie Bishop.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
I was gonna say who played more between those two
is different than any near because.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yeah, yeah, you know Smith Zach Frager. I realized.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Barring an injury, uh, there's about nine of them. By
the way, I do have them all up that they're
not injured orun a practice squad. Now, I'm gonna say
Beanie Bishop because I I I I think he's proven
to be an NFL caliber player. The issue with him
not make team this year and having me practice squad
versus being a starter open up last year was traded
for Jayalen Ramsey. He's gonna fit in as that nickel.
(28:54):
He's a veteran they didn't have that guy last year.
Beanie had peaks and valleys, really high peaks. But I
think he's an NFL caliber player, and I and I
think Eric is more likely to have to leave his
team probably to get on, maybe even Beanie too. Maybe
they both do because of Ramsey, but Ramsey's a veteran.
He'll miss a game or two. Sprinkling secondary players who knows.
(29:16):
I think he's an NFL caliber player, and Green is
changing positions, but also that that's wide receive a room
MPa is loaded, so I think he'll eventually get on too.
I think they might both get time of the NFL
this year. I wouldn't be shocked at all, but that hard.
That was a hard sell for Green to get on
that buccaneer. I think he might have had a better
chance on another roster because of the depth of the
(29:37):
receiver room. But I think he proved he can be
an NFL player too. I think in the preseason he
proved he can be an INFOL caliber wide receiver. I
really really do. I think he proved that, so I
hope they both get an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Very good Mike Mutch, appreciate it. Man throw out some
quick plugs then we'll let you go.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
Yeah. So West Virginia Sports Now will be the cover
for the Mountaineers all and long for sure go there.
Mountaineer Port the show with Luke Blaine and I dive
all through it all. He's long available abord podcast Mike
Job from my per podcast some West Virginia talk with
mostly Pittsburgh and the national scene, and I will also
plug I just did a Mountaineerport with Steve Slayton, so
(30:12):
part of our media preview, I put him in there.
Every year. We went into a whole show where he
really dove into what his thoughts are the mountaineers, and
that includes some concerns that he thinks or maybe something
going on that are different than when he was there,
just from how the coaching staff is acting that to
be a little concerned. That is available podcast Great talk
(30:32):
with super Steve.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Very good. He's Mike Ousti and he is the managing
editor at wv Sports Now, contributing writer at Yard Barker,
and also hosts The Mike Drop and How It's Earned
Buzzsaw Show podcasts. Both podcasts that are available wherever you
get your podcasts from. Folks. We gotta take a break.
We're gonna wrap the show in just a moment. On
the other side, this is the Morning should be all
presented by Royal Water Treatment. I want to three to
three w a KMZ.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Never miss an episode, recorded versions of the Morning Spiel
or online at w kmznews dot com.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Okay, we are back to wrap this thing up, folks.
We are here no better, honestly, nothing else that I
can really say better than if you're a fan of
this show. If you enjoy this show, I mean fan
might be a strong term. If you like what we
do here. You know it's it's like Christmas. For us.
(31:29):
It's football, I hope whatever you've got planned listening. For me,
football is work. But the thing is I love what
I do, so that's not an issue for me. But
you know what I can't do. I can't crack open
a beer while I'm at work. That one thing that
might be the end of me. So here's what I
want you to do. You're a football fan, Crack one
open for me, and just remember, just remember, obviously take
(31:52):
good care of yourself this weekend, make good choices, as
my mom would say, but also very importantly, crack one
open for me, because this is work for me, so
I won't be able to to to you know, enjoy
and partake. But at the same time, wu football, I
could probably I don't think I'm working that I might
(32:12):
have a beer to actually have some some Country Roads
logger in my fridge right now, so that's probably what
I'll be drinking on Saturday. Anyway, enough about Enough about
the beer, folks, I hope you have a fantastic weekend.
It's going to be an absolutely gorgeous weekend. Whatever it
is you're going to be doing this weekend, I hope
it's outdoors. Whether it's watching football, whether it's cheering on
(32:33):
your local team at the high school level, whether it's
cheering on the Mountaineers, whether it's whatever, it doesn't matter.
Going down on your boat, go golfing, go fishing, go
do something, go play basketball. It's gonna be amazing. It's
gonna be amazing outside. And that's we always try to
remember on this show. I'm a big fan of whatever
we can do to soften the discourse a little bit.
(32:54):
You know, sometimes we disagree on this show, but that's okay,
and if we can find a way to I don't know,
remember and remind each other, the shared common values that
we have. I think that's a good I think that's
a good day. And this is a great weekend for
that Italian Heritage Festival football. That's what you should be doing.
By the way, if you're you know, all the other
(33:16):
things I mentioned, you at least should be going to
the Italian Heritage Festival for a day. Anyway, on that note, enjoy.
If you are going, be safe, make good choices. If
you're going to watch high school football, be safe, make
good choices. Too many knuckleheads out there. If you're going
to watch the Mountaineers, be safe, make good choices. And folks,
we'll talk with you next week. That's right. Can you
(33:37):
believe it? It's already already thinking about it. I'm noodling
what we're gonna do next week. Probably talk sports.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
We'll see, all right, see folks. Puts filled both fi
F statters
Ladies and gentlemen, grab your coffee and donuts, because it's
time for the Morning Spiel, brought to you by Royal Water.
The Athenians and topics discussed on this show do not
reflect that of WVRC Media or our advertisers. Now we
head straight to the one three to three WKMZ newsroom
with your host, Alex Wiederspiel.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hello, Hello, Welcome back in folks. I guess if you've
been listening to the show, listening to the WKMZ this morning,
not this show specifically, but WKMS this morning, you've been
hearing lots of football talk that's going to continue on
this show where we're going to transition over to the Mountaineers,
which we are going to talk about with Mike Austi
of wv Sports. Now, this is going to be his
(00:41):
official new time slot, at least for the fall, but
probably for a while. I like the Friday conversation switching
to mountain your talk after high school talk. And I'm
going to give you my official prediction record record prediction. Yeah,
record prediction, because Mike as asked me to give him.
He does this every year. He pulls a bunch of
(01:03):
different writers, broadcasters, folks who are either directly covering the mountaineers,
or folks who are tertiarily covering the mountaineers, or folks
who are just like you know, mountaineer fans. And it's
actually it's out right now over at WV sports now,
and so I felt it would be critical that I
(01:24):
share my prediction with you, and you are welcome to
share your prediction the Morningspiel at gmail dot com. The
Morningspiel at gmail dot com is the email address I'd
love to hear from you. I apparently am a little
more bullish on the Mountaineers than most are. I'm a
little more now, I'm not as bullish. I'm not as
bullish as Steve Slayton. Steve Slayton has picked them to
(01:45):
go nine and three, and I would expect nothing else.
I'm going seven and five. That's my pick for West
Virginia this year. I think they're going to go seven
and five. I think they're going to be surprising. I think,
like most folks, they're gonna get off to a I think,
how should I put this. I think they're gonna labor
through the first three games, but I think they're ultimately
(02:07):
gonna win all of them, and I think they're gonna
win seven other first ten, and I think the last
two are gonna be tough. That's kind of how I'm
looking at us. So I think this is gonna be
a kind of roller coaster season that ultimately lands on
seven wins, and I think we can all be kind
of content with that, because I think that's just scratching
the surface. I think seven wins will be real proof
(02:28):
of concept for rich Rod two point zero in year
one of two point zero. On that note, we're gonna
go ahead and get to your first break so we
can get to your news and sports headlines here on
the radio side of things. On the podcast side of things,
we'll go straight into the main segment with Mike and
we'll meet up back at the main segment one way
or another radio or podcast after this. Here on the
Morning Spiel presented by Royal Water Treatment, I want to
(02:49):
through three wkmz.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Now back to the Morning Spiel brought to you by
Royal Water on w kmz.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
This is the Morning Spiel presented by roy Water Treatment.
I want to three to three wkmz. Good morning, folks,
and welcome into the main segment. The main attraction the
main addition, Mike Gosti of wv sports Now is with us.
And while admittedly I get it, Mike's a regular guest,
so it's it's like it's like, you know, why roll
out the carpet for Mike. No, no, no, We're rolling out
the carpet for micause this is the first time he
(03:20):
is joining us in his new time slot with us
as the Friday morning preview man for WU football. UH.
And I'm very excited about this. We haven't we haven't
really done this in years past. Friday has been a
high school day. And of course, you know, folks, have
you missed any of our high school coverage, Go check
out the Friday free for all in podcast form, all
sorts of great high school coverage.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
There.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
We're switching gears to the Mountaineers because this Labor Day
weekend in north central West Virginia, it's jam packed with
high school football, the Italian Heritage Festival, and Mountaineer football.
So Mike from wv sports Now Managing editor is here
with us UH to break down a little bit of everything.
We're gonna we're gonna jump around a little bit today.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Good morning, Mike, Good morning, Yeah, breaking down everything is
what I do best. So of analysis, let.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Me ask us, have you ever been to the Italian
Heritage Festival in Clarksburg.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I don't believe. So I've been to Italian hair festivals.
I am Italian, but I don't. I don't believe I've
been to that one.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
We gotta, we gotta get you down. So this is
there are like, there are a lot of festivals in
the state of West Virginia, but I'm atival.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I'm a festival fan.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
This might be the best one in the states. In Clarksburg.
They draw so I think last year they drew thirty
five thousand people over the three days, which was like
a little bit low and it was very rainy. But
most years they're upwards of fifty and in years past
they have gotten into six figures. That's how That's how
big the Italian Heritage Festival is here.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
It's a lot of people for for Clarksburgh.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
It's a little tiny, little, tiny little city and uh,
you know, uh, they drawed a lot of people for
this festival, so it's gonna be crazy. We gotta get
you here.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Here's my question. Then here's my question. Because there are
some in festivals or some heritage festivals. There's one that
I even go to near Lee in Pittsburgh that kind
of now a days, and I don't know if it's
for people there or just because the way of the
world obviously you want to be in everybody that they're
not really just Italian food. It's Italian, it's in festival,
(05:19):
but there's food of every different culture, and it's just
games for every different culture, and there's flags of every
different culture. If you didn't know it was an Italian vote,
the one I'm talking about that I won't fully name
here to throw into the bus, it's it's you wouldn't
know it by going there. It's just it is just
a collective I'm very not really an Italian festival, for example,
to this one I'm talking about, you're the one in Clarksburg.
(05:42):
Just know it's it's legit or did they linger into
giving you a cheeseburger.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
No, No, it's uh, it is a like I'm there
might be on the outskirts of the festival, there might
be some like non Italian food, but like maybe maybe
American food, but like for the most part, it's it's
it's heavy on a couple of things. You've got lots
of Italian food pepperoni roles, because of course it was
the Italian American coal miners. And these are the best
(06:07):
pepperoni roles in the state. I I I tell this
to everybody. Clarksburg, Fairmont, in my opinion, that the two best,
the two best places for pepperoni roles in all of
West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
I've had a pepperoni role and that there is money. Yeah, okay, okay, good,
good to know, good to know. I will have to get.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Down well, yeah, we will definitely get you down here
for one of these. I uh, many years ago, many
years ago, I actually walked in the parade for w
d TV, back when I was a back when I
was a team, back when people were okay with seeing
my face on TV. I was a I was a
in the parade, in the parade. Now now they're like,
we think the radio would be fine for you, sir.
(06:45):
All right, on that note, let's uh, let's switch gears
to something that we do actually want to see, and
that's Mountaineer football. Because even if you have the lowest
expectations possible, which as it turns out, I do not,
I I am I am surprisingly bullish on this Mountaineer team.
But he even if you have the lowest expectations possible,
you can't help but be a little bit intrigued by
(07:05):
this game against Robert Morris, by the return of rich
Rod and finally getting to see what this is going
to look like with seventy plus new players. We've been
talking about it all off season. I know on this show,
I have beaten that storyline to death, just beaten it
to death. But it's because I again, it's almost unprecedented
in college football to have this level of turnover and
(07:28):
to pair it with this intriguing, maybe the most intriguing
head coaching situation in all of the United States in
college football. So Mike, it's finally here. It's finally here.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Yeah, it's finally here. And the most anticipated season in
Mountaineer history in a Whill for sure, is now finally
here and definitely the most anticipated for you know, since
maybe the middle of any Dinahogerson year. It's been a
while since there's this much intrigue, this much excitement going
(08:04):
into a year. And of course rich Rod returned is why.
But not only rich Rod's return, it was eighty new
players are going in and out of the transfer portal
all off season, as they brought it in the spring, they
then didn't even carry all over the fall. And in addition,
a whole new coaching staff with rich that also includes
some former mountaineers and Pat White and Noah Devine, so
(08:26):
they kind of have a return of sorts as well.
There's so much to make intriguing and make this interesting
and make this an exciting year for West Virginia at
least going into it for the fans. And it does
feel like and I've told this to everybody who's asked,
it does feel like that even the people that still
(08:46):
aren't willing to forgive rich Rod for almost two decades
ago and still have Samul feelings and really don't want
this to succeed because they just don't like rich Rod
and they're gonna win a conference title. They want someone
else to be the head coach, even though those people
are intrigued by this season more so than in recent years.
The word intrigue, I think is the appropriate term. And
(09:09):
you just really don't know when there's this much turnover,
you don't know. I mean de brought into you know,
seventy plus when he first started Colorado. That's the thing
you've done this the only thing you really can compare
it to. But it didn't have the the magnet even
of this because you have Richard going back home to
West Virginia. Dion was a new there and was known,
(09:30):
of course, but you didn't have a homecoming. He's not
He wasn't a Colorado alone, have any Colorado connections prior
to being the head coach. You didn't have a Zach.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Alley with him.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Zach Alley is a major national figure. West Virginia plucked
him from Blood and Oklahoma. That wasn't the case with
what Dion was doing. This is even more rich Rod
has the record he brought in more new players than
Deon did that year. And you have a quarterback competition
that year. You knew Shworg Sanders. He's the opening pressler.
Here's our quarterback. You have a quarterback competition all year
(09:59):
again from money, it's Nico Markiel. But Jamn Henderson's going
to play. We'll get into that. He's going to play.
This is not going to just be a one guy
in and that's all you see. And they carry over
these roster battles into the Robert Morris game. So you
don't have a Penn State. I'm have a big opponent
in Week one like in recent years and some kind
of down on that they'd rather have the ses game
later on. This provides some momentum. This provides a way
(10:23):
to know you're looking at probably a victory for rich
Rod or else it's really going on, you know, off
the rails are gone. It allows them to start one,
to know and get momentum, have a happy day for
home coming, and have that intrigue of ri Rod still
makes this Week one game mean something because coming back
and I would say the only head coaching story nationally
(10:44):
that really competes with rich Rod coming back to West
Virginia in terms of intrigue and national interest is Bill
Belichick in North kind of being a college football coach
when he's been you know, the greatest NFL each of
all time, Bill Bell checking rich Rod. There are the
two intriguing head coach stories in new places this year
and in almost still surreal. We knew it was gonna happen.
(11:10):
Been covering off season, he had his intro presser, He's
been talking every day of fall camp. Rich Rod's been
back for a while now, but to actually have a
real game with Richrod on the sidelines. That does kind
of feel surreal. And that's what's going to happen this weekend.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, it's uh, it's about so we're gonna preview this
game a little bit. We're not gonna spend a ton
of time on it because I think there's there's generally
an expectation that Dundldling of the Mountaineer is gonna win,
but they're probably gonna roll even though even with all
the change. Now again nothing's a given, uh could.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Do over underspread it's pretty high.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yeah, and and as you've said, like the the indicator
here is like, yeah, we can all expect something, but
the thing is, no one should be surprised if things
don't go totally right right away. But so here here's
what I'm I'm I'm more intrigued by. So short of
getting the win, what big things? What are big boxes
that need to get checked this weekend for WVU to
(12:03):
make it feel like this was a they accomplished what
needed to be accomplished this Saturday.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, So the spread I just saw on FanDuel's thirty
eight half, that's very very big. That's a that's a
I would almost be tempted to maybe god the under there,
even including our four FCS games around the country, Like,
for example, for another regional mass that fans care about,
Pitt against Dukane they're opening up Week one, Pitt is
(12:30):
only a thirty seven and a half favorite against Dukane.
West Virginia is actually your favorite against RMU, and Pitt
is bringing back the same head coach and same quarterback.
That's kind of surprising to me. You could argue the
under here, but I think for Virginia fans to feel
good about things, and I hate putting a point total
bar here. I know Ren Baker hates when people do this,
but I would say they got to win by twenty points,
(12:52):
if not twenty five, maybe a flirt with thirty. They
gotta gotta Individually speaking, Jaheim White has to look good.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
We've seen the least.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Of him throughout the offseason because he was banged up
in spring ball. He has, of course, but no one's
really dissecting him. But he needs to look like he
is more talented, maybe the best individual athlete on the
field for either team. That's what he needs to look
like to make fans comfortable. Doesn't matter what yards he
puts up because he may not play in the second half,
but he needs to look like he's a beast and
(13:22):
if you carry him into the brawl with big games,
he'll still be a powerful, productive back like him, but
even more so under rich Rod. He can't look like, oh,
I'm just getting some of your FCS team, but you're
still concerned. There needs to be a pep in the
step of Jaheim also looks bigger, looks in better shape
than he's been in recent youth. In addition to that,
(13:43):
you need to see Nika Marciol or whoever ends up
being back one start this game. They need to look
really good as well. Obviously it goes without saying also
will be interesting and this is storyline to watch and
kind of a story that I'll give you here that
I'll release on Friday, right before the game Friday night.
Probably is that you need to be able to see
something from Jalen Henderson as well. You need to be
(14:05):
able to see these ever are the backups really they're
going to carry on a position battling game, I'm sure,
but in rich Ross talked about it, but you need
to be able to see them. This cannot be a
game where you have to play your starters all the
way through it because you're crawling out of it. Like
against Ohio on the road, I think that they're going
to win, but I think it could be very, very
tough in Ohio. If they win it by one point
(14:28):
in a game winning field goal, you take it. It's a
tough place to play despite a LOWERCAL team. That's fine.
You're probably playing your starters all through that game against RMU.
You got to be able to wrest some starters. You
got to be able to see Jalen Henderson or the
backup in that second half. You got to be able
to see what you got from everybody on team, not
just from the guys that maybe you're gonna roll with
throughout most of the year. And then you just need
(14:51):
to see a team that doesn't mental mistakes, that plays together,
that has some chemistry, that doesn't coaches to yell at
them to correct mistakes. Because that's something the coaching staff
brought up a lot this week that what they want
to see from their team in an actual game count
that they can't see during a scrimmage or a practice,
even when quarterbacks are live. Is every team, ever, no
(15:14):
matter whether your hall of fame or not. You make
a mistake during practice, the coach can yell, you can
laugh about it, you get it corrected. That needs to
be at a minimum in games, but no team is perfect.
They assume mistakes will happen. What they want to see,
Will the players correct themsel or if a player has
a missed assignment in the middle of a play, will
another player cover it to make sure it's not a
(15:36):
blown play and a touchdown? The other way because you
can't rely on the coaching staff to yell from the
sideline this is wrong. That guy needs to fix it.
That doesn't happen in a snap snap middle of a game,
high tempo offense, especially when their offense is on the
ball or anything, and you might not be able to
hear the coaches on the sideline. They need to be
(15:56):
able to correct themselves knowing mistakes will happen. So that's
a big deal too.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
I am very curious. I mean, I feel like Nico
is gonna is gonna start this game. He was listed
at the top of the depth chart though it was
ordered by weight.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
It's all or yeah, it was all. It was ordered
by weight, is what rotters. It was all for or
or the only thing he revealed from the depth chart
which I put out on this end, the starting offensive
line and defensive line are kind of revealed. They didn't
have wars, but everybody else's wars, even while receivers are.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
How about uh, I didn't realize Nico had had gotten
up to two hundred and thirty one pounds.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Hey, they're all bigger. They're all bigger. Ron Gallagher is bigger,
Nico Markiel is bigger. Jahee White is really bigger from
just what my eyes tell you. And Jalen Henderson did
not look good in the spring. He looked out of
then he looks actually slimmer and in better shape now
(16:56):
than he did before. He was bigger before kind of
the wrong way. So everybody looks like they're in better shape.
They look either bigger with more muscle or maybe leaner,
which can be a good thing. It's been proven there's
something too rich gets you in the spring, he'll make
your hard edge. But then he gets you a whole year,
and by the fall camp you're in even better shape
(17:18):
than you were a three months earlier. And that looks
to be very very true, just off the naked eye.
Cam Vaughn who people think shouldn't be receiving the national
recognition that he is on these naw Wash lists. There
are people nationally thinks he should not be on those
lists because they think he's too small. They're watching Jacksonville
State film and what we're seeing in practice now he
looks bigger as well. Everyone looks bigger. Now. The trick
(17:41):
is you got to be bigger and also fast. You
can't lose speed because bigger. But yeah, that is interesting.
Rich Rod has got them in the weight room, Mike
Joe has put them to work, and he's been there
a while. But now under rich Rod, and they look
hard edge. We'll see if they play hard edge.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, Before we move on to a couple of other
scattered store where he's around the sports world and around
the w football world. So I know every year you
do this exercise where you pretty much you gather up
predictions from as many people in and around or near
the industry as possible to try and get an idea.
(18:19):
You know, a couple of years ago, I remember everybody
was a little bit too bearish, and last year I
think folks were a little too bullish. And the question,
the question is you know, you know So what's the
deal is this? Are we are we being too pessimistic
going into based on what you've seen from everything you've gathered.
Are we being too pessimistic or too optimistic in your
(18:41):
mind based on on sort of the sample that you've
gathered from writers and broadcasters.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Here's what's funny about this year's And I won't say
the person because I'm not trying to mean this as
anything other than it's just the way this year is.
But this year, there was somebody who's in a colleague
who's been part of that media prediction pole gathering whatever
you want to call it, for every year I've done it,
(19:09):
literally told me this year, I don't feel comfortable doing
it because of the overall turnover. I would like to
decline invitation. So I literally have main stays saying that
they don't feel they can even do it. They don't
feel comfortable. There's eighty new players. You know, anyone who's
not covering this proably on a daily basis probably doesn't
(19:29):
know enough to the people who are giving predictions who don't.
But this particular person said, just do not feel comfortable
giving a prediction. I do not want to give it
this year sorry, I've mean every other year. This is
a very difficult team to predict, So that tells you
there what it's going to look like. Actually there are
there are fewer people were polled in this because one
person said they literally can't and others didn't want to
(19:53):
give predictions or taking too long to fit out. I've
had people take days on end. How can I figure
out this prediction because it's it's very difficult to predict
a team with almost eighty new players, a new coaching staff,
a new culture, a new system. Very very difficult. Way
harder to predict this than even a couple of years
ago when a Neil Brown team was predicted to win
(20:13):
three games and they won nine and proved out wrong.
That's the year everyone was so down, but they end
up winning big. Okay, those players we were familiar with,
at least they were being doubted. This is totally different.
It's a wild unknown, and I do honestly think this
team has a floor of probably four wins.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
I think the three predictions are always obvious. We've talked
about this before. Robert Morris has won. You know, fitting
you win one in conference play and then maybe win
the group of five games at three, like they're gonna
win three to four games, even though it's a horrible year.
Holgerson's worst year, they won four. Rich Rod's first year,
he won only three. But you know, figuring they'll do
(20:55):
one better than that, maybe now twenty plus later.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Yeah, that was his first program, That was his first
year as an FCS coach, So yeah, no, that he
would be.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Yeah, yeah, he learned a lot since then. Yeah, that
was a three and eight year. He said, I can't
do that again. He doesn't figure to do that again.
But if that's the worst of his care and he's
only had four losing seasons, you figure maybe one more
for just more experienced and he's not gonna blow a game.
So the floor for is four, which would be a
horrible first year. Obviously. I think the ceiling is probably
(21:23):
realistically eight. I put it out there. I think they're
more of a sixteen seven and five probably would be
that if they can swing again, and maybe that'll be
the really best case scenario this year in all reality.
But I do think a six and six year getting
a decent Bowl game, winning the pit games the big deal. Obviously,
you got to win. That would make your one of success.
(21:43):
But most people are predicting anywhere from five to seven.
I have not seen anybody go eight plus. I do
have a couple that went four. Nobody went below four.
There are a lot five and seven. There are a
lot of six and six. That's the neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
And I was on I was on the I was
on the high end.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Then what you're on the high end, you're on the
higher end because there's really there's all There's a few
people that are seven in, but I don't think anybody
is above seven. There's nobody below four. There's only one
guy at four. And I will tee. There is a
who we both know, an um who is normally very
(22:24):
positive on the Mountaineers. He usually me a game or
two higher than what he really thinks, and on this
annually he's he works for the Steelers. I'll put that
out there. He is low in these predictions right now.
So there are some people who are normally criticized for
being very optimistic or it looks like they're just a homer.
(22:45):
This person who's accused of being a armer, he's on
the low end of the predictions right now. So that
shows you how all the place this is, but it
also shows you that there are people who were saying,
I love the team, but you know, I like rich Rod,
but I'm expecting the worst because you just don't know
what that wowould unknown now so that exists too with
(23:05):
this year's team.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Okay, very good. Let's uh, let's try to rapid fire
a little bit few through a few different things. Uh.
First one, I wanted to get to you really quickly
just because I saw that you guys put this out
there as part of your your All one oh five
series that you guys highlighted Bridgeport Zone Carter Zuliani, uh
and that he is looking like a tight end in
(23:28):
in West Virginia blues. So folks can go check that
out at the website wvsports dot com. What did you
learned about Carter while you were doing this? Well, Griffin,
which Griffin Floyd did this? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, Griffin Floyd did did did did cover Carter there.
He's mostly running in flag chigmar are All one oh five,
which is which is a series that we're actually through.
It's amazing not everyone's been able to get through there.
We'd really like an All one twenty four uh for
West Virginia Yeah, it's it's cool to have him there.
It's cool for his family, is there. There's a lot
of tight end depth that it'll be interesting if he
does not get more of a tight end four back
(24:00):
hybrid thing, because he's gonna be a tight end. There's
really no fullback position. But Michael Niswander then coach, did
bring up that he's you know, if somebody's a bad SOB,
he'll maybe kind of an Owen Smith type of fullback.
I wrote about that actually weeks ago as well. Maybe
he could fit in the mold. But he's just really
cool to have him there and talking to him. I
did interview him month when he when he became a mountaineer.
(24:21):
He's just really happy for the street, for the region
to be there too. So yeah, his kind of cool
for anyone who's not familiar. I don't know exactly how
much impact he'll do on the few year one right away,
but it's cool to have him there for sure.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah. Uh fill in the blank on this one. Alabama
canceling the series with WVU or I guess Alabama w
mutually agreeing to cancel the series is blank. Fill in
the blank.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Is common U its slumming to this day and age
Indiana canceled the series Virginia. We're seeing Power for program
cancel series with other four programs and out of conference
play all the time now because they all know no
matter what conference you're in, Big twelve or Big ten, whatever,
(25:09):
you don't it's not beneficial. You don't need to stack
the out of conference schedule. When Baker's this, you do
one Power four, one group of five, one f Everyone
should do it. Now there are some programs who are
not playing a Power for Virginia wants to play at
least one, but you don't need to stack at any
more than that. And this is also common because it
was expected. Expected could be another word because the SEC
(25:32):
is now moving to nine conference league games like the
Bigs had everyone but the ACC and the Power four
will now play nine conferens. I imagine they'll get there too.
So when that was the case, bam not going to
start a series a season with two out of conference
or four opponents. They had Florida State on the schedule
as well. They knew West Virginia wanted at this West
(25:52):
Virginia's wanted out of people who think West Virginia got
screwed over here dam have forced them out of this
because of the SEC schedule change. I don't know how
any nicer I can be. You're just wrong. West Virginia's
wanted out of four years. Reren Baker's wanted out of
this four years. They do it on their own because
they didn't want to pay a fee on their own,
and they knew this was likely to occur. They bought
(26:15):
their time until the SEC made this schedule change and
forced Bama's hand to say, okay, we have out a
Conference Power four games. We don't want both. We have
our hand forced. Oh West Virginia, you went out of it. Cool,
We're mutually deciding to get out of it now. It
doesn't worry. We don't have to worry about any money
on either side. So I'm gonna expected any of those terms,
(26:36):
and I just want to throw in it's the brawl
is not going to happen until twenty twenty nine. Maybe
some fan mad that there's not going to be a
Marshall game in there. That's a different story. They want
a home and home. You can do it two and one.
I'll talk about it, but would have had to agree
to go to West Virginia back to back years during
this year, they weren't going to agree to that. Pitch
(26:57):
still has eight conference league and they have two right now.
Power four is NATO conference play because the AEC plays
eight instead of the Big twelve playing nine. They're not
gonna play three even though there's a difference of league
games right now, the schedule doesn't fit. And Virginia's not
gonna lose a home game because the Bama Series are
supposed to starting with Virginia, they would lose a home
revenue gate, They would lose a home game competitive Why
(27:20):
that wasn't gonna happen. It wasn't really possible unless those
programs agreed to bite a bullet. That would have been
unfair to them. To play back your brawl in twenty
twenty six or twenty twenty seven. Maybe you can fit
a one off in later before twenty nine and twenty eight,
who knows, But that was not likely to occur, so
people mad about that. It didn't work out logistically in
(27:43):
what West Virginia screwed themselves and lost a home game,
but losing the Alabama Series I expected in a germmonplace
to what's been going on around the country.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
One of our mutual friends from college texted our our
little group chat, and my initial thought was I literally repet.
I was the first one respond I said just one word. Good.
That was That was my I was. I was completely
content with seeing that one off the schedule. All right,
final one for you. This one's a fun one. Who
which Mountaineer in the NFL this season will play the most? Actually,
(28:14):
this month might be too easy. Let's let's do it
this way. Who will play more games in the NFL
this season? Both currently on practice squads? Garrett Green or
Beanie Bishop.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
I was gonna say who played more between those two
is different than any near because.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yeah, yeah, you know Smith Zach Frager. I realized.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Barring an injury, uh, there's about nine of them. By
the way, I do have them all up that they're
not injured orun a practice squad. Now, I'm gonna say
Beanie Bishop because I I I I think he's proven
to be an NFL caliber player. The issue with him
not make team this year and having me practice squad
versus being a starter open up last year was traded
for Jayalen Ramsey. He's gonna fit in as that nickel.
(28:54):
He's a veteran they didn't have that guy last year.
Beanie had peaks and valleys, really high peaks. But I
think he's an NFL caliber player, and I and I
think Eric is more likely to have to leave his
team probably to get on, maybe even Beanie too. Maybe
they both do because of Ramsey, but Ramsey's a veteran.
He'll miss a game or two. Sprinkling secondary players who knows.
(29:16):
I think he's an NFL caliber player, and Green is
changing positions, but also that that's wide receive a room
MPa is loaded, so I think he'll eventually get on too.
I think they might both get time of the NFL
this year. I wouldn't be shocked at all, but that hard.
That was a hard sell for Green to get on
that buccaneer. I think he might have had a better
chance on another roster because of the depth of the
(29:37):
receiver room. But I think he proved he can be
an NFL player too. I think in the preseason he
proved he can be an INFOL caliber wide receiver. I
really really do. I think he proved that, so I
hope they both get an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Very good Mike Mutch, appreciate it. Man throw out some
quick plugs then we'll let you go.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
Yeah. So West Virginia Sports Now will be the cover
for the Mountaineers all and long for sure go there.
Mountaineer Port the show with Luke Blaine and I dive
all through it all. He's long available abord podcast Mike
Job from my per podcast some West Virginia talk with
mostly Pittsburgh and the national scene, and I will also
plug I just did a Mountaineerport with Steve Slayton, so
(30:12):
part of our media preview, I put him in there.
Every year. We went into a whole show where he
really dove into what his thoughts are the mountaineers, and
that includes some concerns that he thinks or maybe something
going on that are different than when he was there,
just from how the coaching staff is acting that to
be a little concerned. That is available podcast Great talk
(30:32):
with super Steve.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Very good. He's Mike Ousti and he is the managing
editor at wv Sports Now, contributing writer at Yard Barker,
and also hosts The Mike Drop and How It's Earned
Buzzsaw Show podcasts. Both podcasts that are available wherever you
get your podcasts from. Folks. We gotta take a break.
We're gonna wrap the show in just a moment. On
the other side, this is the Morning should be all
presented by Royal Water Treatment. I want to three to
three w a KMZ.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Never miss an episode, recorded versions of the Morning Spiel
or online at w kmznews dot com.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Okay, we are back to wrap this thing up, folks.
We are here no better, honestly, nothing else that I
can really say better than if you're a fan of
this show. If you enjoy this show, I mean fan
might be a strong term. If you like what we
do here. You know it's it's like Christmas. For us.
(31:29):
It's football, I hope whatever you've got planned listening. For me,
football is work. But the thing is I love what
I do, so that's not an issue for me. But
you know what I can't do. I can't crack open
a beer while I'm at work. That one thing that
might be the end of me. So here's what I
want you to do. You're a football fan, Crack one
open for me, and just remember, just remember, obviously take
(31:52):
good care of yourself this weekend, make good choices, as
my mom would say, but also very importantly, crack one
open for me, because this is work for me, so
I won't be able to to to you know, enjoy
and partake. But at the same time, wu football, I
could probably I don't think I'm working that I might
(32:12):
have a beer to actually have some some Country Roads
logger in my fridge right now, so that's probably what
I'll be drinking on Saturday. Anyway, enough about Enough about
the beer, folks, I hope you have a fantastic weekend.
It's going to be an absolutely gorgeous weekend. Whatever it
is you're going to be doing this weekend, I hope
it's outdoors. Whether it's watching football, whether it's cheering on
(32:33):
your local team at the high school level, whether it's
cheering on the Mountaineers, whether it's whatever, it doesn't matter.
Going down on your boat, go golfing, go fishing, go
do something, go play basketball. It's gonna be amazing. It's
gonna be amazing outside. And that's we always try to
remember on this show. I'm a big fan of whatever
we can do to soften the discourse a little bit.
(32:54):
You know, sometimes we disagree on this show, but that's okay,
and if we can find a way to I don't know,
remember and remind each other, the shared common values that
we have. I think that's a good I think that's
a good day. And this is a great weekend for
that Italian Heritage Festival football. That's what you should be doing.
By the way, if you're you know, all the other
(33:16):
things I mentioned, you at least should be going to
the Italian Heritage Festival for a day. Anyway, on that note, enjoy.
If you are going, be safe, make good choices. If
you're going to watch high school football, be safe, make
good choices. Too many knuckleheads out there. If you're going
to watch the Mountaineers, be safe, make good choices. And folks,
we'll talk with you next week. That's right. Can you
(33:37):
believe it? It's already already thinking about it. I'm noodling
what we're gonna do next week. Probably talk sports.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
We'll see, all right, see folks. Puts filled both fi
F statters
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