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Thursday, 09 September 2010 00:02

Written by Colin Dunlap

Remember, if you want to submit a question for the Q&A, it is very easy and can be done here: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/wvu/questions/qaform.asp

Alright, enough nonsense...onto the questions:

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QUESTION: How much of this season depends on the O-Line? Are we looking at a "special team" if they play well?

- Billy in Waynesboro, Va.

COLIN DUNLAP: A ton. The two most important variables, in my view at least, are what happens with the right side of the offensive line, and how Geno Smith continues to advance as a third-down, must-have passer. By that, I mean he has to show he can do it not on first-and-10, not on second-and-4, but when it is third-and-6 or so and he needs to fit the ball into a window to keep a drive alive. If that happens; if the O-Line plays well and Smith progresses, yes, there is a chance to be special.

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QUESTION: Colin, your favorite kind of soda?

- Rich in Fairmont, W.Va.

CD: Don't drink the stuff. But, I can put back ungodly amounts of coffee -- and generally do. I mean, we are talking 10 cups a day, easy. Oh, and then there is beverage of the adult kind. I'll have one or two of those now and again on a roadtrip --- normally with Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail. I can't hang with Bob Hertzel, for he is a professional of the highest capabilities in that realm.

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QUESTION: Colin, I thought WVU kept things pretty basic on offense vs CCU. Any thoughts on whether they start the same way vs MU or will they come guns blazin' with stuff we haven't seen before?

- Jay in Parkersburg, W.Va.  

CD: More will be let out of the bag for certain. Heck, I'll predict it now: I say West Virginia will run a trick play early.

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QUESTION: If you were Doc Holiday, what aspect of the Mountaineer Offense, Defense, and/or Special Teams would you target as most vulnerable and ripe for exploitation? Conversely, what aspect of the Herd do you believe has been targeted by Coach Stewart and Company?

- Rich in Dix Hills, N.Y.

CD: Great question, Rich. In terms of West Virginia, I really don't think that Marshall can match up with two guys -- first, they can't match Tavon Austin's speed when he is on the edge and West Virginia has the ball, and secondly, I don't think they can fully limit Chris Neild. Now, could they double Neild, thus not letting him make tackles? Sure. But that will lead to someone else swooping in and making an enormous difference in this game. So look for those two guys -- Austin and Neild -- to play very well. In terms of if I were Marshall, I would go at Anthony Leonard and Najee Goode, make them run with my tight end a little bit on some medium range stuff.

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QUESTION: What needs to happen for the offense to work smoothly? Seems like defense and special teams are humming along. The offense doesn't seem to have the same comfort level.

- Ron D. in Lexington, Ky.

CD: Relax, my man. The Coastal Carolina game was kept very, very vanilla in its offensive gameplan by design. If there is a sputtering a month from now with the offense, re-submit this question and then we will talk; that is when there would be a real problem.

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Get all your questions to me...send a zillion if you'd like:

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/wvu/questions/qaform.asp

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And one more reminder -- the chat is every Thursday at 1 p.m. right here on Post-Gazette.com at this link: http://www.post-gazette.com/chat/

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