Each of the next statements might be true.
First, Garrett Greene performed the sport of his life and was the very best participant on the sphere Thursday evening.
Second, Greene’s penalty on the finish of the sport allowed Houston the possibility to attempt for a Hail Mary that ended up being the game-winner.
Due to the circumstances of the sport, the latter has gotten much more consideration from followers, but it surely’s the previous that’s way more vital to WVU this season.
Greene accounted for 438 yards of offense and 4 touchdowns. His 391 passing yards had been by far essentially the most he’s ever thrown for in a single recreation, shattering his earlier career-high of 240.
“He was particular (Thursday),” head coach Neal Brown mentioned after the sport. “I assumed he was going to have a breakout efficiency and he did.”
Greene was most spectacular when the Mountaineers’ backs had been in opposition to the wall. WVU trailed by 11 factors with 7:28 left to play and Greene orchestrated two landing drives to take the lead.
On these possessions, Greene threw for 129 yards and a landing and in addition ran in an eight-yard rating.
The celebration penalty for taking his helmet off got here after Greene’s 50-yard go-ahead landing to Hudson Clement with 12 seconds left.
You simply can’t get the penalty. He’s acquired to develop up, acquired to mature,” Brown mentioned. “However he was particular. Who was higher on the sphere tonight?”
Earlier than Thursday, WVU was averaging simply 155.6 passing yards per recreation and solely 115.8 yards in opposition to FBS competitors. Greene greater than doubled that.
“We knew we haven’t been the very best with our go offense but and we’ve been making an attempt to place it collectively,” Clement mentioned. “(Thursday) we felt like was a press release recreation for our go offense. We knew we had been going to attempt to take some photographs and throw the ball down the sphere and we did that.”
No. 1 receiver Devin Carter entered the sport with simply 141 yards by means of 5 video games. He made 5 receptions for 116 on Thursday.
“I haven’t completed a adequate job of getting him the ball in conditions the place he might be particular, as a result of he’s a very particular participant,” Greene mentioned. “(Thursday), we lastly discovered a option to get him the ball in house and we hope to try this extra.”
It was a breakout recreation in each sense of the phrase for Greene and WVU’s passing recreation. The penalty on the finish doesn’t change that.
The Mountaineers had been capable of do issues in opposition to Houston they hadn’t all season. Greene accomplished passes downfield to receivers, WVU had 11 passing performs over 15 yards.
The play-action recreation additionally lastly got here alive. Nowhere was it extra evident than on the 35-yard flea flicker landing within the third quarter.
If both, or each, of these developments proceed, West Virginia goes from a crew that has to scrape and claw to beat opponents in low-scoring rock fights to an precise risk within the Massive 12.
Sure, Thursday’s loss was devastating and it’s irritating to see a crew and participant make errors to beat themselves, however there’s numerous season left and the larger image to think about is how WVU’s offense, and Greene particularly, had been capable of flourish.
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