The 2011 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University as a member of the Big East Conference during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Dana Holgorsen, the Mountaineers compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, sharing the Big East title with Cincinnati and Louisville. West Virginia earned the conference's Bowl Championship Series (BCS) as the highest ranked of the Big East co-champions in the final BCS rankings. The Mountaineers were invited to the Orange Bowl, where they beat Clemson, 70–33. This was the third victory for West Virginia in three BCS games, while the 70 points in the Orange Bowl set a record for most points scored in any bowl game; this was later matched by Army in the 2018 Armed Forces Bowl. The team played home games at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The 2011 season was West Virginia's last in the Big East as the Mountaineers joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012.
Schedule
Rankings
Preseason Coaching changes On December 16, 2010, West Virginia announced the hiring of former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Holgorsen replaces Jeff Mullen as offensive coordinator and will take over as the Mountaineers head coach in 2012.
On January 5, 2011, the Mountaineers announced the hiring of three offensive coaches; Robert Gillespie (Running Backs), Bill Bedenbaugh (Offensive Line), and Shannon Dawson (Inside-Receivers).
On March 10, it was announced that lone offensive staff holdover Lonnie Galloway (Outside-Receivers) has left West Virginia to take a coaching job at Wake Forest.
On March 28, West Virginia University announced the hiring of Daron Roberts as an assistant coach. Roberts will be working with wide receivers and special teams.
On June 10, West Virginia University announced that Bill Stewart had resigned as head coach and that Dana Holgorsen would assume the position effective immediately. Holgorsen has stated he will serve as his own offensive coordinator but that he was unsure who would fill the extra spot on the coaching staff.
On July 8, Holgorsen hired Alex Hammond as recruiting coordinator.
The Mountaineers have retained the entire 2010 defensive coaching staff for the 2011 season.
Key losses Noel Devine – RB Jock Sanders – WR Eric Jobe – OL Scooter Berry – DT Chris Neild – DT Pat Lazear – LB J.T. Thomas – LB Anthony Leonard – LB Brandon Hogan – CB Robert Sands – S Benji Powers- DB
2011 recruits
Spring Game The 2011 Gold-Blue Spring Game took place on Friday, April 29, 2011, at 7 p.m. at Mountaineer Field. Over 22,000 fans attended to see the Gold team defeat the Blue team 83–17. The game was televised statewide on West Virginia Media stations.
Polls The Mountaineers were picked to win the Big East Conference by the media at conference media day, picking up 21 out of 24 first place votes.
Game summaries Marshall
WVU picked up the win in a game that was delayed a total of 4 hours, 22 minutes and called with 14:36 left in the 4th quarter. Following a 3rd quarter Tavon Austin kickoff return for a touchdown that gave the Mountaineers a 27–13 lead with five minutes to play in the third quarter, the game experienced a lightning delay that lasted 3 hours, 6 minutes. Once resuming play a Vernard Roberts one-yard touchdown run extended the WVU lead to 34–13 early in the fourth quarter, after which the game was once again delayed for lightning. It was ultimately agreed to by both teams to end the game. Geno Smith lead the game for WVU going 26–35 for 246 yards and two touchdowns.
Norfolk State
The Mountaineers overcame a sluggish first half exploding for 45 second half points and ending the game with 533 yards of total offense. Geno Smith went 20–34 for 371 yards and 4 TDs passing. As a team WVU passed for 431 yards, the most since 1998.
At Maryland
The Mountaineers got off to a fast start, building a 27–10 halftime lead behind the arm of junior quarterback Geno Smith and rushing touchdowns from freshmen Vernard Roberts and Andrew Buie. The lead was built to 24, 34–10, in the third quarter on a Smith connection to high school teammate Stedman Bailey. Maryland scored 21 unanswered points to bring the game to within 3 points, 34–31, before the Mountaineers added another field goal to build their lead to 6, 37–31. The Terrapins drove down the field in an attempt to take the lead, but quarterback Danny O'Brien was intercepted by Eain Smith with 1:13 remaining in the game to seal it for the Mountaineers.
No. 2 LSU
ESPN's College GameDay broadcast from Morgantown for the first time.
Despite outgaining the Tigers 533–366, West Virginia was unable to overcome poor tackling and special teams play. The Mountaineers also committed four turnovers. West Virginia's Geno Smith set school records for completions (38), attempts (65) and passing yards (463) against LSU's highly regarded defense.
Bowling Green
West Virginia put together its most complete game of the season as the running game that had struggled in past weeks exploded to the tune of 360. True freshman Dustin Garrison set a school record for most rushing yards by a freshman with 291, good enough for a tie for the second most total in school history. WVU's 643 yards of total offense were a Mountaineer Field record.
Connecticut
At Syracuse
At Rutgers
Geno Smith threw two second-half touchdowns to help West Virginia (6–2, 2–1 Big East) post its 17th straight win over Rutgers. WVU trailed 31–21 at the halftime, fighting both the Scarlet Knights offense, and harsh weather conditions. The Mountaineer defense allowed a season-high 31 points in the first half, but shutout Rutgers in the second. The Mountaineers won their first conference road game of the season, and became bowl-eligible in the process. Smith finished 20–33 for 218 yards, and two touchdowns, while Shawne Alston ran for a career-high 110 yards and two scores on 14 carries
Louisville
At No. 22 Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
South Florida
Vs. No. 14 Clemson (Orange Bowl)
Geno Smith tied a record for any bowl game with six touchdown passes, including four to Tavon Austin, and No. 23 West Virginia set a bowl scoring record by beating No. 14 Clemson 70–33 on Wednesday in the Orange Bowl. Darwin Cook's 99-yard fumble return for a touchdown was one of the Mountaineers' five TDs in the second quarter, including three in the final 2:29 for a 49–20 lead. It was the highest-scoring half by a team in a bowl game. Austin's four TD receptions tied a record for any bowl game, and Smith broke Tom Brady's Orange Bowl record with 407 yards passing. West Virginia's point total broke the bowl record established six nights earlier when Baylor beat Washington 67–56 in the Alamo Bowl.
Personnel Coaching staff 2011 Coaching StaffHead coach Head coach/offensive coordinator – Dana Holgorsen
Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – Jake Spavital Running backs – Robert Gillespie Inside receivers – Shannon Dawson Wide receivers/special teams – Daron Roberts Offensive line – Bill Bedenbaugh Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Jeff Casteel Defensive line – Bill Kirelawich Defensive backs – David Lockwood Safeties – Steve Dunlap
Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Mike Joseph Assistant strength coach – Mark Smith Assistant strength coach – Kevin McCadam
Roster 2011 West Virginia MountaineersQuarterbacks
Paul Millard – freshman Geno Smith – junior
Running backs Shawne Alston – junior Ryan Clarke – RS junior Daquan Hargrett – RS sophomore Trey Johnson – sophomore Ricky Kovatch – senior Matt Lindamood – RS junior Nate Majnaric – RS freshman Pete Miller – RS junior Eric Rollman – RS sophomore Chris Snook – RS Sophomore
Wide receivers Tavon Austin – junior Stedman Bailey – RS sophomore Dustin Brown – RS freshman Jack Crossin – RS sophomore Andrew Goldbaugh – RS junior Ivan McCartney – sophomore Willie Milhouse – RS senior Ryan Nehlen – RS junior Soraya Alsien-Ogbebar – RS senior Reggie Rembert – RS junior Lamar Jones – freshman Thomas Sims – RS freshman Brad Starks – RS senior Tyler Urban – senior Coley White – RS junior J.D. Woods – RS junior Offensive Lineman Blaise Arbogast – RS sophomore Don Barclay – RS senior John Bassler – RS junior Cole Bowers – RS sophomore Jeff Braun -RS Junior Mike Calicchio – RS freshman Pat Eger – RS sophomore Josh Jenkins – senior Nick Kindler – RS sophomore Joe Madsen – RS junior Tyler Rader – RS senior Chad Snodgrass – RS senior Quinton Spain – RS freshman
Defensive line Curtis Feight – RS sophomore C.J. Huffman – RS senior Julian Miller – RS senior Donovan Pearson – RS junior Ted Rietschlin – RS freshman Josh Taylor – RS senior Jorge Wright – RS junior
Defensive end Will Clarke – RS sophomore Trevor Demko – RS freshman Bruce Irvin – senior J.B. Lageman – RS junior Linebackers Tyler Anderson – RS sophomore Jared Barber – freshman Hunter Bittner – RS junior Steve Bohon – RS freshman Josh Contraguerro – RS junior Josh Francis – junior Troy Gloster – RS freshman Najee Goode – RS senior Donovan Miles – RS junior Taige Redman – RS sophomore Doug Rigg – sophomore Jewone Snow – RS freshman Casey Vance – RS senior
Defensive backs Ishmael Banks – RS freshman Travis Bell – sophomore Brantwon Bowser – RS senior Nick Cadwell – RS junior Darwin Cook – RS sophomore Michael Dorsey – sophomore Qudral Forte – RS freshman Terence Garvin – junior Lucas Henn – RS freshman Brodrick Jenkins – RS sophomore Cecil Level – RS junior Pat Miller – junior Vance Roberts – freshman Lawrence Smith – RS junior Eain Smith – RS senior Keith Tandy – RS senior Wes Tonkery – RS freshman Anthony Vecchio – RS freshman Avery Williams – freshman Special teams Tyler Bitancurt – RS Junior () Jerry Cooper – RS freshman () Trent Lusk – RS junior () Michael Molinari – RS freshman () Cody Nutter – RS senior () Corey Smith – RS junior ()
Key – Currently Injured – Current redshirt I* – Ineligible
References