West Virginia

Coach Neal Brown gets another chance to show improvement at West Virginia. It could be his last

Published

9 months ago

August 18, 2023

Coach Neal Brown gets another chance to show improvement at West Virginia. It could be his last

Neal Brown was allowed to keep his job at West Virginia after another lackluster season in 2022. Now it’s time for the fifth-year coach to show some improvement.

The task will be tough with a brutal September schedule. Several key players transferred after last season and the Mountaineers are picked to flounder at the bottom of the expanded Big 12.

“Looking forward to proving everybody wrong on that front,” Brown said. “We won’t finish there.”

Even a middle-of-the-pack showing might not be enough to save him. New athletic director Wren Baker has made it clear that the Mountaineers need to win more games.

West Virginia has yet to be ranked under Brown and has failed to become bowl eligible in two of his four seasons, including last year’s 5-7 record. His 22-25 overall record is the worst four-year stretch since the Mountaineers went 17-27 under Frank Cignetti from 1976-79.

For now, Brown is focused on preparations, not predictions. He’s emphasizing toughness, especially on defense.

“We’re going to use a lot more of those opportunities in fall camp and be intentional about being physical and tackling to the ground,” Brown said.

RB DEPTH

Brown calls running back CJ Donaldson a “budding superstar” and hopes the 240-pound sophomore returns to form behind a veteran offensive line after missing the final four games with an ankle injury and a midseason game with a concussion.

Donaldson had four 100-yard rushing efforts, a team-high eight touchdowns and averaged six yards per carry. He also blocked a punt against Pittsburgh that led to his own touchdown run.

There will be plenty of opportunities for others after 2022 leading rusher Tony Mathis transferred to Houston.

Justin Johnson and Jaylen Anderson, who combined for 82 yards per game, should get plenty of work again. New offensive coordinator Chad Scott calls speedy Jahiem White a “make-you-miss guy” and hopes to work him and 240-pound fellow freshman DJ Oliver into the mix.

DUAL THREAT QB

West Virginia will have a dual threat back behind center after struggling with three pocket quarterbacks the past four seasons.

Garrett Greene started the final two games and is competing with redshirt freshman Nicco Marchiol for the starting job to replace JT Daniels, who transferred to Rice. Greene threw for five TDs, ran for five more scores and average 6.1 yards per carry as a sophomore.

With the top four receivers gone, West Virginia is looking for help from transfers like Devin Carter from North Carolina State and Ja’Shaun Poke from Kent State. The 6-foot-3 Carter has at least 400 receiving yards in four straight seasons and Poke 300 yards in three consecutive years.

DEFENSIVE HELP

Top returning tacklers Lee Kpogba at linebacker and Aubrey Burks at safety anchor a defense that allowed the second-most yards per play and points in the Big 12. West Virginia also had a league-low four interceptions.

The line, decimated by transfers and graduation, will lean heavily on Sean Martin, who had eight starts last season, and returnees Edward Vesterinen and Mike Lockhart. The secondary should get a boost from transfer cornerbacks Montre Miller (Kent State) and Beanie Bishop (Minnesota), and safeties Keyshawn Cobb (Buffalo) and Anthony Wilson (Georgia Southern).

“The guys that we brought in, there’s some playmakers, too,” Kpogba said. “I shouldn’t be picking up too much slack out there.”

HOME-GROWN BEEF

The offensive line has a home-grown flavor. Preseason all-Big 12 center Zach Frazier, right tackle Doug Nester and left tackle Wyatt Milum attended high school in West Virginia. While the state regularly produces such talent, those players often choose to play out of state. Nester spent his first two seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring.

Ja’Quay Hubbard, Brandon Yates and Tomas Rimac also have extensive starting experience at various line positions.

TOUGH SCHEDULE

The Mountaineers open Sept. 2 at No. 7 Penn State, play a Sept. 16 home matchup with archrival Pittsburgh, start conference action Sept. 23 against improving Texas Tech and have the Sept. 30 league road opener at No. 17 TCU.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

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West Virginia

Water, Sewer Providers Must Assess Security Risks As Cyberattacks Rise – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Press Room

Water, Sewer Providers Must Assess Security Risks As Cyberattacks Rise – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

In late 2023, reports of foreign cyberattacks targeting local water systems across the United States spurred calls for providers to strengthen their cyber protections nationwide.

Now, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) announced it will require all water and sewer utility providers across West Virginia to complete cybersecurity investigations.

The investigations require providers to assess their cyber risks, with financial support from federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Water and sewer systems will also be required to develop long-term cybersecurity plans, and appoint an employee to oversee plan compliance.

“This is a seriously developing problem across the nation and the Public Service Commission wants to be in the forefront of helping assure the safety of data concerning utilities and their customers,” PSC Chairman Charlotte Lane said in a press release Thursday. “These attacks are widespread and will become more common, we fear, as we rely more and more on computers in our daily lives and in running our businesses.”

The PSC-prompted investigations mark another step in a months-long effort to reinforce water system cybersecurity in West Virginia as cyberattacks have continued to rise nationally.

In January, the Office of Environmental Health Services (OEHS) — part of the West Virginia Department of Health Bureau of Public Health — began coordinating cyberattack prevention initiatives with water providers across the state.

OEHS also coordinated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to spread awareness about free cybersecurity assessments offered by the federal agency.

Water and sewer providers in West Virginia will be required to complete their investigations by July 15 — 60 days after the PSC order was released.

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West Virginia

West Virginia Falls Short in Ft. Worth

Published

11 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Press Room

Ft. Worth, TX – The Big 12 Conference leader in strikeouts, TCU junior starting pitcher Payton Tolle, kept the West Virginia bats at bey with 11 strikeouts to collected his seventh win of the season as the Mountaineers (31-20, 17-11) dropped game one to the Horned Frogs (31-17, 14-14) Friday night 6-3.

TCU took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after freshman Sam Myers and redshirt sophomore Jack Arthur hit back-to-back singles before a sacrifice bunt and a slow groundball down to third from redshirt senior Kurtis Byrne for the sacrifice RBI put the game’s first run on the board.

The Horned Frogs added a pair of runs in the second when junior Brody Green lined a leadoff single up the middle and sophomore Anthony Silva drilled an RBI double into the gap in left centerfield. Then, freshman Ryder Robinson hit a sacrifice RBI groundball to first for a 3-0 lead.

Sophomore Benjamin Lumsden put the Mountaineers on the board in the third with a solo home run, his seventh of the season.

Anthony Silva lifted a two-run home run in the fourth to extend the TCU lead to four, 5-1.

West Virginia got back within three in the fifth after Lumsden worked a full count walk, sophomore Skylar King advanced Lumsden with a bunt and sophomore Logan Sauve smacked the 0-2 pitch through the left side for an RBI single.

In the bottom of the frame and with two outs and the bases loaded, Green hit a high chopping ground ball over the head of freshman reliever Chase Myer for the sacrifice RBI and a 6-2 Horned Frogs’ lead.

The Mountaineers loaded the bases in the eighth, and with no outs on the board, TCU head coach called to his bullpen for the team leader in saves, sophomore lefty Ben Abeldt. WVU senior Reed Chumley brought a runner across with a sacrifice fly to left field but that’s all the Mountaineers could muster as the Horned Frogs were holding onto a 6-3 lead.

Ben Abeldt struck out two in the ninth as part of a 1-2-3 inning to hold any potential of a Mountaineer rally for the 6-3 decision.

West Virginia will look to even the series on Saturday in game two. The first pitch is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.

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Office of Energy warns West Virginians about new phone scam – WV MetroNews

Published

18 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Press Room

Office of Energy warns West Virginians about new phone scam – WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There’s a new phone scam that’s targeting homeowners in West Virginia.

The West Virginia Office of Energy (WVOE) is warning people of a scam where callers are claiming to be from a legitimate power company, including West Virginia Power Company, Appalachian Power and FirstEnergy, and are offering to perform free in-home services that are funded through federal grants. Scammers then will ask people for personal information like the victim’s full name and home address. This information could then be used to commit crimes like identity theft.

Energy officials encourage homeowners to ask for information like the name of the company and a phone number to call back later if they are skeptical about the legitimacy of the caller. A business license number can also be cross-checked on the Secretary of State’s website, sos.wv.gov.

“If the caller cannot provide their company’s West Virginia business license and details about the grant funding the project, it is likely a scam,” says Nicholas Preservati, director of the Office of Energy. “You should never give out personal information over the phone without first making sure the call is legitimate.”

There is currently no grant providing free service of this kind for West Virginia residents. The Office of Energy says they will inform the public of any such initiatives in the future.

More information about WVOE’s current and pending projects can be found at energywv.org.

Those that believe they’ve been a victim of a scam should contact the Attorney General Office’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-368-8808 or visit ago.wv.gov.

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