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COVID-19 UPDATE: With increased access to at-home testing kits, West Virginia to scale back free community testing events

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COVID-19 UPDATE: With increased access to at-home testing kits, West Virginia to scale back free community testing events


Governor additionally broadcasts GreenPower launching pilot mission to familiarize faculties with electrical buses

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CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice and members of the West Virginia COVID-19 pandemic response management workforce held one other information briefing at present to replace the general public on the state’s newest pandemic response and vaccine distribution efforts.

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UPDATE REGARDING FREE TESTING EVENTS
Gov. Justice introduced throughout his briefing on Thursday that, due to the entry to and the comfort of at-home COVID-19 check kits, there’s now much less of a necessity for public group testing efforts.

In consequence, the state will likely be scaling again its group testing occasions.

West Virginia has supplied free group testing for all residents because the starting of the pandemic.

Testing websites will proceed to be supplied at pharmacies, collaborating native well being departments, collaborating medical facilities, and Federally Certified Healthcare Facilities to all who’re symptomatic or have been uncovered to COVID-19. 

“There are nonetheless loads of locations on the market the place yow will discover entry to free testing. However, to be completely sincere, what’s occurring proper now with our group testing occasions is that they’re arrange all day, however possibly solely two folks come by,” Gov. Justice mentioned. “We’re simply spending cash that may very well be higher spent elsewhere proper now. That mentioned, if issues occur to worsen, we’ll be proper again on the market.”

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The federal authorities can also be providing further residence testing kits.

“We simply need to guarantee that everybody is aware of we do have testing out there nonetheless, we’re simply rolling again these particular occasions,” mentioned State Well being Officer Dr. Ayne Amjad. “We nonetheless have free testing out there by means of totally different choices.”

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Dr. Amjad added that West Virginia’s on-line testing places map is being up to date to account for these modifications.

CASE NUMBERS & VACCINE/BOOSTER INFO
On Thursday, Gov. Justice reported that there are actually 2,117 energetic circumstances of COVID-19 statewide, 67 fewer circumstances than there have been through the Governor’s earlier briefing on Tuesday.

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COVID-19 Dashboard | Coronavirus.wv.gov

An up to date breakdown of the West Virginia County Alert Map is as follows:
Purple (0) | Orange (0) Gold (0) | Yellow (24) | Inexperienced (31)

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Nonetheless, after studying the ages and places of one other 23 people who’ve been confirmed to have handed away from COVID-19 since Tuesday, Gov. Justice continued to induce West Virginians to verify they’re up-to-date on their vaccinations and boosters.

Main sequence vaccinations and a primary booster dose are actually inspired for all West Virginians ages 5 and older.

A second booster dose is inspired for all West Virginians ages 50 and older who’re a minimum of 4 months faraway from their first booster dose, in addition to sure immunocompromised people. All West Virginians who qualify can get a second booster dose in all places vaccines can be found.

The state’s free COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator – the one instrument of its type within the nation – has been up to date to find out whether or not individuals are eligible for a second booster dose.

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GOV. JUSTICE ANNOUNCES GREENPOWER TO LAUNCH PILOT PROJECT FOR ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES ACROSS WV
Additionally throughout Thursday’s briefing, Gov. Justice took day trip from his remarks about COVID-19 to welcome Mark Nestlen, a spokesperson for GreenPower Motor Firm Inc.

The Governor has directed West Virginia Division of Financial Growth Secretary Mitch Carmichael to work alongside GreenPower to develop a pilot mission to familiarize faculty districts within the state with electrical faculty buses.

The pilot mission will likely be designed to assist faculty districts make the most of the federal cash that’s at present out there for the close to 100% buy of electrical buses.

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“In essence, they will nearly get these buses totally free. The big faculty buses could have a $375,000 rebate from the federal authorities. For the smaller faculty buses, it’s $285,000. After which they get an extra $20,000 per bus after that to work on charging infrastructure,” Nestlen mentioned. “Governor, along with your course for us to get on the market and present the college districts how it will work for them, together with this cash coming down from the federal authorities, is de facto going to do the job of serving to transfer college students safely, get them to highschool, assist them study higher, and can obtain extra financial development for the state.

“Once more, Governor, I thanks for what you’ve accomplished to make GreenPower really feel welcome in West Virginia,” he added.

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In January, Gov. Justice introduced that GreenPower had signed an settlement with the state to lease/buy a 9.5-acre manufacturing facility in South Charleston, together with an 80,000-square-foot constructing, the place the corporate will manufacture zero-emission, all-electric faculty buses, bringing tons of of latest jobs and hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in financial affect to West Virginia.

GreenPower produces all-electric faculty buses which might be capable of run 140 miles on a cost and recharge in as little as 3.5 hours, which means that these buses will be capable of run their morning route, recharge throughout lunch, after which run their afternoon route.

GreenPower plans to take possession of its new manufacturing facility in August and start manufacturing at its new South Charleston facility in September.

“We admire you. We all know you’re gonna carry tons of of jobs to West Virginia. It’s an ideal alternative for all of us,” Gov. Justice mentioned. “So we welcome you with open arms. We stand able to attempt to assist in each manner.

“We thank everyone who has put within the licks to make this a actuality and we’re anxious to see these buses begin rolling off the meeting line,” he continued.

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WV BREAKS ALL-TIME STATE RECORD FOR REVENUE COLLECTIONS THROUGH MAY
Gov. Justice additionally took time to reiterate his announcement yesterday that, 11 months by means of Fiscal 12 months 2022, year-to-date collections of greater than $5.225 billion are a report $1.107 billion above the YTD estimate and 16.3% forward of final 12 months, breaking the all-time state report for whole collections by means of the month of Might.

This marks the primary time in state historical past that cumulative collections have ever exceeded $5 billion at any level on the calendar, with one other month nonetheless remaining on this fiscal 12 months.

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“I sound nearly like a damaged report, however what a damaged report that is. It’s superb past perception what we’ve got happening,” Gov. Justice mentioned. “West Virginia, we need to simply carry on shifting ahead. These are unbelievable numbers.”

West Virginia’s Basic Income collections for Might 2022 got here in at $113.8 million over estimate.

Click on right here to learn extra

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GOV. JUSTICE ATTENDS GAMECHANGER DINNER
Final night, Gov. Justice stopped by the 2nd annual GameChanger Dinner, the place he delivered remarks in regards to the significance of the GameChanger program and its efforts to coach younger West Virginians in regards to the risks of substance misuse earlier than the cycle of dependancy begins.

“GameChanger is attempting to so something and the whole lot underneath the solar to fight the opioid epidemic by going into our faculties and speaking to youngsters about making their lives higher,” Gov. Justice mentioned throughout his briefing Thursday. “I congratulate them in each manner on what they’re doing, and I encourage everybody to get entangled in a child’s life indirectly.”

Further audio system on the occasion included nation music celebrity and West Virginia native Brad Paisley, U.S. senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, amongst others.

Click on right here to view occasion picture album

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KELLY GILMORE CODISPOTI APPOINTED AS CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE IN LOGAN COUNTY
Moreover, Gov. Justice echoed his announcement yesterday that he has appointed Kelly Gilmore Codispoti to the Seventh Judicial Circuit, which serves Logan County. Gilmore Codispoti is about to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of the Honorable Eric H. O’Briant.

She would be the first feminine Circuit Court docket Decide in Logan County.

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“She has already served Logan County for a very long time and actually has it collectively. She has accomplished a lot good work as a Household Court docket choose,” Gov. Justice mentioned. “I do know that Kelly will do an ideal job. I’ve all the arrogance on the planet in her and I want her all the perfect.”

Click on right here to learn extra

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DOCTORS CONFIRM GOV. JUSTICE’S LYME DISEASE DIAGNOSIS
Gov. Justice additionally reiterated his announcement yesterday that, after receiving the outcomes of his bloodwork, his medical doctors have confirmed a analysis of Lyme illness.

Gov. Justice will stay on antibiotics for a number of weeks to proceed combating the an infection.

“I nonetheless don’t really feel the best, however I’m doing higher on a regular basis,” Gov. Justice mentioned. “I by no means would have believed that you would get a tick chunk that will flip into one thing this nasty. I simply urge everybody to test themselves for ticks after they’ve been exterior and take heed.”

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GOVERNOR JOINS AGENCIES CALLING FOR WEST VIRGINIANS TO BE SAFE THIS SUMMER
Moreover Thursday, Gov. Justice joined three state companies – the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Management Administration, the Division of Pure Assets, and the State Hearth Marshal’s Workplace – in reminding the general public of potential hazards that may happen through the summer season, when many West Virginians and vacationers are extra energetic outdoor.

“We wish everybody to get pleasure from their summer season in West Virginia. It’s one of many best seasons to discover one of many best locations on Earth. However you’ve obtained to watch out,” Gov. Justice mentioned. “Over time, we’ve misplaced too many individuals to accidents – particularly when alcohol is concerned.

“I simply need everybody to get pleasure from themselves, however be tremendous cautious.”

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West Virginia

How to buy Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. West Virginia Mountaineers tickets

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How to buy Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. West Virginia Mountaineers tickets


The Oklahoma State Cowboys host a Big 12 battle versus the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

If you are searching for Cowboys vs. Mountaineers tickets, information is available below.

Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia game info

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How to buy Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia tickets for college football Week 6

You can buy tickets to see the Cowboys square off against the Mountaineers from multiple providers.

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Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia betting odds, lines, spreads

  • Spread favorite: Cowboys (-3.5)
  • Moneyline favorite: Cowboys (-183)
  • Total: 65.5 (O: -110, U: -110)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM

Oklahoma State Cowboys schedule

  • Week 1: Aug. 31 at 2:00 p.m. ET vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 44-20 win
  • Week 2: Sept. 7 at 12:00 p.m. ET vs. Arkansas Razorbacks, 39-31 win
  • Week 3: Sept. 14 at 12:00 p.m. ET at Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 45-10 win
  • Week 4: Sept. 21 at 4:00 p.m. ET vs. Utah Utes, 22-19 loss
  • Week 5: Sept. 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET at Kansas State Wildcats, 42-20 loss
  • Week 6: Oct. 5 at 4:00 p.m. ET vs. West Virginia Mountaineers
  • Week 8: Oct. 18 at 10:15 p.m. ET at BYU Cougars
  • Week 9: Oct. 26 at Baylor Bears
  • Week 10: Nov. 2 vs. Arizona State Sun Devils
  • Week 11: Nov. 9 at TCU Horned Frogs
  • Week 13: Nov. 23 vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
  • Week 14: Nov. 29 at 12:00 p.m. ET at Colorado Buffaloes

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Oklahoma State Cowboys stats

  • With 480.6 yards allowed per game on defense, which ranks fifth-worst in the FBS, Oklahoma State has had to rely on its 52nd-ranked offense (422.8 yards per contest) to keep them in games.
  • The Cowboys rank 42nd in scoring offense (33.4 points per game) and 79th in scoring defense (25.0 points allowed per game) this year.
  • While Oklahoma State ranks 14th-worst in the FBS in passing defense with 276.4 passing yards allowed per game, it’s been a different situation on offense, as the offensive unit ranks 10th-best in the FBS (325.0 passing yards per game).
  • The Cowboys rank 16th-worst in rushing offense (97.8 rushing yards per game) and 17th-worst in rushing defense (204.2 rushing yards per game allowed) this year.

West Virginia Mountaineers schedule

  • Week 1: Aug. 31 at 12:00 p.m. ET vs. Penn State Nittany Lions, 34-12 loss
  • Week 2: Sept. 7 at 6:00 p.m. ET vs. Albany Great Danes, 49-14 win
  • Week 3: Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Pittsburgh Panthers, 38-34 loss
  • Week 4: Sept. 21 at 12:00 p.m. ET vs. Kansas Jayhawks, 32-28 win
  • Week 6: Oct. 5 at 4:00 p.m. ET at Oklahoma State Cowboys
  • Week 7: Oct. 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET vs. Iowa State Cyclones
  • Week 8: Oct. 19 vs. Kansas State Wildcats
  • Week 9: Oct. 26 at Arizona Wildcats
  • Week 11: Nov. 9 at Cincinnati Bearcats
  • Week 12: Nov. 16 vs. Baylor Bears
  • Week 13: Nov. 23 vs. UCF Knights
  • Week 14: Nov. 30 at Texas Tech Red Raiders

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West Virginia Mountaineers stats

  • With 410.0 total yards per game on offense, West Virginia ranks 59th in the FBS in 2024. On defense, it ranks 107th, surrendering 410.3 total yards per game.
  • The Mountaineers rank 55th in the FBS with 31.8 points per contest on offense, and they rank 98th with 28.5 points allowed per game on defense.
  • West Virginia’s defense has been a bottom-25 unit in pass defense this season, surrendering 256.5 passing yards per game, which ranks 24th-worst in the FBS. On the offensive side of the ball, it ranks 70th with 228.5 passing yards per contest.
  • In terms of rushing, the Mountaineers rank 50th in the FBS on offense (181.5 rushing yards per game) and 83rd on the other side of the ball (153.8 rushing yards allowed per game).

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This content was created for Gannett using technology provided by Data Skrive.



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Housing: Where do Trump and Harris stand? • West Virginia Watch

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Housing: Where do Trump and Harris stand? • West Virginia Watch


This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race.

WASHINGTON — As the cost and supply of housing remain top issues for voters, both presidential candidates have put forth plans to tackle the crisis, in hopes of courting voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

The coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 exacerbated problems in the housing market, with supply chain disruptions, record-low interest rates and  increased demand contributing to a rise in housing prices, according to a study by the Journal of Housing Economics. 

While housing is typically handled on the local level, the housing supply is tight and rents continue to skyrocket, putting increased pressure on the federal government to help. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump agree that it’s an issue that needs to be solved, but their solutions diverge.

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The Harris and Trump campaigns did not respond to States Newsroom’s requests for details on the general housing proposals the nominees have discussed.

Promise: millions of new homes

Harris’ plan calls for the construction of 3 million homes in four years.

The United States has a shortage of about 3.8 million homes for sale and rent, according to 2021 estimates from Freddie Mac that are still relied upon.

Additionally, homelessness has hit a record-high of 653,100 people since January of last year, and a “record-high 22.4 million renter households spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities,” up from 2 million households since 2019, according to a study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

“This is obviously a multi-prong approach, because the factors contributing to high rents and housing affordability are many, and my plan is to attempt to address many of them at once, so we can actually have the net effect of bringing down the cost and making homeownership, renting more affordable,” Harris said during a September interview with Wisconsin Public Radio. 

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Promise: single-family zoning

Trump has long opposed building multi-family housing and has instead thrown his support behind single-family zoning, which would exclude other types of housing. Such land-use regulation is conducted by local government bodies, not the federal government, though the federal government could influence it.

“There will be no low-income housing developments built in areas that are right next to your house,” Trump said during an August rally in Montana. “I’m gonna keep criminals out of your neighborhood.”

Promise: getting Congress to agree

Election forecasters have predicted that Democrats will regain control of the U.S. House, but Republicans are poised to win the Senate, meaning any housing proposals will have to be overwhelmingly bipartisan.

“How much money is going to really be available without substantial increases in revenue to be able to do all these things that both Trump and Harris are proposing?” Ted Tozer, a non-resident fellow at the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center, said in an interview with States Newsroom. “All the money comes from Congress.”

Many of Harris’ policies rely on cooperation from Congress, as historically the federal government has limited tools to address housing shortages.

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“On the Democratic side, there’s a hunger for more action, for more direct government intervention in the housing market than we’ve seen in a long time,” said Francis Torres, the associate director of housing and infrastructure at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Nearly all proposals that Harris has put forth would require Congress to pass legislation and appropriate funds. The first is S.2224, introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, which would amend U.S. tax code to bar private equity firms from buying homes in bulk by denying “interest and depreciation deductions for taxpayers owning 50 or more single family properties,” according to the bill.

The second bill, S. 3692, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon and chair of the Senate Finance Committee, would bar using algorithms to artificially inflate the cost of rents.

Both bills would need to reach the 60-vote threshold in order to advance in the Senate, whichever party is in control.

Promise: $25,000 down payment assistance

Harris has pledged to support first-time homebuyers, but Congress would need to appropriate funds for the $25,000 down payment assistance program she has proposed that would benefit an estimated 4 million first-time homebuyers over four years.

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It’s a proposal that’s been met with skepticism.

“I’m really concerned that down payment assistance will actually put more pressure on home prices, because basically, you’re giving people additional cash to pay more for the house that they’re going to bid on,” Tozer said. “So by definition, they get in a bidding war, they’re going to spend more.”

Harris has also proposed a $40 billion innovation fund for local governments to build and create solutions for housing, which would also need congressional approval.

Promise: opening up federal lands

Both candidates support opening some federal lands for housing, which would mean selling the land for construction purposes with the commitment for a certain percentage of the units to be kept for affordable housing.

The federal government owns about 650 million acres of land, or roughly 30% of all land.

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Neither candidate has gone into detail on this proposal.

“I think it’s a sign that at least the Harris campaign and the people in her orbit are thinking about addressing this housing affordability problem really through stronger government action than has happened in several decades,” Torres said.

Promise: expand tax credits

The biggest tool the federal government has used to address housing is through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, known as LIHTC. Harris has promised to expand this tax credit, but has not gone into detail about how much she wants it expanded.

This program awards tax credits to offset construction costs in exchange for a certain number of rent-restricted units for low-income households. But the restriction is temporary, lasting about 30 years. 

There is no similar program for housing meant to be owned.

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“It’s an interesting moment, because then on the other side, on the Trump side, even though they diagnosed a lot of the similar problems, there’s not as much of a desire to leverage the strength of the federal government to ensure affordability,” Torres said.

Trump’s record on housing

The Trump campaign does not have a housing proposal, but various interviews, rallies and a review of Trump’s first four years in office provide a roadmap.

During Trump’s first administration, many of his HUD budget proposals were not approved by Congress.

In all four of his presidential budget requests, he laid out proposals that would increase rent by 40% for about 4 million low-income households using rental vouchers or for those who lived in public housing, according to an analysis by the left-leaning think tank the Brookings Institution. 

All four of Trump’s budgets also called for the elimination of housing programs such as the Community Development Block Grant, which directs funding to local and state governments to rehabilitate and build affordable housing. Trump’s budgets also would have slashed the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, which is a home energy assistance program for low-income families.

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Additionally, Trump’s Opportunity Zones authorized through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which are tax incentives to businesses and real estate to invest in low-income communities, have had mixed results.

Promise: cut regulations and add tariffs

In an interview with Bloomberg, Trump said he wanted to focus on reducing regulations in the permitting process.

“Your permits, your permitting process. Your zoning, if — and I went through years of zoning. Zoning is like… it’s a killer,” he said. “But we’ll be doing that, and we’ll be bringing the price of housing down.”

During campaign rallies, Trump has often said he would impose a 10% tariff across the board on all goods entering the U.S. He’s also proposed 60% tariffs on China.

Trump said at a rally in Georgia that tariff is “one of the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard.”

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Tozer said adding trade policies, such as tariffs on construction materials like lumber, would drive up the cost of homes.

Promise: deport immigrants

Trump has argued that his plan for mass deportations will help free up the supply of housing. Karoline Leavitt, the Trump national press secretary, told the New York Times that deporting immigrants would lower the cost of housing because migration “is driving up housing costs.”

The former president has made a core campaign promise to deport millions of immigrants.

Tozer said housing and immigration are tied, because the ability to build houses comes down to workers, and roughly 30% of construction workers are immigrants. 

“By shutting down the border, you’re possibly shutting down your capacity to build these houses,” he said, adding that all those policies are intertwined.

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What Mike Gundy Said About Garrett Greene & West Virginia

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What Mike Gundy Said About Garrett Greene & West Virginia


Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy held his weekly press conference on Monday and toward the end, he was asked a couple of questions about this week’s matchup with West Virginia.

“You got to stop their quarterback. He’s a good runner. Very similar to what we saw last week. Coach Brown has done a good job with them. They’ve been in their games. Every game they’ve played they’ve been very competitive in it. Penn State took them over later, but not really. It was a very competitive game. Same coordinators, same defensive structure. Neal’s offense is the same as what it’s been. This quarterback that’s there has been there for I don’t know how many years. I think he played against (Mason) Rudolph. It’s been forever. He’s still there.”

“Experience has helped him. And I’m guessing the relationship he has with his play-callers and position coach…they’re further along now just from experience. He’s been good at rushing the ball and they do a good job with that. We have to control the quarterback and keep him from flushing out and running around.”

West Virginia and Oklahoma State will kick things off at 4 p.m. EST this Saturday with the action airing on ESP2.

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