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WVU looks to end drought against KSU

West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard (3) passes while pressured by BYU defensive lineman Moses Kaumatule (49) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

MORGANTOWN — Sixth-year West Virginia University head football coach Dana Holgorsen isn’t worried about talking to his unbeaten (3-0) Mountaineers about this Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. opponent Kansas State University or the fact that the Old Gold and Blue have yet to come out with a victory in four previous Big 12 meetings with the Wildcats.

“You guys (the media) will take care of that,” Holgorsen quipped during Tuesday’s media conference. “We understand that they have been a thorn in our side for the past few years. Bill Snyder is a Hall of Fame coach. His team is always going to be ready.

“It’s the same outfit it’s always been. It’s going to be our biggest challenge yet.”

A challenge Holgorsen and his Mountaineers have failed to master since WVU elected to leave the Big East and join the Big 12 following the 2011 campaign. The first two meetings weren’t even close as KSU laid a 55-12 thumping on Geno Smith and Company in 2012 and then followed that up with a 35-12 decision in Manhattan, Kansas the following year.

The last two meetings, however, have been nail-biters, but special teams play proved to be costly for the team in Old Gold and Blue as the Wildcats pulled out a 26-20 victory at Milan Puskar Stadium in 2014 and then last year used a pair of kickoff returns to pull out a one-point, 24-23, win.

“What’s been the difference the last couple of years against these guys has been special teams,” continued Holgorsen. “We might spend more time this week on special teams. Kickoff and kickoff return we are going to have to work on. They got us last year, they got us two years ago, you might think we are obsessing on it, and maybe we are, but they have been the difference.”

And, last Saturday’s effort in a 35-32 victory over Brigham Young University did not help.

“We are going to make some personnel changes,” added the coach. “We are going to make some scheme changes. You will notice. We put some guys out there that weren’t ready to go. Our goal is to not get beat on special teams.

“Our hang time was bad (on kickoffs). Our placement was bad. If you can get it into the end zone you should. We’re not there, yet.”

The return of senior placekicker Josh Lambert may help, however.

Lambert, who missed all of spring practice as well as the Mountaineers’ first three games in 2016, will be back in the lineup. But, exactly what he will be doing on Saturday Holgorsen wasn’t prepared to say.

“We are happy with Mike (Michael Molina). He didn’t have his best day (at FedEx Field) on Saturday. Josh (Lambert) will be able to create some competition. We will evaluate where they are at and what we need to do. They will both see action on Saturday.”

Molina has made the most of his opportunity this fall, ranking fourth in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging nine points per game. The Mountain State product leads the conference in field goals with an average of 1.67 per game (5-of-6) and has made good on all 12 of his PATs.

However, Lambert has made a reputation for himself with 68 career field goals (No. 2 on WVU’s all-time list) and 133 career extra points (No. 5).

For the fourth straight game WVU will face an opponent that is struggling on offense, but has a defense which is rated among the best in the country.

“Their defense is extremely stout,” explained Holgorsen. “They are ranked No. 1 nationally. Offensively, they lost some guys up front, but every one of their skill people are back. We’ve got our work cut out for us on defense.”

Fortunately, the three teams that WVU have faced to date  — Missouri, Youngstown State, BYU – have prepared the Mountaineers for what they will see on Homecoming Day at Mountaineer Field. Junior quarterback Jesse Ertz leads the Wildcats in both passing (31-of-55, 418 yards) and rushing (25-145) and the prevent unit tops the Big 12 in Scoring Defense (11.0 ppg), Total Defense (179 ypg), Rushing Defense (72.3 ypg) and Pass Defense (106.7 ypg).

“I think we are in a good place right now being 3-0. It’s a really exciting time this week with Homecoming and I know our fan base will have the place rocking on Saturday.”

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