If talent was all that decided the Big East Conference Champion, West Virginia would still be in the race.
This year's Mountaineers have made too many mistakes, though, and have underachieved for the second-straight year.
West Virginia is one of the most-talented teams in the Big East, especially on offense. If rankings were based purely on talent, the Mountaineers would rank in the top 20 easily.
Pure talent obviously isn't doing the job for WVU this year.
The Mountaineers have more offensive weapons than No. 4 Cincinnati. Yet, the Bearcats showcased all of its weapons, while WVU struggled to find them on enough snaps.
Talented players like Ryan Clarke aren't getting their fair share of carries in a fairly predictable offense.
Yet, despite Clarke's 12-yard per carry average Friday night, he carried it just five times.
Why? WVU offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen said it was because WVU loses the big-play threat with him in instead of a half-healthy Noel Devine.
But Clarke score the longest touchdown of the game for either team in the second quarter.
It's not all about the talent, though. The swagger that accompanied WVU's program over the past few years seems to be gone.
WVU head coach Bill Stewart remarked after his team's 24-21 loss to the Bearcats Friday that the team regained its swagger. I didn't see it that way.
With five minutes left and WVU inside Cincinnati's territory, Stewart decided to try a fourth down conversion instead of kicking the field goal, which would've cut the Bearcats' lead to four. Stewart said he did so because he was worried his defense would be unable to stop Cincinnati's offense – the same Bearcats' offense that hadn't scored since its first possession of the second half.
Cincinnati went down and added a field goal to make it a two-possession game, leaving WVU with its third loss of the season and out of the conference race.
If WVU had swagger, it would've kicked the field goal and sent its defense out to make a stop.
There's no trust. No confidence. No swagger.
And it seems like the Mountaineers are getting used to losing.
Stewart applauded his team's effort following the loss. They were happy to take the fifth-best team to the fourth quarter. They left it all out there on the field.
Apparently moral victories mean more to Stewart than me.
Which comes to an overarching issue – it's time to stop applauding effort and win based on effort.
It's time to take a close look at the once-proud West Virginia football program. Is it about to take a dive like Louisville went through when Bobby Petrino left?
It would be a shame with so much talent.
I saw the WVU football players leave it all out there on the field. I saw them strain and jut their jaw and do everything their coach tells them to do each and every game.
Yet, the Mountaineers still came away with a loss, despite having similar talent.
Stewart said earlier this season one thing he hates is wasted talent.
I couldn't agree more.
The Mountaineers do have two more regular season games and the bowl game to pick up the pieces.
If WVU is able to show its true potential, all may not be lost in 2009.
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