 "Photo: Leann Arthur/DA")
 "Photo: Leann Arthur/DA")
 "Photo: Leann Arthur/DA")
 "Photo: Leann Arthur/DA")
 "Photo: Leann Arthur/DA")
 "Photo: Leann Arthur/DA")
With an injured Noel Devine on the sidelines, West Virginia needed a playmaker.
Junior Jock Sanders answered the call.
Sanders, the starting slot-receiver, moved to running back in the second half and finished with 69 yards rushing in relief of the injured Devine including a second quarter touchdown reception to lead the Mountaineers (7-2, 3-1 Big East) to a 17-9 victory over Louisville Saturday.
“You have to be able to play with whatever you have,” said WVU running backs coach Chris Beatty. “Jock’s a versatile guy and he can do a lot of different things for us. His versatility pays off for us and it obviously did today.”
Sanders’ 8-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jarrett Brown came on the Mountaineers’ last drive of the first half and erased Louisville’s 3-0 lead it acquired the possession before on a Chris Philpott 27-yard field.
The score was set up by two consecutive plays of at least 20 yards by WVU – a 20-yard pickup by Devine on a 2nd-and-19 and a 29-yard reception by Alric Arnett to bring the Mountaineers to the Louisville 10-yard line.
Devine left the game on the reception, however, and played just one snap in the second half. His status for next week against Cincinnati is day-to-day, according to WVU head athletic trainer Dave Kerns.
“It just didn’t feel right with him not being out there on the field,” Sanders said. “He’s a great competitor and he doesn’t want to lose.”
Devine picked up 30 of his 57 rush yards in the game on that final drive. Before the possession, West Virginia had punted four times and was held to 99 yards of total offense.
The Mountaineers’ only other chance to score came on their third possession of the game when Brown was picked off in the end zone by Louisville defensive back Chaz Thompson.
At the half, West Virginia outgained Louisville 171-170 in total yards, while another Philpott a 44-yard field goal with less than a minute remaining in the second allowed WVU to enter halftime with a 7-6 lead.
“Our guys fought all day long,” said Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe. “Our defense stepped up and made some big plays for us, we just couldn’t find a way to win.”
With Sanders at running back for the injured Devine, the Mountaineers scored on their first possession of the second half. Sanders picked up 19 yards on his first carry and Brown followed two plays later with a 24-yard scramble to bring WVU into the red zone.
After two penalties and a false start, Austin scored from 9-yards out on an end-around for a 14-6 WVU lead.
West Virginia freshman kicker Tyler Bitancurt connected on a 42-yard field goal with 3:42 left in the third quarter while Philpott connected on his third field goal in the fourth quarter to cap the game’s scoring.
A late run Louisville rally was shut down thanks to two consecutive sacks of UL quarterback Will Stein by West Virginia sophomore Julian Miller, who finished with three sacks for a loss of 19 yards along with six tackles .
“It was crunch time and I had to step up,” Miller said. “Coach Stew had been preaching all week that we just had to give a little more and that was one of the things I was trying to do. We had to find him first.”
Devine was one of five West Virginia starters who left with injuries. Nose tackle Chris Nield (right shoulder sprain), defensive end Josh Taylor (minor back sprain) and safety Sidney Glover (AC joint sprain) all battled injuries throughout the game. Quarterback Jarrett Brown also exited with a right ankle injury but returned on the ensuing possession.
None are expected to miss any significant time, according to Kerns.
The win was the Mountaineers’ third straight over the Cardinals and improves WVU to 9-2 all-time in the series.
brian.gawthrop@mail.wvu.edu
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