Colin Dunlap: YOU. ARE. LOOKING. LIVE. ... at my home in Hampton Township, Pennsylvania ... on a leaf-filled street, on a beautiful autumn day, with the temperatures dipping and the games rising (in terms of consequence). Welcome, people, to the weekly West Virginia University football chat. I am here to answer -- or at least try to answer -- your questions. So ... shoot.

pitt66: Will the West Virginia and Cinci game be prime time?

Colin Dunlap: Yes...it is a Friday night ESPN game in Cincinnati.

theWellHungarian: Why is Noel Devine getting Heisman consideration on ESPN's site, but still no love for Dion Lewis or Bill Stull? Also, Pitt in 2010 should have a nice pre-season ranking. Any plans to make a pitch for either J. Baldwin or Dion Lewis for Heisman?

Colin Dunlap: I don't know about the ESPN site, but I will say this: I was sitting in the press box at the WVU/USF game this past Friday night and I looked up at the television monitor that was just above my head....Dion Lewis was listed as a Heisman candidate, Devine was not (and, at this point, rightly so)...also, there was a little piece on Lewis on College Football Live the other night that I saw. So, from that standpoint, I think ESPN has recognized how special Lewis is.

WVUer21: Colin, after last week's mess in Tampa, how did the team respond this week in preparation for this Saturday?

Colin Dunlap: They have realized -- or at least Bill Stewart has said they have realized -- that it is a four-game season. In reality, if you look at it, the USF game didn't mean a whole lot either way. In some regard, most likely, WVU would have to go 4-0 in its last four games to win the conference anyway, don't you think?

Nick_F.: Noel Devine, one of the most explosive players in college football, is averaging 21 touches per game. It seems to me that he needs a lot more than that. During the South Florida game, when the running game wasn't working, they tried 4 screens to Devine, two of which were bated down by the USF defensive ends and one of which Devine was hit hard as soon as he caught the ball. Are there any other ways to get him the ball? Have they practiced getting devine to run routes down like Jock?

Colin Dunlap: I think 20-25 touches is about right for him. Nick, everyone needs to remember one thing: while explosive, Devine is also tiny. The offensive coaches can't have defenses laying on top of Devine all game and teams taking shots at him. Again, I think the amount of touches he has been getting is fine ... and, had he broken a big play against USF, no one would be grumbling about the amount of touches. Also, yes, I know that he works out in the slot a little bit. But, again, a lot of those routes, you run the risk of getting hammered across the middle.

MLobes2: Is it me or does it seem like Jarrett Brown is regressing as the year goes on?

Colin Dunlap: Well, the teams are getting better. I mean, USF and UConn are a lot better than Liberty and ECU -- let us all remember that aspect. I don't know if regression is the right way to classify it. The guy is a first-year starter, there will be ups and downs. I just think, Friday night, he went against a USF football team that was, well, very good. Everyone needs to remember something: Sometimes when you lose, that other team out there has something to do with it. Too many times in football, in a loss, all the fans want to point at this mistake or that mistake and say, "we shot ourselves in the foot" here or "we made this mistake" there. Well, you have to account for the other team, too -- I mean, they are there to win.

Chooch79: Did you get a chance to attend to Distinguished Lecture Series at WVU last night?

Colin Dunlap: No. Who spoke?

pa66: How does WVU beat Cinci?

Colin Dunlap: I don't think it is as much on the secondary as some do -- I think it is on the front 6 guys in the stack defense to get to Tony Pike and make him throw it in a hurry. You make that guy move around and that's the best chance you have. Also, WVU needs to possess the football, limit the three and outs. Even if the Mountaineers don't score, they need to squeeze the game into as few possessions as possible.

WVUer21: I can't say I've seen too much of Louisville this season so far. I read that they're in the midst of a quarterback controversy, but who are some of the Cards' players to watch for?

Colin Dunlap: 20 Victor Anderson -- RB; 84 Long -- WR ... but the most explosive guy is Trent Guy -- he wears No. 3 and is a returner and receiver.

pa66: Backyard Bawl ready for primetime or a noon game?

Colin Dunlap: If I had to guess, and this is purely a guess ... I would say 8pm kick on that one. I have zero firm on that, like I said, purely speculation on my part, but I am thinking an 8pm start might happen that day.

Stew_ssweatervest: What is up with Wes Lyons?

Colin Dunlap: He hasn't lived up to expectations, not even close. I mean, is there anything that is more of an indicator than the coaches putting him as the inside receiver for some snaps? I just don't get it with him. Guy comes out of the locker room and looks like and NFL All-Pro. He makes a catch here or there, has shown an ability to throw decent blocks, but HE IS 6-8!!!!! Shouldn't he be catching some fades? Should he be catching some alley-oops? Should he be a go-to guy on the edge? To me, he is a mystery. I just don't get it.

Ryan: How nice is it for the team to play a team like Louisville this week to try and re-group before the crucial three-game stretch?? (i.e. I would rather play Louisville after the USF loss than any other team in the Big East)

Colin Dunlap: Great point. But, that said, West Virginia better realize they are not going to win this game just by running out of the locker room with, as Bill Stewart likes to say, "That Old Gold and Blue" on. They better understand they need to put together a solid effort or, no kidding, this Louisville team will jump up and give them all they want. Should West Virginia handle Louisville? Yes. Will the Mountaineers do it by simply sleepwalking? No.

ImmaManIm40: Is the seat under Bill Stewart starting to heat up? Or is he safe for now? What if they lose yet this year to Cincy (likely) and Pitt (toss-up)?

Colin Dunlap: In my estimation, he is safe and should be safe. It has been my theory that a lot of people wouldn't understand how good Bill Stewart was until they got rid of him. The man is a great human and a very good coach who has assembled a fine staff --- and let's remember, he's playing with a QB who is a first-year starter. You think Louisville or UConn would like to have his record right now?

Chooch79: Oliver Luck, Sam Huff, Bob Nutting, Ken Kendrick and a few others were discussing the Business of Sports.

Colin Dunlap: Bob Nutting was discussing the business of sports? Sorry I missed that.

ImmaManIm40: Last week Scout.com had Pitt's recruiting class ranked in the mid-teens and WVU's in the mid-20s, similar to the polls rankings. But yesterday ESPN's recruiting guru said now he'd put WVU ahead. Did WVU have a major committment this week that we missed?

Colin Dunlap: You pay attention to those rankings? Aren't they the same rankings that said Austin Scott was, like, the best running back ever, Sean Lee was a marginal player and Dan Mozes was a borderline D-1 kid? How did that all work out for those "rankings." Oh, and what of Steve Slaton and Patrick White? Where were they "ranked?"

Stew_ssweatervest: Should the fans be offended over Kragthorp's comments?

Colin Dunlap: Not at all...I think they should do two things. 1. Laugh. 2. Understand it was more a compliment than anything.

pa66: Do you think the Big East made a mistake taking Depaul and Marquette instead of another school or 2 in football? I think we get overlooked a lot because of the number of foolball teams there are.

Colin Dunlap: Whom do you suggest? There really aren't a lot of football options?

truewvu: Colin who do you think will win the Heisman?

Colin Dunlap: Tim Tebow.

wvuTONY: Colin- what player has the most NFL upside for the Mountaineers?

Colin Dunlap: This one is easy (at least to me, it seems easy)....looking at that field, looking at those guys, I think Robert Sands is a guy who has 'NFL' written all over him. With his mixture of size and speed, if he doesn't become a high-round NFL draft pick, it is purely his fault. He is destined to be an NFL guy.

Chooch79: Do you believe that WVU has the proper talent to be able to play the 3-3-5 stack defense?

Colin Dunlap: I do, yes. I think we are seeing right now -- or at least saw in the USF game -- how much this team misses Ellis Lankster. The guy was very good, and you need a back-end guy like that on defense to play this system. I am positive obe will develop --- and it could be a kid named Broderick Jenkins.

Colin Dunlap: Alrighty....how about we go with 3 more or so.

Ryan: Apparently ESPN and Boise St. approached ten "elite" football programs proposing Boise St. to play one game on the road in 2011 with no return date and all the schools declined. Do you think there's any chance WVU, Boise, and ESPN could hammer out a deal in the near future?

Colin Dunlap: I don't know if that would be a possibility. WVU has home and home dates w/ Michigan State, LSU and Florida State --- plus, the Mountaineers need those 7 home dates (regardless of what Chuck Landon tries to tell you) because they are a self-sufficient program in terms of cashflow. So, to answer your question, don't look for a Boise game.

pa66: Do you think that Virginia Tech, BC and Miami regret leaving the Big East? They haven't won anything since.

Colin Dunlap: I would guess BC has to, particularly in the non-revenue sports. I would bet Miami does not and Tech is probably on the fence. But, looking at it objectively and in retrospect, I'd have a hard time thinking BC is happy right now in terms of their entire athletic department.

Ryan: Boise is willing to play one game on the road, with no return date.

Colin Dunlap: Then tell them to come on.

MLobes2: I've seen a few rumors about Casteel being a potential replacement as the DC at Florida State, obviously just a rumor but hypothetically, how big of a loss to the program would this be and who would you suggest as a replacement?

Colin Dunlap: I would be stunned if that happens.

canyouEERme: A prediction for the Louisville game?

Colin Dunlap: I am going with WVU 31, Louisville 10. Good stuff, folks -- thanks for all the questions. Great day, great chat, solid all the way around. Join me every Thursday, same time, same place. And, until then, check out the blog regularly and keep the Q&A questions coming.

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