The views from here:
* We've just gotten started with the college football season and already there's a week off. WVU has a bye it really doesn't need. Meanwhile, Marshall, well, plays Norfolk State. (NSU lost 63-13 to Rutgers and 24-10 to Old Dominion. It was picked to finish seventh in the MEAC - and currently is last among the 11 teams.)
So let's look around. First, let's touch on WVU's basketball program. On Monday we found out freshman guard James "Beetle" Bolden is lost for the season because of an ACL tear. That's a tough break for the player. A very tough break.
See, when WVU coach Bob Huggins spoke of his roster recently, he indicated he'd be able to redshirt some players this season. An assumption had Bolden as a prime candidate.
"Initially that's what we thought," Huggins said Monday evening. "But he played his [butt] off on our trip. We weren't going to redshirt him. Him and [Jevon Carter] had been playing really well."
Making the injury very tough indeed.
* Another part of last week's column had Huggins speaking about recruiting. He spoke of his team's desperate need for "bigs" in the next recruiting class. Remember, he'll have two openings because of the expiring eligibility of Jaysean Paige and Jon Holton.
Well, I've uncovered two recruits WVU is seriously pursuing to fill the needs.
The first is a player you've read about before in this space. He's Maciej Bender, a 6-10 standout from Mountain Mission in Grundy, Va.
Back on May 6, I told you Bender is a "stretch big" who reminds many of ex-Kentucky and Gonzaga player Kyle Wiltjer. He was the "High Major Breakout Performer" at the Myrtle Beach Spring Slam. WVU offered Bender early and, this past weekend, Mississippi also offered. Huggins, however, has a strong tie to Bender's AAU coach in Charleston's Scott Long.
The other recruit WVU is going after hard is Mali product Sagaba Konate of Kennedy Catholic High in Pennsylvania.
Huggins was recently in that area's Shenango Valley trying to secure the services of the 6-8, 230-pound player. Wichita State and Pitt are also in pursuit, although reports are the Panthers have backed off a bit.
* When Marshall got its "Battle of the Bell" rung against Ohio, it also signaled the end of the Thundering Herd's hopes for a New Year's Day Six bowl berth. As you might know, only one team outside of the Power 5 conferences is guaranteed a slot.
MU was in fine position after beating Purdue, but is likely toast after falling to the Bobcats. The Group of 5 teams at the top of the heap now are Boise State, Temple, Cincinnati, Navy and Louisiana Tech.
While Marshall is probably done there, though, there's still intrigue at the quarterback position. Chase Litton was one of Florida's top signal callers in the Tampa Bay area. At one time he was headed to South Florida. After Michael Birdsong's 13-of-29 performance for 84 yards and two picks, Doc Holliday's brain has to be racing. And if he's going to make a change, it's better to do so sooner rather than later.
* The West Virginia Power had a nice run this season as a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball affiliate. As you may know, it made the divisional playoffs before falling to Hickory over the weekend.
In last week's column on the team, though, I pointed out the attendance numbers. During the regular season, West Virginia drew 160,429 fans for an average of 2,468. That ranked 10th of the 14 South Atlantic League teams.
Team rep Adam Marco, however, pointed out attendance was up this year. Last season, in 62 home dates, the Power drew 140,484 for an average of 2,266. In fact, West Virginia's average this season was at its highest level since the 2011 mark of 2,554. The top mark posted at Appalachian Power Park was 3,713 in 2007.
* Folks can nitpick WVU's football performances if they wish. As I've written, Mountaineer fans should be encouraged by what they've seen. After WVU shut out Georgia Southern, the Eagles crushed Western Michigan 43-17.
My only criticism is this: QB Skyler Howard is running the ball too much. I do understand that's part of Howard's game, his style. But to have him run 12 times against Liberty was tempting fate. In fact, Howard is the team's No. 2 rusher to Wendell Smallwood with 21 carries.
Subtract Howard from WVU's offense and the Mountaineers would be in for a long, long season.
* And finally...
The heat is off the Big 12 for now. And Oklahoma's victory at Tennessee last weekend helped.
If anything, criticism has been leveled at the SEC, which had three teams - Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi State - fall out of the A.P. Top 25 and Auburn fall 12 spots.
Jeff Sagarin's conference computer rankings have the Big 12 second to the SEC West. (For some reason, he splits some leagues up.) Too, the Big 12 has four teams in the A.P. poll, tied with the Big Ten and behind but the SEC and Pac-12. West Virginia is close to joining the rankings. The ACC has three teams in the poll.