By Michael Minnich
Tribune Sports Editor
mminnich@newstribune.info
MORGANTOWN--For one half, Norfolk State looked like the ranked team, and West Virginia like the FCS squad.
For one half.
The Mountaineers scored on their first seven possessions of the second half, turning a surprising 15-10 halftime deficit into a 55-12 rout on Saturday afternoon.
Geno Smith had a career-high 371 passing yards for WVU, who racked up 533 total.
"Obviously, I'm not really pleased with the first half, but I was pleased with the second half," West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen said. "We're a young football team and inexperienced. I don't know if we're trying too hard or if it was a coaching error. Either way I'm proud of the way we came out in the second half."
Norfolk State set the tone early on their first drive, zooming down the field with their passing game.
Nico Flores connected with Xavier Boyce for gains of 11 and 56 yards to the WVU 8.
The noise level, though, induced a delay of game, a timeout, a second delay of game.
After WVUs defense finally stemmed the tide, Ryan Estep's 40-yard field goal was good, but a flag for holding negated the kick.
Everett Goldberg, though, stepped up and delivered from 50 yards out.
Norfolk State had a 3-0 lead with 10:56 left in the first quarter.
The Spartans tried an onside kickpoorly.
The ball actually went four yards in the wrong direction before going out of bounds, giving West Virginia prime field position at the Norfolk State 26.
Vernard Roberts caught a six-yard pass, then carried for a gain of three yards.
Geno Smith's toss to Tavon Austin on the left sideline fell incomplete.
Tyler Bitancurt's field goal from 35 yards was no good with 9:38 left in the first quarter.
Norfolk State turned a fumble into a first down, but punted without moving the chains again.
The ball took a Spartan roll to the West Virginia 6 before being downed with 6:33 left in the first quarter.
The Mountaineers went three-and-out.
Norfolk State had a first down negated by a penalty, and punted.
Austin lulled the Spartans to sleep, picking up the ball at the last minute, and darting up the left sideline for a 64-yard return to the NSU 12.
Smith missed Ivan McCartney in the end zone, Andrew Buie was stopped for no gain, then Buie ran again for seven yards to the 5-yard line.
West Virginia went for it on fourth-and-3, and Buie was stopped two yards short.
Norfolk State took over on downs at their own 4.
Walley found Victor Hairston for a gain of 29 yards to get Norfolk State out of jail, then Takeem Hedgeman ran for a first down on third-and-8.
Derrick Demps' catch-and-run gained 38 yards to the WVU 17 as the first quarter ended among a smattering of boos.
It was the first time WVU had trailed an FCS opponent after one quarter; they were tied at 0-0 with James Madison in 2004.
The drive stalled, but Estep knocked through a 39-yard field goal and Norfolk State led, 6-0, with 14:41 left in the second quarter.
West Virginia gained their first first down of the game when Smith found Austin for nine yards, then Roberts ran for six yards.
A 45-yard catch-and-run by Austin moved the ball to the Norfolk State 1.
But those final three feet proved elusive.
After Norfolk State's second timeout, Smith's pass to Stedman Bailey fell incomplete, Roberts was stopped for no gain, then Bailey was interfered with on a pass on third down.
That gave WVU a half-yard, but, more importantly, a fresh set of downs.
They needed them, too: Roberts was stood up again, then McCartney caught the ball for no gain.
A lob pass for Austin fell incomplete.
On came Bitancurt, who delivered amid boos from 17 yards.
West Virginia had given the lead a light trim to 6-3 with 11:20 left in the second quarter.
Hedgeman ran for a first down, but a poor snap derailed Walley's quarterback keeper on third-and-2 and Norfolk State punted.
West Virginia was gifted a first down on a personal foul, then a pass to McCartney right at the sticks gave WVU a first down with 7:39 left in the second quarter.
Smith kept on third-and-5 for a first down, then Roberts ran twice for a total of ten yards.
West Virginia finally restored order on a 18-yard pass to Devon Brown; Bitancurt's PAT gave the Mountaineers a 10-6 lead with 5:53 left in the second quarter.
Norfolk State drove into West Virginia territory, but again stalled at the 22.
Estep came on again to attempt a 39-yard field goal, and delivered.
West Virginia led, 10-9, with 1:23 left in the second quarter.
The Mountaineers lost two yards and went three-and-out, and Corey Smith shanked the punt out of bounds at the WVU 37.
West Virginia was flagged for roughing the passer, moving Norfolk State into field goal range.
Estep delivered again from 40 yards, and the Spartans took a 12-10 lead into the locker room.
Norfolk State had a 242-143 edge in total yards and 11-9 in first downs.
Still, Holgorsen said it's execution, not the system, that caused the problems.
I can assure you, it's nothing schematically. I'm not saying that we know everything about coaching, said Holgorsen. We just didn't decide to put a bunch of plays together [in our playbook] that haven't been proven to work.
The only saving graces for WVU were the 80 penalty yards against Norfolk State, and the play of Austin, who had 69 yards receiving and 64 on his lone return.
And he started the second half off right, too, with a fine return that was partially dampened by a flag for a block in the back.
Still, a flag for a personal foul on Norfolk State meant that West Virginia still had good field position at their own 49.
On second down, a deep pass to Bailey moved the Mountaineers to the Norfolk State 8.
On the next play, a flag for pass interference on a fade to Bailey in the end zone moved the ball to the 4.
Roberts finished the drive on the next play.
Bitancurt's extra point gave West Virginia the lead back, 17-12.
Norfolk State gained a first down, then faced a third-and-4 at their own 46.
Keith Tandy nearly intercepted the pass, which fell incomplete.
The Spartans' punt bounced into the end zone for a touchback.
Smith was in form, finding an open Dustin Garrison up the middle for 36 yards to the Norfolk State 44.
Garrison ran left for another first down, and a personal foul moved the ball to the 16.
Another pass interference flag moved the chains again.
Two plays later, a short pass to Austin capped the drive.
West Virginia led, 24-12, after Bitancurt's boot.
"We ran the same plays the second half that we did in the first half," Holgorsen said. "It was all about effort and playing with some tempo. We were dragging. I don't really have an answer for you. We probably didn't respect our opponent all week."
Flores ran for a first down, but the Mountaineer defense forced a punt four plays later.
Beginning from their own 40, West Virginia moved the chains on a pass to Austin, and got another flag on Norfolk State to progress to the 29.
After a holding penalty on West Virgina, Garrison then gained seven yards back on a screen pass.
Smith found Brown on the right sideline to move the ball to the 1, then Garrison finished the drive with a run up the middle.
West Virginia led, 31-12, after the kick with 4:52 left in the third quarter.
Norfolk State went three-and-out, with Troy Muenzer's punt going out bounds at the Norfolk State 49.
Smith found McCartney for 29 yards, then Trey Johnson ran for five yards.
A 12-yard pass to Tyler Urban finished off the drive, and the rout was really on, 38-12, with 2:29 left in the third quarter.
A hold derailed Norfolk State's drive, and the Spartans punted to start the fourth quarter.
Roberts tore off nine yards on first down, then Smith connected with McCartney for a 39-yard touchdown.
Bitancurt's boot made it 45-12, West Virginia, with 14:10 left.
Norfolk State, the air out of their balloon, went three-and-out again.
A pass to Brown on third-and-7 gained 20 yards to the West Virginia 40, then a long pass to the same target two plays later moved the ball to the Norfolk State 5.
But the Mountaineers were unable to punch it in, and Bitancurt banged through the chippie from 21 yards.
West Virginia led, 48-12, with 9:39 left.
After a Norfolk State punt, Paul Millard took over for Smith at the helm.
After handing off twice, the freshman dumped off to Garrison for a first down at the Norfolk State 39.
West Virginia went for it on 4th-and-8, and it paid off: a 30-yard touchdown pass to Brad Starks.
The Mountaineers led, 55-12.
There's not a whole lot of satisfaction in it. We've got a long ways to go, said Holgorsen.
West Virginia (2-0) travels to Maryland next Saturday for a noon game, which will air on ESPNU.