West Virginia beat writer Mike Casazza discusses his book "Waiting for the Fall" as well as the 2012 West Virginia Mountaineers

While schools like Tennessee, Michigan and North Carolina get credit as the most dysfunctional college football programs over the last few years, it’s actually West Virginia which has probably had the most fascinating last decade of anyone in the sport. From Rich Rodriguez’s rise and departure from the school, Oliver Luck’s coup d'etat of Bill Stewart’s job and the fallout afterward, all the way through the team’s Orange Bowl triumph last January, it seems like the headlines never end- both off and on the field- in Morgantown.

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Regardless, it’s clear that someone needed to capture it all in book form, and thankfully current West Virginia beat writer Mike Casazza did exactly that in his new book “Waiting for the Fall: A Decade of Dreams, Drama and West Virginia University Football.” It was a truly fantastic read, and earlier this week Casazza came on the podcast to discuss it, as well as the 2012 West Virginia football season.

Amongst the topics we discussed included:

- A quick preview of the 2012 West Virginia Mountaineers and how they will handle the transition to the Big XII. Are they equipped talent-wise and schematically? More importantly, do fans have “orange tinted” glasses after the Orange Bowl beat down of Clemson last year?

- In discussion of the book, how Casazza came up with the title “Waiting for the Fall,” and why it has deeper meaning than most realize.

- Why the 2005 West Virginia football season (which ended with a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia) was one of Mike’s favorites to cover. And why that team was so successful, after a much more talented team in 2004 (and Big East favorites) fell flat on their faces. - Mike gives his detailed account of the famous 2007 loss to Pittsburgh, which is now simply known as the “13-9 game.” What went wrong, and what could Rich Rodriguez have done differently that evening?

- Staying on the subject of Rodriguez, what exactly happened with his departure from the school? We now know that Rodriguez felt like his requests as head coach were not met and that the administration felt like he was asking for too much. Who is really to blame? Also, could he have co-existed with current AD Oliver Luck?

 

- The sudden rise of Bill Stewart as Rodriguez’s replacement. Why Stewart was the perfect fit to coach the Mountaineers in the Fiesta Bowl, but probably should’ve never been named the permanent successor.

 

- The bizarre tenure that Stewart had in Morgantown, and the even more bizarre “passing of the torch” of the head coaching position from he to Dana Holgorsen.

- And finally, what kind of “position” is this program in going forward into 2012 and beyond.

Folks, I don’t say this very often, but if you’re a fan of college football, “Waiting for the Fall” is an absolute must-read. It is one of the most fascinating books I’ve read in years, and will take you deeper into the world of college football than anything else on the market right now. If listening to this podcast doesn’t convince you to pick up this book, I don’t know what will.

Speaking of the interview, you can access it in any number of ways. If you can’t listen to the show live here, you can always download it straight from iTunes, just by searching for the “Aaron Torres Sports Podcast.” You can also subscribe to the Aaron Torres Sports Podcast by clicking here.

Also for updates on the show, my writing and much more, be sure to follow on Twitter @Aaron_Torres. While you’re there, make sure to give Mike a follow too (as if you’re not already) @MikeCasazza.

And finally (and maybe most importantly to some of you!), please remember that Exclusiv Vodka is now an official sponsor of the Aaron Torres Sports Podcast. And as a thank you for listening, they want to give you a free bottle of their product.

To be entered all you’ve got to do is go to Exclusiv’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/ExclusivVodka. From there, be sure to “Like” their product, and then tag yourself with Exclusiv and the phrase “Aaron Torres Sports Podcast.” Do that, and you’ll be automatically entered to win a free bottle.

Regardless, I want to quickly thank Mike again for joining the show, and thank you for taking the time to listen.

Until next time…