Tiervermittlung Deutschland » Duncans retirement ceremony. Popovich respon

Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson spent countless hours during No. 20 West Virginias bye week getting a head start on figuring out ways to slow down Texas Techs Patrick Mahomes.The Mountaineers (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) did it last year, and theyll find out whether a defense that began the season with nine new starters is ready for the nations passing leader when they travel to Texas Tech (3-2, 1-1) on Saturday.Although West Virginia was tested in its first four games, it avoided having to defend against a prolific offense. All that changes in the high-scoring Big 12, starting with Mahomes.He threw for 504 yards and two touchdowns with a sore shoulder and ran for three more scores in a 44-38 loss at Kansas State last Saturday.He must have had some good medicine, said West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen. He didnt look hurt to me.Weve got our work cut out for us on defense.Thats why Gibson has been in the film room looking for ways to exploit Texas Techs offense.I havent found it yet, Gibson said.At least his defense, comprised mostly of seniors, has so far shown its not the weak spot that many thought it might be after being decimated by graduation and the loss of safety Dravon Askew-Henry to a knee injury before the season.West Virginia has allowed only four touchdown passes total and has yet to yield a 300-yard passing effort.Weve got a chip on our shoulder, said West Virginia safety Jarrod Harper. Weve got something to prove. We just want to continue to prove people wrong and continue to make plays and try to be the strong link of the team.Harper, one of the few returning starters, leads the Mountaineers in tackles. Justin Arndt, one of four new starting linebackers, is first in tackles for loss with four and shares the team lead with lineman Noble Nwachukwu (wah-CHOO-koo) with two sacks.Two transfers at cornerback have helped. Starter Antonio Crawford, who came to West Virginia from Miami, sat out a 17-16 win over Kansas State two weeks ago with a shoulder injury. He will return for the Texas Tech game along with Maurice Fleming, a graduate transfer from Iowa who started in Crawfords place but was limited in the second half against Kansas State with an ankle injury.David Long got his first start at linebacker against Kansas State and, although he had only three tackles, prompted a prediction from Gibson that the redshirt freshman could break West Virginias career record for tackles before hes done.Getting to Mahomes will be a tall task, though.We cant sit back and watch, Long said. Just go after him and make plays on the ball. Lets not panic. Lets stay calm. All we can do is go out there and play football.Last week Kansas State returned a Mahomes interception for a first-quarter touchdown and stopped Texas Techs offense on downs three times in the second half.A year ago in Morgantown, Mahomes was held to a season-low 196 passing yards in West Virginias 31-26 win.Weve got to force him into tough situations and tough reads, Harper said. I think if we do that, well be good.Mahomes threw three TD passes against the Mountaineers last year, but Gibson noted the Red Raiders also were forced to kick a pair of short field goals and West Virginia forced a turnover inside its 20-yard line.Hes a gambler, Gibson said. He is going to take his chances on third down and try to keep his offense out there. We have to do a great job on critical downs.Then again, Gibson noted Texas Tech this season is scoring an offensive touchdown once every 11 plays.Thats not real comforting, he said.---Follow John Raby on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jraby-apAP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org Kyle Rudolph Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Michael Floyd Jersey . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. http://www.shopvikingsauthentic.com/Youth-Sharrif-Floyd-Elite-Jersey/ . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Mike Hughes Jersey . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. Trae Waynes Jersey . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. SAN ANTONIO -- Before retiring Tim Duncans No. 21, the San Antonio Spurs paid tribute to their longtime teammate by playing the game as he did for 19 seasons.LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and the Spurs turned in a fundamentally strong performance in a 113-100 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.It was a game that we had to win, that we wanted to win badly, San Antonio veteran Manu Ginobili said prior to the ceremony that followed the game. Even if we would have lost, this is way beyond it.Todays celebration is very, very important for his teammates, coaches and the whole franchise, the city. That guy is special. Even if we would have lost, it would have been an emotional night. Im emotional now and it hasnt even started.Duncan retired in the offseason after winning five championships and two MVPs in 19 seasons, all with San Antonio.For us, its harder for us to stay focused for this game, Spurs guard Danny Green said. Coming in, we knew it was going to be a lot of fun, but we wanted to be focused and respect New Orleans.Duncans style of play earned him the nickname The Big Fundamental, and the Spurs honored him with their own rather seamless performance against the Pelicans.San Antonio had six players score in double figures, got 31 assists on 42 baskets, committed just 13 turnovers and shot 49 percent from the field.Our physical effort was pretty good, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. Our mental effort was better than it has been. A lot of people participated and got involved, so that was good.Ginobili and Tony Parker, who combined to form The Big Three with Duncan, combined for 29 points, seven assists and five rebounds.San Antonio won its fourth straight overall and fourth consecutive at home after a slow start at the AT&T Center.Aldridge got the Spurs first points on a 20-foot jumper. San Antonio signed Aldridge to play alongside Duncan last season and eventually replace him at power forward.He was very aggressive tonight, PPopovich said.dddddddddddd He wanted the ball. He demanded the ball, and he got the ball. He was very aggressive going to the hole. Taking shots that were open.Aldridge shot 6 for 15 from the field in 26 minutes.Alexis Ajinca led New Orleans with 16 points. Anthony Davis was limited to 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting.The Pelicans lost for the eighth time in 10 games.Were very inconsistent, Davis said. One game we play well offensively, defensively were talking, and another game were not. Weve got to figure out what team we want to be identified as. We cant keep going game from game with a different identity. Weve got to come out the same way.TIP-INSPelicans: F Solomon Hill missed the game to be with his wife after the birth of their first child. ... Quincy Pondexter has not played this season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in March 2016. ... The Pelicans are 13-41 against the Spurs in franchise history, including just four wins in 28 games in San Antonio.Spurs: San Antonio retired Duncans jersey following the game. Among his former teammates in attendance to honor Duncan were David Robinson, Bruce Bowen, Sean Elliott, Malik Rose, Antonio Daniels and Will Perdue. ... The Spurs are 10-0 this season when Tony Parker scores in double figures. Parker had 12 on 6-for-12 shooting against the Pelicans. ... San Antonio has 30 alley-oop dunks in 26 games this season. They had 18 all of last season.IS THERE A PATENT?Popovich was asked if the Spurs played harder to ensure they didnt put a damper on Duncans retirement ceremony. Popovich responded in typical Popovich fashion.I brought my `I want to play for Timmy Duncan tonight gauge, Popovich said, but I left it in the locker room so Im not exactly sure how fired up they were.UP NEXTPelicans: At New Orleans on Tuesday night.Spurs: At Houston on Tuesday night. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '