MORGANTOWN - After a tough Sunday night 31-24 loss to rival Virginia Tech, head coach Dana Holgorsen and the West Virginia Mountaineers have a short turnaround to play East Carolina.
West Virginia (0-1) plays host to East Carolina (0-1) at noon Saturday in Milan Puskar Stadium. The game is televised on Fox Sports 2.
"We're excited about our five-and-a-half day turnaround from the end of Sunday night until noon on Saturday," Hologorsen said in Tuesday's press conference. "It's going to happen quickly, obviously, and we're prepared for that. We're ready to get started. The mood in the locker room after the game, there was a lot of disappointment, especially geared toward the fan base more than anything. Just being able to play in that game was special."
East Carolina comes to Morgantown after losing Saturday at home against James Madison, 34-14.
Holgorsen said he discards losing to James Madison because the defending FCS national champion could beat about anybody in the country right now.
"They won the national championship last year and haven't lost in a long time," he said. "Everybody says you have a team that lost to an FCS school, they must not be very good or whatever it is. I'm going to go ahead and tell you James Madison could play with anybody."
James Madison's upset of the Pirates had some interesting history that involves WVU. Cardon Johnson, the Dukes' running back, rushed for 265 yards. That's the most East Carolina has allowed to a single player since K.J. Harris rushed for 337 yards in 2004 for West Virginia.
WVU offensive coordinator Jake Spavital spoke Tuesday about the opportunity to run the ball against the Pirates.
"The main thing that I always tell the team is that it has got to be about us," Spavital said. "We have to focus on doing what we do. We are going to attempt to run the ball and then Will (QB Will Grier) is going to take what they give him on the perimeter. We are going into this game with the mindset of trying to compete and do what we do."
The Mountaineer rushing attack gained 221 yards against Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster's "lunch pail" defense.
