West Virginia's players bear considerable responsibility for not only the Mountaineers' 24-3 loss at East Carolina, but also their course for the remainder of the season, coach Bill Stewart said yesterday.

"You have to do more than just put on the old gold and blue and go out on the field," he said. "You have to play with a passion ... and that's what we're going to continue to work on. I'm just telling you we need to play harder. That's our job not only as coaches, but that's the responsibility of our players."

West Virginia (1-1) withstood the largest rankings tumble in school history, from eighth to 25th in The Associated Press poll, after the upstart Pirates rumbled to a 17-3 halftime lead in their ESPN-televised triumph. The Mountaineers have plenty of time to mull over that one, with a 10-day wait until they play again Sept. 18 at Colorado (2-0) on ESPN.

Stewart said he attempted at halftime to enliven the stunned Mountaineers.

"I told them, 'You better wake up, men. You better wake up and play hard. Play hard and let the chips fall where they may,' " Stewart recalled. He added a lack of passion in their play "is what frustrated me a little bit. You have to develop that old swagger."

Inexperience and youth shouldn't be used to prop up lacking performances, he said, especially among former Mountaineers reserves now serving as regulars and starters.

"These guys have to step up. They've been standing on the sideline as fill-ins. They have to step up and make plays," Stewart said.

He said a decision on senior middle linebacker Reed Williams, who sat out both games while recovering from shoulders surgery, will be made on game-day next Thursday.

The Big 12 Conference went undefeated this past weekend, 12-0, for the first time in its history. Colorado coach Dan Hawkins remarked, "I guess if it's the first time ever, it's pretty hard [to do]. I think it speaks to the quality of the conference. It speaks to what's going on across the country, the development of kids as players, the development of programs. Much more advancement."