MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Louisville defensive coordinator Ron English has lived this spread offense nightmare before. For the most part, that was a different time -- last season -- and a different place-- Michigan. But his West Virginia offensive coordinator counterpart wants to give English a recurrent daymare starting at noon tomorrow.

Appalachian State upsetting Michigan. Oregon and quarterback Dennis Dixon throttling Michigan the next week. Florida and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow toying with Michigan.

What game tapes has Jeff Mullen studied in prepping quarterback Patrick White and West Virginia for tomorrow's contest at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium?

"We looked at it all," he said, almost bleary-eyed. "Looked at it all."

English, in his third season as a defensive coordinator and first at Louisville, has put together a pretty fair Cardinals unit. It ranks eighth among major college teams in fewest rushing yards allowed per game at 95 yards, less than half what the Mountaineers' offense averages. It ranks 39th in total defense -- its 325 yards per game only 22 yards fewer than what the 20th-ranked Mountaineers defense regularly yields. This from a defense about to start its 18th and 19th different starters Saturday because of more secondary injuries.

The Cardinals (5-5, 1-4 Big East) seem to be playing a better brand of defense than their three-game losing streak might indicate. However, they have yet to face White who might stand out amid Louisville's blackout.

After all, the senior quarterback for West Virginia (6-3, 3-1) owns 893 yards and seven touchdowns of total offense in his career against the Cardinals. White has rushed 55 times for 341 yards, an average of 6.2 yards per carry, and five touchdowns. White has completed 34 of 56 attempts, a 60.7 percentage, for 452 yards and no interceptions. All this before English came to Louisville.

A year ago, English's Michigan defense allowed 289 yards rushing and passing plus four touchdowns to Division I-AA Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards in a 34-32 setback. His defense allowed 368 yards and four more scores to Oregon's Dixon a week later in a 39-7 rout. It allowed 211 yards rushing and passing, plus yet another four touchdowns to Florida's Tebow in the Capital One Bowl.

This year, his Cardinals defense allowed 350 yards passing to Memphis quarterback Arkelon Hall, who accounted for three touchdowns in a 35-28 Louisville triumph. It allowed 313 yards passing and a score to Kansas State's Josh Freeman in a 38-29 Louisville triumph. It allowed 344 yards and two more scores to South Florida's Matt Grothe in a 24-20 Louisville triumph. Note that this fall, English's side won each time.

"Defensively, they're strong, they're veteran, they play hard. Looks like they're flying around good," Mountaineers coach Bill Stewart said. "We got a real chore ahead of us. I hope we're hitting on full cylinders, because we better be."

White is the key. He was the quarterback who engineered the rally from a 17-point deficit in the 46-44 thriller three years ago. He was the one West Virginia constant, rushing for the team's final four scores, in a 44-34 Louisville victory the season before last when both teams were undefeated and ranked in the top 5. He was the difference, scoring on a 50-yard romp with just 96 seconds left, in his team's 38-31 triumph last fall.

"Pat is so good, it's ridiculous," said Mountaineers left guard Greg Isdaner. "He's had some big games against Louisville. Three years ago, triple overtime. Last year, game-winning touchdown ..."

Makes you wonder: What will White do for his final Louisville act?