Covering the Spread: A Mountaineer Saga
Runtime: ~01:00:00Covering The Spread, A Mountaineer Saga; is a documentary series that dives into what West Virginia University fans consider to be a golden era of WVU football. Following the transition of Head Coach Don Nehlen to Rich Rodriguez in 2000, up to the harrowing moments of the 2007 football season.
Covering the Spread: Trailer
This is a story of how a Mountaineer football team transformed the program into a phenomenon in college sports, and the controversies and hardship that transpired to make this moment in the University's legacy. Legendary players like Pat White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmidt, Grant Wiley, PAC-Man Jones, Avon Cobourne and many more tell their experience alongside Head Coach Rich Rodriguez, his staff, and the many voices of Mountaineer football, like Tony Caridi, that helped tell the history of this time.
The Mtn Craft Film Festival is proud to host the premiere of this series, giving festivalgoers an exclusive first look at Episode 1. This episode explores the final games of Don Nehlen, the transitional culture shock of Rich Rodriguez, and the rocky beginnings of a new era in WVU Football history.
Director - Vic Lombard
Covering The Spread truly embodies the effort and passion of Appalachian filmmaking, as it is produced by Montani productions, with writer and director, Vic Lombard at the helm. The 6 Shop, another Appalachian film company with Davis Rohrer, came on for cinematography and post production. Vic and Davis have been the primary crew for principal photography, with the exception of only a handful interviews out of the approximately 60 interviews that were conducted. Just these two Appalachian based filmmakers have led the charge, with Vic pitching the concept since 2022, and finally getting a budget for principal photography in 2024.
Director of Photography - Davis Rohrer
His top priority is narrative film, both short and feature length. Since 2014, Davis has worked tirelessly to create original short films. In 2017, he managed to produce, write, direct, and edit his first funded short film, “The Edge With us”. This and more have been seen at the Austin Indie Film Festival, The Sundance Creative Minds Fellowship, Campus Movie Fest, MTV, HBO Max spotlights, LA CineFest, and most recently, Dragon Cannes 2. Dragon Cannes 2 was his most recent accomplishment, where he earned first place in a film competition that spanned the entire Department of Defense. His film, “The Reunion”; earned the top prize in the final round. He is currently developing, “The Reunion”, with the goal of it being a feature film. His most recent endeavor is, “Trial 54”; a science fiction concept for a limited series, with a short film made and now wrapped on its festival circuit, earning 14 official selections and 5 jury awards, to include “best scripted narrative” at the MTN CRAFT Film Festival.
Creating stories and images that thrive in their natural beauty and energy is what Davis always seeks to achieve. He is a believer that any moment in life can be put to film, it just matters how you present it in a frame. He is currently working into the commercial world, weddings, and producing original products such as narrative films and music videos.