Mountaineer Football Preview
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Team preview: West Virginia
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook
Updated: July 18, 2007
COACH AND PROGRAM
There were smiles on the West Virginia faces after the big second-half
comeback to subdue Georgia Tech in last year's Gator Bowl. Of course
there were. For a while there, it looked like Yellow Jackets receiver
Calvin Johnson was going to catch about 11 touchdown passes, and
backup QB Taylor Bennett appeared to be auditioning for a spot on an
NFL roster.
Then, Pat White took over with his all-purpose thing, and the
Mountaineers were golden. The 38-35 win was wild and a perfect ending
to an 11-win season, because it sent everybody back to Morgantown
happy. That's what's supposed to happen in the bowl season. Teams end
on a high note, and everybody who is returning heads into winter
conditioning with enthusiasm and a desire to get better.
There was plenty of that in WVU circles. Nobody is crazy enough to
sneer at a New Year's Day bowl win, just because it wasn't of the top-
tier BCS variety. Bowl wins are important, and it's great to fill that
trophy case with all kinds of hardware, so that was big.
But ...
"The guys weren't satisfied," Mountaineer coach Rich Rodriguez said.
"They want some championships. They want more."
One year after West Virginia stunned the college football world by
whipping Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, the expectations were high for
more. A Big East title was almost a given. A berth in the BCS title
game was a distinct possibility. A national championship was in the
picture. The Mountaineers finished 11-2 with the aforementioned Gator
Bowl triumph, but as Rodriguez said, they weren't satisfied.
And, unlike last year, when the offseason mantra was to be happy but
not sated, the Mountaineers aren't entering '07 with an attitude
trying to temper happiness at a big postseason win. There is a
definite sense of unfinished business in Morgantown, plus an
expectation that with White and star running back Steve Slaton
returning, the possibility of huge success not only looms but should
become reality. The usual offseason platitudes apply. The conditioning
program was great. There was tremendous competition during the spring.
West Virginia has improved its depth. And have you checked out those
recruits?
"We definitely got stronger during the winter, and we tried to foster
competition at every position in the spring," Rodriguez said. "We did
a few new things, especially on defense. We're staying with the odd-
stack scheme, because there are so many things you can do with it. But
we didn't get into everything last year, and we want to do more." Of
course, anytime you can improve your defensive outlook and portfolio,
it's good news, because so much of college football is based on
stopping opponents.
But the biggest news in Morgantown doesn't involve conditioning,
competition or strategy. It's that Rodriguez is back in the fold,
having signed a new long-term deal. For a while there, it appeared as
if he was gone to Alabama. Rumors had him signed and delivered to the
Tide weeks before Nick Saban took the job. There was no doubt plenty
of hand wringing in Mountaineer world when reports began to filter out
that Rodriguez was gone. He moved quickly to scotch the rumors once
the school stepped up with an extension and promises that an academic
center and new locker room would be constructed in the near future.
Once all that was in place, Rodriguez talked about how great it was to
be a Mountaineer.
"There weren't many reasons not to go," he said at the time. "It's all
about the reason for staying. I'm biased. This is my school. I think
it's a great place to raise a family. We've always had a great
athletic tradition."
Alabama had reportedly offered Rodriguez a six-year contract worth $2
million a year, half of what it ended up committing to Saban.
Rodriguez was happy to stay in town for $1.75 million per, but those
commitments to build the new components of the football complex are
hard and fast. His contract may be voided if the buildings are not
completed in time.
School ties are hard to break, but some things are more important,
like the opportunity to compete. That's what Rodriguez has at West
Virginia. For all the talk about the Big East's '06 surge, being a
member of that conference allows for much more success than, say, a
spot in the SEC. Rodriguez is also allowed to schedule quite easily in
the nonconference, as this year's roster of Western Michigan,
Marshall, Maryland, East Carolina and Mississippi State proves. If WVU
isn't at least 4-1 after that stretch (5-0 is more like it), there
ought to be an investigation.
So, '07 dawns with the Mountaineers in a good spot. Their coach is
back. Their offense boasts two of the nation's biggest weapons. And
their odd-stack defense may not be blessed with overwhelming
personnel, but the scheme itself can cause a bunch of problems. Aside
from the process of integrating three new assistant coaches into the
fold, WVU is poised quite well to go after that prosperity. Now, we'll
see if it can get the big prize or content itself with another happy
ending -- but not a completely fulfilling conclusion.
QUARTERBACKS
The Mountaineers are loaded with experience here. Because most teams
only expect to play one passer a year, great depth is not necessarily
a good thing, because it can foster discontent. But because WVU has
used at least two QBs each of the last two seasons, it is a good thing
that there is some experience behind Pat White.
Inside the Big East
Take an Inside look at the Big East conference with Blue Ribbon's 2007
team reports:
Cincinnati Bearcats
Connecticut Huskies
Louisville Cardinals
Pittsburgh Panthers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
South Florida Bulls
Syracuse Orange
West Virginia Mountaineers
Of course, White (6-2, 185) is the main man. The junior is one of the
most electrifying runners around, and his ability to break just about
any run for a huge gain puts tremendous pressure on the defense.
Rodriguez's offense is at its best when there is the possibility of
the running back and QB taking off on the "choice play," and White's
dangerous legs make him a deadly weapon for defenses, who just can't
load up against Slaton. White rushed for 1,219 yards and 18 TDs last
year and threw for 1,655, completing 65.9 percent of his attempts and
compiling 13 TDs against just seven picks.
The best thing about White the passer is that he is well schooled and
apparently eager to hone the skills he is taught. White isn't given
the opportunity too often to drop back and read the whole field, and
that's OK because what he is expected to do is more than enough. This
season is his third at the controls, so he should have the ability to
change more plays and direct the offense even more, now that he
understands it so well. There are better passers than him in the
nation, but for pure production and total offensive talent, few can
top White.
"For lack of a better word, he gets it," Rodriguez said. "He
understands his role and is not self-centered. He wants to move the
ball."
White was banged up in the season finale against Rutgers, so sophomore
Jarrett Brown (6-4, 220) came in and did a pretty good job,
engineering the 41-39 overtime win. Brown is a strong player with a
good arm and good enough running ability to keep the WVU offense
crackling. He completed 59.6 percent of his throws and ran for a 5.5-
yard average and three scores. "When you run the ball like we do, you
need at least two quarterbacks," Rodriguez said. "Jarrett has been
better in games and scrimmages than he has been in regular practice.
He needs to calm down a little there. He is a big, strong guy who can
run and make all the throws."
The third WVU quarterback is senior Adam Bednarik (6-2, 225). Bednarik
was the starter in '05, until White took over for him and began his
impressive run. Bednarik missed last year with a shoulder injury
suffered during spring drills but was a solid presence during the
spring and completed 8-of-13 passes for 118 yards and a score in the
spring game. He won't get too much time, but if there is a game in
which the Mountaineers need to crank things up through the air, he
just might get the call.
Senior Markell Harrison (5-8, 180) is the final QB on the depth chart,
although WVU fans will no doubt be interested in hearing any
information about the team's two freshmen, Charlie Russell (6-3, 200),
a local product from Morgantown High School, and Bradley Starks (6-4,
190) from Unionville, Va. Starks threw for more than 6,000 yards in
his prep career, while Russell is more of a multipurpose player.
RUNNING BACKS
There was probably no player on the Mountaineer roster more excited
about the offseason than Steve Slaton (5-10, 190), who got to rehab
his sore wrist and recover from the bruised thigh that limited him
during the Gator Bowl. The junior rushed for 1,744 yards and 16
touchdowns last year and is one of the top Heisman candidates entering
the '07 campaign. Like White, he has the ability to break off long
runs any time he touches the ball. About the only complaint you can
have about him is that his slight frame makes him susceptible to
injury.
"He has gotten better at understanding what we do," Rodriguez said.
"He did a good job last year playing with one arm and fighting through
that. I'm excited that he'll be healthy and will be able to use the
stiff arm and catch the ball well out of the backfield."
Rodriguez wanted to use the spring to find some depth at the tailback
position, but he admits that didn't go so well. The backup spot is a
toss-up between junior Ed Collington (6-0, 205) and red-shirt freshman
Eddie Davis (6-0, 180), neither of whom was that impressive.
Mountaineer fans can't wait to see what true freshman Noel Devine
(5-8, 170) of Fort Myers, Fla. can do. Devine rushed for 6,846 yards
during his career and 2,148 yards in '06. He has a tremendous burst
and can turn ordinary runs into big plays.
The problem with him is that his recruitment was a fiasco, clouded by
his arrest record (two charges), the fact that his "advisor" was
former NFL standout Deion Sanders and that Devine's academic record
wasn't pristine. If he can do the right things off the field, Devine
could be special on it, thanks to his amazing speed and instincts with
the ball. "Noel has a chance to play as well," Rodriguez said. "I'm
always hesitant to rely on a newcomer, because there is so much to
learn mentally. We didn't think he'd qualify, but he did. He wants to
learn to play slot receiver and tailback. He has the talent to help.
It depends on how quickly he learns."
Fullback Owen Schmitt (6-3, 260) is back to plow through tacklers and
block like a champion. The senior rushed for 351 yards and seven
scores last year and is a great counter to Slaton and White. He's
unselfish and probably the nation's top fullback.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
The Mountaineers have one proven target, senior Darius Reynaud (5-10,
200), who caught 39 passes last year and scored two times. "We're
looking for guys to emerge," Rodriguez said.
There are plenty of candidates, but it's hard to tell who will be able
to make consistent contributions. Among the favorites for steady work
are junior Tito Gonzalez (6-2, 210), who caught six passes last year,
one of them a 57-yard TD, sophomore Nate Sowers (6-2, 215), junior
Dorrell Jalloh (6-0, 195), who averaged 17.7 yards on seven catches in
'06, sophomore Wes Lyons (6-8, 220), who had a strong spring game,
catching three passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, and junior Jeremy
Bruce (5-10, 200).
An intriguing prospect is sophomore Carmen Connolly (6-1, 190), who
caught only one pass last year (for three yards) but snagged five in
the spring game.
Because 12 other players caught a pass in the spring game, there are
two ways to look at the WVU receiving situation. First, there are a
lot of options, and that's good, because West Virginia spreads the
field and needs many possibilities. But with nobody capable of being a
reliable target, other than Reynaud, there could be a problem with the
passing game, something that would allow rivals to play eight in the
box often.
And, if all else fails, look for quarterback Jarrett Brown to get some
time at receiver, as Rodriguez looks for ways to pep up the offense
and find some opportunities to get his talented sophomore on the
field.
The tight end position, which is largely ceremonial at West Virginia,
belongs to senior Michael Villagrana (6-4, 260), a good blocker. He's
backed up by junior Sam Morrone (6-2, 250). Neither caught a pass last
year. In fact, none of the five players listed on the depth chart at
the position caught a ball in 2006.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Mountaineers lost a pair of standouts along the front wall to
graduation, center Dan Mozes and right guard Jeremy Sheffey. All Mozes
did was start 49 games for WVU and anchor the line. How well he gets
replaced could mean a lot to the team's offensive output. West
Virginia will score and pile up yards, but to be truly effective, a
team needs a rock in the middle.
The leading candidate to replace him is junior Mike Dent (6-4, 285),
who hasn't started a game at WVU but who has impressed. "He has spent
several years in the program and is a very good athlete," Rodriguez
said. "He had an outstanding spring." Backing him up should be red-
shirt freshman Eric Jobe (6-4, 300), who is big and smart, a good
combination for a center.
At right guard, expect red-shirt freshman Eric Rodemoyer (6-4, 300) to
step in. He's another good athlete who should be capable of handling
the tough stuff inside. That's how it worked out last year for
sophomore Greg Isdaner (6-4, 315), who emerged as an interior stalwart
as a red-shirt freshman and started all but one game last year. He had
to rehab a shoulder injury during the spring but should return for the
season to be a real roughneck inside.
"He is a big strong guy who is very intelligent," Rodriguez said. "He
has established himself as one of the leaders up front."
Other guard candidates include sophomore Tim Reed (6-3, 285) on the
right side and junior John Bradshaw (6-6, 290) on the left.
The tackle spots belong to a couple of veterans. Junior Ryan Stanchek
(6-4, 300) has started 21 games on the left side, while junior Jake
Figner (6-5, 305) was a starter for the entire campaign on the right
last year.
Behind Stancek is junior Selvish Capers (6-6, 285), a converted tight
end who impressed during the spring, while sophomore Jon Walko (6-7,
280) is the top reserve for Figner.
KICKERS
In a league with some pretty good kickers (Rutgers' Jeremy Ito,
Louisville's Art Carmody), junior Pat McAfee (6-1, 210) doesn't
necessarily stand out. But he improved as the 2006 season wore on and
ended up converting 17-of-22 field goal tries. This season, he must
get more reliable from 40 yards and beyond. McAfee made just 2-of-7
tries from 40-49 yards last year, a number that must improve.
"Toward the end of last year he was better," Rodriguez said. "He has a
great leg and takes his craft seriously."
Those hoping for more distance from McAfee had to be cheered by his
successful 42-yarder through a stiff wind during the spring game.
DEFENSIVE LINE
This unit is something of a mixed bag, because while the Mountaineers
did lose three players with starting experience, they return three who
have started as well. That means there should be a solid starting
rotation, but depth could be a problem.
One area that is in great shape is tackle, where senior all-league
selection Keilen Dykes (6-5, 295) returns after making 32 tackles last
year, 5.5 of which came behind the line.
A full-time starter for two years and a regular for three, Dykes is a
big reason the Mountaineers allowed just 93.3 rushing yards per game
last year and a mere 3.0 per carry.
Backing him up will be red-shirt freshman Scooter Berry (6-2, 285),
who enrolled early last year, impressed during practices and should be
a valuable performer down the road.
On the outside, look for big things from senior end Johnny Dingle, who
started six times last year and had 5.5 tackles for loss and three
sacks among his 18 stops. Dingle has a good blend of strength and
quickness and should develop into a dangerous player. "He had the best
spring since he has been here," Rodriguez said. "He was focused and
excited to be out there."
His primary backups are sophomore James Ingram (6-2, 265) and junior
Doug Slavonic (6-8, 260). Slavonic saw limited action last year but
had a good spring, while Ingram played in 12 games, made 15 tackles
and impressed in pass coverage.
It may seem odd to have a 250-pound nose tackle, but Rodriguez insists
that sophomore Thor Merrow (6-1, 250) can handle the job. "It's not
normal to have a nose guard with that size, but Thor is quick and has
great leverage," Rodriguez said. "He plays like a 300 pounder."
Merrow's father, Jeff, was a star D-lineman for the Mountaineers in
the early '70s, and Thor has impressed with his motor and ability to
pick up concepts quickly.
When the Mountaineers want a little more heft in the middle, they can
turn to red-shirt freshman Chris Neild (6-3, 305), who has bulked up
after arriving on campus as a tight end/linebacker.
LINEBACKERS
Don't be fooled by this unit's lack of starting experience. There is
plenty of talent and enough game work among the starters to give the
Mountaineers confidence in the second line of defense.
The middle is the strongest spot, thanks to the returns of junior Reed
Williams (6-2, 225) and senior Bobby Hathaway (6-1, 230). Hathaway
started 13 games last year and made 45 tackles, but Williams is
running with the first unit, thanks to his 57 stops and five sacks a
year ago. He has good quickness, is plenty tough and carries a 4.0
grade point average.
Outside, senior Marc Magro (6-3, 240) is back after a strong season in
reserve. Magro made 39 tackles and showed the instincts and power to
handle the strong side.
"In my 20 years of coaching, he's the single hardest-working player
I've ever seen," Rodriguez said of Magro. He'll be backed up by a pair
of juniors who saw plenty of action in '07. John Holmes (6-3, 230) had
48 tackles in '06, including 5.5 behind the line, while Mortty Ivy
(6-3, 235) had 26 stops.
The weak side belongs to red-shirt freshman J.T. Thomas (6-2, 220),
who would have been in the rotation last year had he not been injured.
"He had a great spring," Rodriguez said. "He can run and has great
instincts. He can do all the things you want a linebacker to do, like
cover and tackle in space."
Backing up Thomas is sophomore Ovid Goulbourne (6-1, 215), a swift
prospect who impressed on special teams last year. Don't be surprised
if 6-0, 215-pound transfer Archie Sims from Jones County (Miss.)
Junior College, doesn't see time, too. He can find the ball and get to
it. Sims was a two-year starter at Jones. He led the team with 69
tackles in '06.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
This unit is loaded, and with the arrival of two junior college
transfers it should be even more impressive as the season wears on.
Leading the way is senior free safety Eric Wicks (6-1, 205), who
finished third on the team with 73 tackles and led the Mountaineers
with 11 stops behind the line and seven sacks. He also had three
interceptions. "We need him to have a big year," Rodriguez said. "He's
very athletic, but he's not a very big guy. He's a great blitzer off
the edge and has great ball skills. He made the most big plays for us
last year."
Another big-play maker at free safety is sophomore Quinton Andrews
(6-0, 210), who led the team in tackles last season with 80. He also
picked off five passes. Together, they give the Mountaineers great
depth at safety.
Look for senior Ridwan Malik (6-1, 205) at strong safety. He played in
eight games last year and made just 13 stops, but he can hit. Junior
Charles Pugh (6-0, 200) is behind him. He had 28 stops in '06.
The "Bandit" safety position belongs to sophomore Boogie Allen (6-2,
195), who played in just four games last year. A converted prep
cornerback, Allen has tremendous potential.
The cornerback spot should be extremely deep and productive. Senior
Larry Williams (6-1, 190) can play either spot. He broke up four
passes last year. He joins seniors Antonio Lewis (5-10, 185) and
Vaughn Rivers (5-9, 170) in a stout rotation. Each man intercepted two
passes last year, while Lewis broke up eight.
As if those three holdovers weren't enough, Rodriguez brought in two
JC recruits to fortify the edges. One is Tony Wood (6-0, 180), a
junior from Lackawanna (Pa.) College. Last year he nabbed three
interceptions.
The other JC transfer is speedster Ellis Lankster (5-10, 200), from
Jones County (Miss.) Junior College who is also a top-shelf return
man.
Rodriguez is clearly looking for more speed and playmakers in his
defensive backfield, the better to reverse a disturbing trend from
last year.
"We didn't have a single defensive touchdown last year," he said. "We
usually fall into one. We need to get our guys to play more
aggressively this year."
PUNTERS
Both players who punted last year return. Pat McAfee averaged 43.2
yards on his 18 tries and had six fair-caught, while sophomore Scott
Kozlowski (6-1, 185), managed 39.5 yards on his 17 tries.
Expect McAfee to handle most of the longer work, while Kozlowski will
get a chance inside the 50.
SPECIAL TEAMS
This will be a point of emphasis this year, and the arrival of Ellis
Lankster proves that. He was an all-America JC return man last year
who also blocked four kicks.
Vaughn Rivers is pretty set at the punt return position, where he
averaged 10.8 yards per try and brought one back for a score. Antonio
Lewis also gets a look there, although he isn't much of a home-run
threat.
Rodriguez and his staff will put an emphasis on taking advantage of
the kick return situation, because teams will now kick off from the
30. He has some good options, most notably Darius Reynaud, who
averaged 27.1 yards last year and returned one 96 yards for a score.
Rivers and Lewis are also capable of making an impact there, as is
Jeremy Bruce, who looked good during the spring.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Some considered Rodriguez crazy for not heading to Alabama, but would
you rather rebuild in front of the nation's most demanding fans or
take something you have already constructed -- at your alma mater, no
less -- to new heights. For some, that's a pretty easy question to
answer. And the fact that Rodriguez chose to stay at West Virginia
shows how much he believes in the program and especially its short-
term prospects.
Grading the Mountaineers:
Offense A-
Special teams B+
Defense A-
Intangibles B+
It's tempting to assign high expectations to those prospects based
solely on the team's offense. That's understandable. Under White's
stewardship, the Rodriguez attack crackles. He runs the "choice" play
as well as anybody in college football, and with Slaton to hand the
ball off to, White is even more dangerous, because defenses cannot
load up against both players. But those two need some help if WVU is
to play to its potential. The deep receiving corps must produce some
more playmakers. And the newcomers to the offensive line have to be
strong performers right away.
The West Virginia defense doesn't have too many standouts, but it is a
deep, experienced unit that benefits from a scheme that makes it hard
for rival offenses to figure out who's coming from where. The
Mountaineers are going to mix coverages and blitzes until they find
the most confusing combination. That's a pretty good recipe for
success. The bottom line is that this is a team with pretty high
aspirations -- for good reason. The personnel is experienced and
familiar with the systems in place, and the nonconference schedule is
not so demanding that a 5-0 mark is attainable. After that, it's just
a matter of navigating the conference, which is improving but
certainly not overwhelming. The season is likely to come down to the
back-to-back games at Rutgers on Oct. 27 and against Louisville Nov.
8. Win those two, and West Virginia could well be playing for the
national title.