Oh, Mother Nature tried Monday.

“It was an entertaining day, to say the least, with the weather,” Coach Bill Stewart said. 

The Mountaineers began practice thinking rain was two hours away. About 30 minutes later they were parading off the field, first into the tunnel to see if the clouds would blow over and then to the indoor practice facility to get back to work. Practicing in the rain is one thing. Practicing beneath lightning is another.

It was really a sight to see. There was a horn, an order to exit the field and then a prompt flow of players following directions.

“Usually they’re like school boys when you move the operation from the field to the indoor building,” Stewart said.

All it cost the Mountaineers was two individual sessions and they had to scratch kickoff returns because of the low ceiling and 70-yard field in favor of punt drills. And yet Stewart came away impressed by his team’s focus and toughness.

“You can’t believe when you move a practice facility,” he said. “They were like trained mules going from one field to the next. Ask any coach in the business. It throws off their moxie. That was a tough mental part we did today.”