So I was watching practice Sunday and paying attention to the running backs because I’m still wondering how WVU is going to convert those short-yardage situations. I was watching one kid run and lean and do just about everything to seem like a solution.

“Who is this No. 24?” I thought. I looked at my numerical roster, which has no height, weight or class, and saw “D. Hargrett.” That’d be Daquan Hargrett, from Miami’s Northwestern High. Knowing I couldn’t talk to him until next week, as is the case with all the other freshmen, I made a note too look him up later.

I’m glad I did. Here’s his bio from the media guide:

Daquan Hargrett
RB, 5-10, 190, Miami, Fla./Miami Northwestern HS
Coached by William Rolle at Miami Northwestern High School … Florida Class 6A honorable mention all-state … Miami Herald Top 100 (No. 97) Florida prospects … Miami Herald first-team all-Dade County … No. 20-rated player in Dade County according to the Miami Herald … Orlando Sentinel Florida Top 100 … ESPN Top 150 list … Florida Varsity Top 100 … had 128 carries for 1,129 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior … helped Northwestern High school to a pair of Class 6A state championship appearances … Northwestern’s bid for back-to-back-to-back titles ended with a 28-21 defeat of Seminole High School in the state finals, finishing 13-2 in 2008 … Northwestern was trying to become the first team from Dade County to win three consecutive state championships since the playoff format was first adopted in 1963 … helped Northwestern to a mythical high school national title as a junior … finished with 117 carries for 882 yards and 12 touchdowns … also had eight catches for 161 yards and a touchdown … also offered by Clemson, Iowa State, Minnesota and USF.
 

“Really?” I thought. So I made another note to bring my camera to Monday’s practice. Ladies and gentlemen, Daquan Hargrett, 5-10, 190-pound freshman from Miami.

That’d be him between 5-8 senior Mike Poitier (19) and 5-8 junior Noel Devine (7). No. 28 is 5-10 freshman Jordan Roberts. No. 10 is 6-1 freshman quarterback Ian Loy. I got my hands on a roster with height and weight and WVU lists him now as 5-6 and 182 pounds.

Now, let’s be fair. Hargrett isn’t the first — or last — player to show up shorter than advertised. WVU, for its part, wouldn’t take a 5-6 kid who proclaimed to be 5-10 unless he was as good as advertised … and all indications are Hargrett is just that. His prep production doesn’t lie. Plus, at that size with his speed, balance and shift, he’s a load who could maybe end up as a short-yardage fix.

If an answer is to come from the freshman class, it’s either Hargrett or No. 20, Phoebus (Va.) specimen Shawne Alston, who is a legit 6-foot, 218.