First, let’s not think too much of it. This happens everywhere — man, we’re saying that a lot lately, aren’t we? — and it’s probably unfair to the kid to make it into news bigger than it really is. For that, I can understand Bill Stewart’s insistence to keep the volume low. He sounded Monday like a guy who just needed to talk to his player and thought that’d be enough to get things back on track.
Continue reading…
Gargantuan offensive lineman Quinton Spain was at practice Monday and was, it would seem, cleared by the NCAA’s Eligibility Center over the weekend. He then hurried to campus, went through some meetings and Monday studied Don Barclay at left tackle.
Bill Stewart and Dave Johnson pointed out Spain was in a helmet, shorts and a jersey and would do so again Tuesday before he adds somne more gear. Johnson even spelled out the acclimatization rule, in case anyone was paying attention.
As for Jeremy Johnson, he was “in the building,” according to Stewart, which seemed to me to suggest he was not at practice. Stewart said players and coaches will talk to the young quarterback to help him through homesickness. If Johnson leaves, I’m very curious to see how this affects Coley White.
Finally, Cole Bowers played first-team right guard Monday. We’ll keep an eye on that one. His teammates envy his physical assets.
So says Eu Smith of the former WVU linebacker who is now the head coach at Mountaineers-friendly Miramar High. Cogdell is probably on his way to a college job somewhere and Smith can understand why.
“He’s been tremendous in my life. He’s been a role model. He’s taught me about life,” he answered.
You ask for a specific example.
“I never had many problems but one time I had a slip up in a class. I had a bad grade and he sat me out for two quarters, just to let me know how important it was to do well in class,” Smith said.
That led to a phone call to Cogdell.
“Funny you say that. I remember that game like it was yesterday,” Cogdell said. “We were winning 7-to-zip at the half to a team we should have been beating 35-to-zip. Geno sat the first and second quarter. The fans were shouting his name, trying to get me to put him in, which I was tempted to do because we needed some points.
“I put him in for the second half and the first play of the third quarter he threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Stedman. After that, I forget the score, but it was probably 30-something-to-zip.”
By now you’ve surely heard that Bruce Irvin had an eye-opening debut at Saturday’s scrimmage. I’m aware of what everyone is thinking. I trying to muffle the hype — or at least not giddily peddle it — and simply wait until the season, which is where everything matters. He’s not an every-down player, not a guy who’s going to stop the run, but I don’t think he’ll be asked to do either … not right away. Still, no one can help but wonder if this guy is it. Saturday forced our hand.
Turns out Irvin needed one play – in fact, his first play – during Saturday’s scrimmage.
Playing with the first-team on the “40” defense designed for pass-rush situations, Irvin sacked quarterback Geno Smith the first time the ball was snapped and then converged a few plays later – his second snap – with defensive tackle Scooter Berry for a second sack.
It might be hard for the Mountaineers to disguise their excitement any longer.
“Bruce Irvin is a man out there,” Coach Bill Stewart said after the 82-play scrimmage. “He pass-rushes. He dents the pocket and he gives tremendous effort. I like the way his motor runs. Please, put that down. I like the way No. 11’s motor runs.”
Irvin plays the left defensive end position, which means he was getting over the right side of the line. The worry on the offensive line is the right side, where Eric Jobe is trying to make a full-time move to guard after playing mostly center last year and where Jeff Braun is trying to win the starting tackle job after backing up at center and right guard last year.
Not necessarily their faults, though. For one, credit must go to Irvin for what he did … and I can’t believe Branu and/or Jobe saw a whole lot of that in practice. Two, Jobe helped spring Noel on a 79-yard touchdown run when he and fullback Ryan Clarke gout outside and cleared a path. Three, Braun had a good day in pass blocking and was mostly strong at the point of attack on the run. It’s the continuation of a good summer thus far.
“At this point, Jeff has the upper hand,” Coach Bill Stewart said. “He’s getting better, but has a way to go. That right tackle spot, as I said before, is not as solid as the other four positions, but it’s gaining.”
So, too, is Braun, who had his moments in Saturday’s scrimmage in pass- and run-blocking, but also let speedy defensive end Bruce Irvin by on two third-down plays that resulted in sacks.
Still, Braun has discovered he has skills that suit the position, as Johnson suggested, and that he’s also pretty good at it.
“I love it,” he said. “I was nervous last spring with the speed of the game and how fast the guys are over there, but once I went over there and tried a few passes, it was OK….
Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which just tore a Band-Aid off its right knee to make certain it was in accordance with the rulebook. It’s been three days since we heard about a NCAA case, which either means WVU is in the clear or tomorrow is going to be an interesting day. Again.
All in all, not a great nine days for the university, and we’ll get more into that below, but the actual football was intriguing. I’ve only been watching practices for a few years now, so I don’t have quite the library of knowledge to fall back on, but this WVU team looks better than probably all the others I’ve seen … and I started covering as a backup in 20002 and full-time in 2007.
That doesn’t mean they are better or will play better, but they ace the eyeball test. Based on a week in pads, it may be the biggest, strongest and most able team I’ve seen here. I’ve been standing on the sideline watching and trying to put together the “Nightmare Team,” which is the 11 scariest looking dudes on offense and defense. It’s not hard. WVU hasn’t had a lot of guys who look like Bruce Irvin, Chris Neild, Robert Sands, Noel Devine, Ryan Clarke, Will Johnson or Ivan McCartney … and these guys are together.
Potential is a poisonous word to use this time of year, but based on the looks we’re allowed to have, WVU has a chance to have a chance.
Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, you have to pay the price.
Dave said:
“Ask me about NCAA violations.”
/Shakes head
//Expects more
Continue reading…
How about No. 7 gunning for 2K?
That’s why Devine is thinking big this fall. That’s why the most exciting player in college football is thinking about rushing for 2,000 yards and winning the Heisman en route to taking West Virginia back to the Big East summit.
“The sky is the limit,” Devine says. “Anything is possible. For now, I am focusing on my teammates and team, wanting to win as many games as we can. If we are successful on the field, the other stuff will come along.”
This leads me — and I’m sure you — to a few questions and probably a lively debate.
First, can he do it? It’s a big number in a 13 game season.
Second, will he be enabled to do it?
Third, what effect, either good or bad, could such a number have on the spoken goal of offensive balance?
Continue reading…
In a normal first week, Chris Beatty’s insistence to wear a sweat shirt, athletic pants and a bucket hat throughout the at times obnoxiously hot practices would be the most unbelievable thing to transpire. Obviously that is not the case this week.
What’s so strange is Beatty (he’s in the middle above, in case you hadn’t noticed) never seems to be sweating. Believe me, I’ve paid far too much attention to this. I was almost melting standing still. Dave Johnson wears long sleeves and pants and you can see him sweating through his top. Beatty doesn’t even have sweat beading up and rolling off of his face. He leaves the field in dry clothes.
Explanation? Beatty’s wearing more than we can see, believe it or not.
“I got layers on underneath, two long-sleeve shirts under that,” Beatty revealed. “I’m sweating, too, but it doesn’t show.”
Now one may ask when everyone is dying from the heat and Beatty is wearing three long-sleeve shirts and long sweat pants?
“I don’t want to say superstitious, that’s not a good thing, but it’s kind of one of those things I’ve always done, wearing sweat shirts. That’s always been my deal since I was playing,” Beatty said.
You might say he’s playing it cool by staying hot.
Since it’s suddenly a good idea to go back and look at photos from past practices, I’m reminded Beatty really has done this for quite some time and seems to have added to the repertoire.
I’m pretty sure Eu Smith’s pulse hovers around 27 beats per minutes … maybe 33 when he’s practicing in the heat. The kid doesn’t emote. He’s steady, even on his once-broken left foot, and it’s perhaps the best trait WVU could want from it’s quarterback. And in the Mountaineers offense, with all those weapons and the duty of keeping then all on board, it’s especially valuable.
“I don’t think he worries about that stuff,” said Coach Bill Stewart. “The great ones don’t. The great quarterbacks are more about what they’re doing – moving the chains. I know what happens on the sideline because I played. They say, ‘Get me the ball. I can beat this guy.’ But that’s why you communicate. That’s why we’re teammates.
“Geno won’t spend much time thinking about that stuff. He’s more worried about getting us in the right play, making the right read and doing what he’s supposed to do.”
And yet, it’s not even his best ability. He can throw, it looks like he can run the ball when needed and he also has a command of his position and a respect from his peers. But he’s not the best athlete on the team — and maybe not even at his position — and he’s definitely not the top name or strongest personality on offense or even in the backfield. He has a “great ability,” though, as it relates to his position in his offense.
“The thing with Geno is his ability to distribute the ball,” Mullen said. “I think Pat and Jarrett dominated the ball at times and I think rightfully so. For the most part, they were the best players on the field, physically speaking. Geno’s not that kind of guy. Jock, Tavon, Noel, those are the best guys on the field, but Geno has a great ability in our system to distribute the ball in those spots.”
Continue reading…
Bob Huggins roast, anyone?
Mark your calendars for Friday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. On that date and time there will be a celebrity roast of coach Bob Huggins at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown with proceeds from the event benefiting the Norma Mae Mae Huggins Cancer Research Endowment Fund at The Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.
Among those scheduled to attend the event include John Calipari, Frank Martin, Andy Kennedy, Ron Everhart, former Auburn football coach Terry Bowden, plus some surprise guests. Once they’re done roasting Huggs, he will get a chance to have the last word.
I’m sure he’ll get some ribbing at the event, so I hope he’s healed and not troubled by laughter by then. By the way, the basketball coach is back at work this week.
Lots to say and think about WVU’s secondary violation, but I think a lot of the things are mostly agreed upon, beginning with the fact WVU can’t help but look a little silly right now.
I’m wondering what part of that subsection the WVU football operation doesn’t grasp. Even in the oft-arcane and voluminous NCAA rulebook, this one’s pretty clear … although Clemson was under probe last August for the same deal and Missouri was shown by Show Me State media wearing light pads last week.
Well, look at it this way: When West Virginia goes before the NCAA Committee on Infractions for the previous Notice of Allegations and pleads ignorance, at least this latest gaffe will bolster that defense.
I spoke to several “people” throughout the course of yesterday and one thing stand out today. There is a lot of fact and fiction out there. Let’s try to fix this …
Continue reading…
