Post by elp525 on Oct 26, 2011 7:53:04 GMT -5
October 25, 2011
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - Doug Rigg has plenty of good reasons for wanting to play this weekend against Rutgers, but two stand out above the others.
First, West Virginia's sophomore linebacker has missed the Mountaineers' last three games because of a broken bone in his wrist and he's simply antsy to play again.
And second, well, he's a Jersey guy who chose West Virginia over Rutgers and it's a matter of pride. There's no telling how many more chances he'll get.
With West Virginia set to leave the Big East for the Big 12 at an as-yet undetermined date, every game against the Scarlet Knights might be his last.
"I didn't come to West Virginia to lose to Rutgers,'' he said Tuesday night. "If I don't get a win I can't go home.''
The truth is, though, many of the reasons Rigg came to West Virginia are about to vanish. While there is the distinct possibility that WVU will be forced to remain in the Big East through Rigg's final two seasons of eligibility, there is a chance it might not. And there is no question that being able to play in the Northeast close to his family was one of the reasons he came to Morgantown.
If he's still around when the Mountaineers are playing in Texas and Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa, well, it will just feel a little bit strange.
"Yeah, it's actually weird thinking about it because when I was growing up everything was set in stone -the SEC, the Big East, everything was the same,'' Rigg said. "And then all of a sudden one or two big changes happen and conferences are splitting up and others are getting bigger. It just doesn't look right, but it's going to be a different experience if I am still around when we go to the Big 12. But it's still football.''
On the opposite end of that spectrum, though, is a guy like running back Dustin Garrison. He grew up in Louisiana, played his high school football in Houston after being driven there by Hurricane Katrina and pretty much considers Big 12 country his home.
"I've been getting texts and phone calls all day from my family and friends,'' Garrison said. "They're pretty excited about it and so am I.''
Garrison, a true freshman, has been in Morgantown only since this summer. He's adapted well, earning the starting job at tailback and in one game, against Bowling Green, rushing for 291 yards.
But he's done almost none of it in front of family or friends. His mother and his girlfriend came to West Virginia's game against LSU, but that's it.
"I think it'll be great,'' Garrison said. "My mom has always enjoyed watching my games and it'll be a lot easier on her and my other family.''
For the most part, West Virginia's players and even some of the coaches were told of West Virginia's impending move by media members. There was no announcement to the team, although many players had kept up with the story throughout the day.
Others were just too busy. Quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital said he honestly knew nothing about it. Receivers coach Shannon Dawson apparently had heard, but only through the grapevine.
"But I have no idea how it's going to happen or when it's going to happen,'' Dawson said. "And we'll probably be the last to know.''
Spavital, who grew up in Tulsa, Okla., and whose father is a prominent high school coach there, said he never thought he'd be going back to the Big 12 with West Virginia. He did say that perhaps the new alliance would help him recruit a few of his father's players, some of whom now go to Houston, where his brother coaches.
"The times might be changing in the Spavital household,'' he cracked.
The move, of course, is nowhere near immediate. It isn't likely to happen next year and perhaps not even the year after unless West Virginia can escape the Big East's 27-month exit rule. So in the meantime, West Virginia's players said they need to focus on the task at hand.
"Right now we've got to take care of the Big East before we go,'' Garrison said. "Whatever we do, we need to leave as champions.''
As for Rigg, well, he isn't losing any sleep over the lost rivalry against the team from his home state.
"Honestly, I've already played Rutgers once and [after this weekend] I'll have played them twice,'' Rigg said. "I don't need to play them all four years.''
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - Doug Rigg has plenty of good reasons for wanting to play this weekend against Rutgers, but two stand out above the others.
First, West Virginia's sophomore linebacker has missed the Mountaineers' last three games because of a broken bone in his wrist and he's simply antsy to play again.
And second, well, he's a Jersey guy who chose West Virginia over Rutgers and it's a matter of pride. There's no telling how many more chances he'll get.
With West Virginia set to leave the Big East for the Big 12 at an as-yet undetermined date, every game against the Scarlet Knights might be his last.
"I didn't come to West Virginia to lose to Rutgers,'' he said Tuesday night. "If I don't get a win I can't go home.''
The truth is, though, many of the reasons Rigg came to West Virginia are about to vanish. While there is the distinct possibility that WVU will be forced to remain in the Big East through Rigg's final two seasons of eligibility, there is a chance it might not. And there is no question that being able to play in the Northeast close to his family was one of the reasons he came to Morgantown.
If he's still around when the Mountaineers are playing in Texas and Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa, well, it will just feel a little bit strange.
"Yeah, it's actually weird thinking about it because when I was growing up everything was set in stone -the SEC, the Big East, everything was the same,'' Rigg said. "And then all of a sudden one or two big changes happen and conferences are splitting up and others are getting bigger. It just doesn't look right, but it's going to be a different experience if I am still around when we go to the Big 12. But it's still football.''
On the opposite end of that spectrum, though, is a guy like running back Dustin Garrison. He grew up in Louisiana, played his high school football in Houston after being driven there by Hurricane Katrina and pretty much considers Big 12 country his home.
"I've been getting texts and phone calls all day from my family and friends,'' Garrison said. "They're pretty excited about it and so am I.''
Garrison, a true freshman, has been in Morgantown only since this summer. He's adapted well, earning the starting job at tailback and in one game, against Bowling Green, rushing for 291 yards.
But he's done almost none of it in front of family or friends. His mother and his girlfriend came to West Virginia's game against LSU, but that's it.
"I think it'll be great,'' Garrison said. "My mom has always enjoyed watching my games and it'll be a lot easier on her and my other family.''
For the most part, West Virginia's players and even some of the coaches were told of West Virginia's impending move by media members. There was no announcement to the team, although many players had kept up with the story throughout the day.
Others were just too busy. Quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital said he honestly knew nothing about it. Receivers coach Shannon Dawson apparently had heard, but only through the grapevine.
"But I have no idea how it's going to happen or when it's going to happen,'' Dawson said. "And we'll probably be the last to know.''
Spavital, who grew up in Tulsa, Okla., and whose father is a prominent high school coach there, said he never thought he'd be going back to the Big 12 with West Virginia. He did say that perhaps the new alliance would help him recruit a few of his father's players, some of whom now go to Houston, where his brother coaches.
"The times might be changing in the Spavital household,'' he cracked.
The move, of course, is nowhere near immediate. It isn't likely to happen next year and perhaps not even the year after unless West Virginia can escape the Big East's 27-month exit rule. So in the meantime, West Virginia's players said they need to focus on the task at hand.
"Right now we've got to take care of the Big East before we go,'' Garrison said. "Whatever we do, we need to leave as champions.''
As for Rigg, well, he isn't losing any sleep over the lost rivalry against the team from his home state.
"Honestly, I've already played Rutgers once and [after this weekend] I'll have played them twice,'' Rigg said. "I don't need to play them all four years.''
