Post by WVUfanPHILLY on Aug 20, 2007 14:06:25 GMT -5
By MICKEY FURFARI, For The Inter-Mountain
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University’s defensive secondary, often much-maligned last year when ranked No. 109 against the pass, definitely looked much improved in Saturday’s camp-closing football scrimmage. “We’ve got enough athletes back there, and I think they’re getting more confidence,” Coach Rich Rodriguez said after watching cornerbacks and safeties intercept four passes and recover a few fumbles during the one-hour, 45-minute workout. “You take a hit back there and everybody beats on you for 5-6-7 months. (Critics) say you’re not very good, and I think those guys have a lot of pride to try to prove otherwise.”
Rodriguez thought veterans Eric Wicks, Vaughn Rivers, Quinton Andrews, Larry Williams and Boogie Allen all performed well in camp. So did Antonio Lewis until he was sidelined with an injury early last week.
In addition, the head man liked what he saw from two newcomers in the secondary, Ryan Mundy and Ellis Lankster. Mundy graduated from Michigan with a year of eligibility left. Lankster transferred from Jones County (Miss.) Junior College in January.
“I thought we caught the ball defensively in pretty good time,” Rodriguez noted. “It was important for them to get some confidence back there.”
The two true freshman running backs, Noel Devine and Jock Sanders, showed in the scrimmage that both will be backing up Steve Slaton, the All-America tailback and Heisman Trophy candidate.
“They obviously are the guys we are repping there,” Rodriguez confirmed. “Sanders and Devine are right there behind Steve Slaton.
“Those are the guys that will get the majority of the reps next week. They will be our No. 2 guys along with (fullback) Owens Schmitt in certain situations.”
But Rodriguez admittedly remains concerned about the receiving corps. “I think we’ve (settled on) a guy or two and Darius Reynaud is one,” he said. “But we’re still looking for others. We’re going to find the right mix out there somehow in the next week or so..”
Reynaud had a team-high 39 receptions last season for 520 yards and two touchdowns. Wes Lyons, the tallest receiver at 6-foot-8, has been bothered by a knee injury.
“Who’s going to make those big plays Brandon Myles made for us last y ear? That’s what we are still looking for,” Rodriguez said. Myles caught 36 passes for 522 yards and eight scores.
Another lingering question is who’s going to be the No. 2 center behind junior Mike Dent? Eric Jobe, a redshirt freshman, came into camp as Dent’s backup. But he’s now listed as a defensive lineman.
Rodriguez said he’s unsure whether the second-string O-line is progressing like he had hoped. “Execution offensively is not yet where I want it to be,” he stated.
Even the distractions triggered by the start of the fall semester is among his concerns. The players are busy attending classes and mixing with other students. But they don’t have as much time to spend with their friends.
“They’ve got to keep focus,” Rodriguez said he has reminded the squad.
The Mountaineers will begin in mid-week to settle on a game plan for the Sept. 1 season’s opener at home against Western Michigan. They did not use in Saturday’s scrimmage some of the new formations they worked on in camp.
Contact The Inter-Mountain at our two locations.
520 Railroad Ave., PO Box 1339
Elkins, WV 26241
Phone: 304.636.2127
Fax: 304.636.8252
40 East Main Street, PO Box 2076
Buckhannon, WV 26201
Phone: 304.472.8302
Fax: 304.472.6416
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University’s defensive secondary, often much-maligned last year when ranked No. 109 against the pass, definitely looked much improved in Saturday’s camp-closing football scrimmage. “We’ve got enough athletes back there, and I think they’re getting more confidence,” Coach Rich Rodriguez said after watching cornerbacks and safeties intercept four passes and recover a few fumbles during the one-hour, 45-minute workout. “You take a hit back there and everybody beats on you for 5-6-7 months. (Critics) say you’re not very good, and I think those guys have a lot of pride to try to prove otherwise.”
Rodriguez thought veterans Eric Wicks, Vaughn Rivers, Quinton Andrews, Larry Williams and Boogie Allen all performed well in camp. So did Antonio Lewis until he was sidelined with an injury early last week.
In addition, the head man liked what he saw from two newcomers in the secondary, Ryan Mundy and Ellis Lankster. Mundy graduated from Michigan with a year of eligibility left. Lankster transferred from Jones County (Miss.) Junior College in January.
“I thought we caught the ball defensively in pretty good time,” Rodriguez noted. “It was important for them to get some confidence back there.”
The two true freshman running backs, Noel Devine and Jock Sanders, showed in the scrimmage that both will be backing up Steve Slaton, the All-America tailback and Heisman Trophy candidate.
“They obviously are the guys we are repping there,” Rodriguez confirmed. “Sanders and Devine are right there behind Steve Slaton.
“Those are the guys that will get the majority of the reps next week. They will be our No. 2 guys along with (fullback) Owens Schmitt in certain situations.”
But Rodriguez admittedly remains concerned about the receiving corps. “I think we’ve (settled on) a guy or two and Darius Reynaud is one,” he said. “But we’re still looking for others. We’re going to find the right mix out there somehow in the next week or so..”
Reynaud had a team-high 39 receptions last season for 520 yards and two touchdowns. Wes Lyons, the tallest receiver at 6-foot-8, has been bothered by a knee injury.
“Who’s going to make those big plays Brandon Myles made for us last y ear? That’s what we are still looking for,” Rodriguez said. Myles caught 36 passes for 522 yards and eight scores.
Another lingering question is who’s going to be the No. 2 center behind junior Mike Dent? Eric Jobe, a redshirt freshman, came into camp as Dent’s backup. But he’s now listed as a defensive lineman.
Rodriguez said he’s unsure whether the second-string O-line is progressing like he had hoped. “Execution offensively is not yet where I want it to be,” he stated.
Even the distractions triggered by the start of the fall semester is among his concerns. The players are busy attending classes and mixing with other students. But they don’t have as much time to spend with their friends.
“They’ve got to keep focus,” Rodriguez said he has reminded the squad.
The Mountaineers will begin in mid-week to settle on a game plan for the Sept. 1 season’s opener at home against Western Michigan. They did not use in Saturday’s scrimmage some of the new formations they worked on in camp.
Contact The Inter-Mountain at our two locations.
520 Railroad Ave., PO Box 1339
Elkins, WV 26241
Phone: 304.636.2127
Fax: 304.636.8252
40 East Main Street, PO Box 2076
Buckhannon, WV 26201
Phone: 304.472.8302
Fax: 304.472.6416
