Post by rainman on Aug 23, 2007 9:42:51 GMT -5
2007 11:49 pm
Almost ready
WVU closer to depth chart for opener
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN — Coach Rich Rodriguez said Wednesday night that his staff has a pretty good idea who’ll be on a tentative depth chart for West Virginia’s Sept. 1 season’s opener at home against Western Michigan.
“We’re closer to knowing who will be on the travel squad (to Lakeview) the night before the game,” he explained. “But it could fluctuate from practice to practice.”
He revealed that Eric Jobe, a redshirt freshman, has been returned to the offense after being tried a few days on defense. He is battling freshman Gino Gradkowski for the No. 2 spot at center behind junior starter Mike Dent.
In another move, tailback Eddie Davis, a redshirt freshman, has been switched to wide receiver.
With linebacker J.T. Thomas and defensive back Ellis Lankster suspended pending legal action, Rodriguez said there is a lot of flexibility by others in those two areas to fill positions adequately.
He mentioned that Marc Magro and Reed Williams are holdover starters who can play all three linebacker positions. Others familiar with multiple positions include Bobby Hathaway, Morty Ivy, John Holmes, Zac Cooper and true freshman Pat Lazear.
Hathaway has a broken bone in his hand, but Rodriguez thinks he will be able to play with a small cast.
He said Nate Sowers, quarterback-turned-receiver, missed two days of practice with a hand injury. But X-rays showed no fracture.
Veteran cornerback Antonio Lewis is still sidelined with a shoulder injury. Ovid Goulbourne, a sophomore linebacker, has missed a lot of work, and receiver Wes Lyons still is out because of a sore knee.
But Rodriguez is hopeful that they will be back by next week and see some action against Western Michigan.
Ryan Mundy, graduate student who started 19 of 30 games at safety positions for Michigan, had probably his best two days of practice this week, the coach noted.
“He has learned very quickly,” he said.
Mundy can play either free or strong safety spots, as can Eric Wicks and Boogie Allen. Veterans Vaughn Rivers and Antonio Lewis are cornerbacks along with Larry Williams, Kent Richardson and others
“We’ve had distractions before,” Rodriguez said. “Last December they had me going to Alabama. But we won the next game (Rutgers) with our second quarterback.
“Our guys keep focus on what they’re doing. We have a game in 10 days. So that’s not an issue.”
Almost ready
WVU closer to depth chart for opener
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN — Coach Rich Rodriguez said Wednesday night that his staff has a pretty good idea who’ll be on a tentative depth chart for West Virginia’s Sept. 1 season’s opener at home against Western Michigan.
“We’re closer to knowing who will be on the travel squad (to Lakeview) the night before the game,” he explained. “But it could fluctuate from practice to practice.”
He revealed that Eric Jobe, a redshirt freshman, has been returned to the offense after being tried a few days on defense. He is battling freshman Gino Gradkowski for the No. 2 spot at center behind junior starter Mike Dent.
In another move, tailback Eddie Davis, a redshirt freshman, has been switched to wide receiver.
With linebacker J.T. Thomas and defensive back Ellis Lankster suspended pending legal action, Rodriguez said there is a lot of flexibility by others in those two areas to fill positions adequately.
He mentioned that Marc Magro and Reed Williams are holdover starters who can play all three linebacker positions. Others familiar with multiple positions include Bobby Hathaway, Morty Ivy, John Holmes, Zac Cooper and true freshman Pat Lazear.
Hathaway has a broken bone in his hand, but Rodriguez thinks he will be able to play with a small cast.
He said Nate Sowers, quarterback-turned-receiver, missed two days of practice with a hand injury. But X-rays showed no fracture.
Veteran cornerback Antonio Lewis is still sidelined with a shoulder injury. Ovid Goulbourne, a sophomore linebacker, has missed a lot of work, and receiver Wes Lyons still is out because of a sore knee.
But Rodriguez is hopeful that they will be back by next week and see some action against Western Michigan.
Ryan Mundy, graduate student who started 19 of 30 games at safety positions for Michigan, had probably his best two days of practice this week, the coach noted.
“He has learned very quickly,” he said.
Mundy can play either free or strong safety spots, as can Eric Wicks and Boogie Allen. Veterans Vaughn Rivers and Antonio Lewis are cornerbacks along with Larry Williams, Kent Richardson and others
“We’ve had distractions before,” Rodriguez said. “Last December they had me going to Alabama. But we won the next game (Rutgers) with our second quarterback.
“Our guys keep focus on what they’re doing. We have a game in 10 days. So that’s not an issue.”
