Post by cviller on Aug 31, 2007 16:00:45 GMT -5
By Jack Bogaczyk
Daily Mail Sports Editor
MORGANTOWN -- When No. 3 West Virginia opens its 115th season here Saturday afternoon, seven players who have never started a college football game will open for the Mountaineers.
Linebacker Mortty Ivy will be one of seven players making their first career starts for West Virginia University on Saturday in the Mountaineers’ season opener in Morgantown.
"I'm sure we'll be nervous," first-time starter and junior weakside linebacker Mortty Ivy said, "but a lot of us have played in big games before, so we should be OK."
WVU Coach Rich Rodriguez begins his seventh season on his alma mater's sideline, and his 15th as a head coach, counting his West Virginia Conference years at Salem (1) and Glenville State (7). The 3:30 kickoff against Western Michigan will be his 75th game (50-24) as the Mountaineer coach.
He'll also feel about as green as Ivy.
"Every time," Rodriguez answered earlier this week when asked about surprises in openers. "There's more uncertainty and probably more nervousness among coaches in the first game than in any game of the year.
"You know, with the guys you've got returning, are they as focused, are they excited, are they going to execute. Will they forget their fundamentals? Then you've got the new guys.
"The first game is the most nerve-wracking every year. I think every coach will tell you that. There's no preseason game ... We've not gone against anybody else since the (Gator) bowl game. So, how do you really know what you have until you play a game?
"And you know, one game doesn't answer it, but at least you have a better idea."
It's a common threat through a WVU team that has great expectations.
"I'm anxious to see how the kids react, how they play in front of a crowd," WVU Defensive Coordinator Jeff Casteel said. "I'm not really worried about someone like Mortty. He's been around, and he's a smart kid and can play.
"He'd have played more than he did last year, but after he got that knee (injury) in the spring (2006), he never really got back to where he could have been. He was hindered. Now, he's back where he could have been last season."
The Mountaineer linebacker corps is deeper than in recent years, even with expected middle LB J.T. Thomas on indefinite suspension after his arrest following an alleged theft. It has plenty of experience, but the starting trio -- Ivy, junior middle linebacker Reed Williams and senior Marc Magro -- has only one career start.
Ivy got the starting job when Thomas was suspended, with Williams moving from the weakside to the middle. Ivy had been backing up Magro at strongside.
"It's a honor to get the kind of respect from the coaches that I can handle the job," the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Ivy said. "We have a bunch of linebackers, and I'm sure a lot of us will get an opportunity. You don't play any differently when you're a starter than if you're a backup.
"Weakside, strongside, I can play both sides anyway. The difference is taking on a tight end on the strongside, and maybe dealing more with pass coverage on the weakside. The idea wherever is the same -- get to the ball."
Ivy and Williams will be joined as first-time starters on defense by tackle Scooter Berry and cornerback Kent Richardson. Free safety Ryan Mundy will be making his WVU debut, but he had 18 career starts in three full seasons at Michigan before transferring.
On offense, the first-time starters will be center Mike Dent, wideout Nate Sowers (if WVU opens in a four-receiver set) and right guard Eric Rodemoyer, unless he is hobbled again by a high left ankle sprain that has limited his time in preseason camp.
If Rodemoyer can't play, redshirt freshman Derek Hayes, who would be another first-time starter, shifts from backup left guard.
"My goal last year was to just come in and compete," said Rodemoyer, a 6-4, 300-pounder from Sharon, Pa. "This year, I was hoping I could start, and I knew we were losing those veterans (Dan Mozes and Jeremy Sheffey).
"The biggest thing is that the college game has slowed down. There was a lot to learn last year, and all you can do is hope to get reps at the different looks. There's a lot of stuff you need to know when you're playing the offensive line."
Rodemoyer said the arrival of new line coach Greg Frey, replacing Marine vet Rick Trickett, who went to Florida State's staff, has helped.
"A lot is the same, but I've been able to learn a lot faster with Coach Frey," Rodemoyer said. "He takes more time to explain things than Coach Trickett did. Now, it's up to me to show I belong out there with the ones."