Post by rainman on Oct 11, 2007 5:53:03 GMT -5
LBs key improved WVU defense
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Rich Rodriguez couldn’t be happier with the play of West Virginia University’s three starting linebackers.
“Reed Williams, Mortty Ivy and Marc Magro have been outstanding,” he said in sizing up the eighth-ranked Mountaineers’ first half of the season.
“I’ve been very pleased with the way they are playing.”
The statistics for the team’s 5-1 start certainly support the compliment paid that trio by the veteran head coach.
All three have combined for 120 of the team’s 404 tackles to date. They also rank among the Big East’s top 24 tacklers.
Williams, a 6-2, 225-pound junior, is eighth in the conference with a total of 48. Ivy, a 6-3, 235-pound junior, ranks 19th with 38. Magro, a 6-3, 240-pound senior, is tied for 23rd with 34 stops.
They also have combined for 14 tackles for losses, nine sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions.
This is the first time since 2003 that WVU’s top three tacklers were linebackers. That season All-America Grant Wiley, Adam Lehnortt and Scott Gyorko led the team.
“That’s a great compliment,” Williams said of Rodriguez’s tribute. “That makes us feel good.
“But D-linemen and guys in the secondary also are working hard. They are making it easy for us this year.
“We’ve improved so much in the last year, and I think we can still play even better. We can continue to improve each and every week.”
Ivy said, “(Losing to South Florida) was hard. But, at the same time, it got us back to reality. Now we’ve got to prepare harder and play like a national championship contender.”
He noted that the linebackers talk to each other as much as they can and try to make sure everybody is in the right place.
Magro said, “The linebackers are veterans, and we have to be the quarterback of the defense: Knowing where everybody is going to be and making sure everybody is line up right.
“I think we’ve gotten defensive pressure on the quarterbacks better in the last three games. But we have to keep working on the little things.
“I believe the defense is doing better this year than last year, though.”
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Rich Rodriguez couldn’t be happier with the play of West Virginia University’s three starting linebackers.
“Reed Williams, Mortty Ivy and Marc Magro have been outstanding,” he said in sizing up the eighth-ranked Mountaineers’ first half of the season.
“I’ve been very pleased with the way they are playing.”
The statistics for the team’s 5-1 start certainly support the compliment paid that trio by the veteran head coach.
All three have combined for 120 of the team’s 404 tackles to date. They also rank among the Big East’s top 24 tacklers.
Williams, a 6-2, 225-pound junior, is eighth in the conference with a total of 48. Ivy, a 6-3, 235-pound junior, ranks 19th with 38. Magro, a 6-3, 240-pound senior, is tied for 23rd with 34 stops.
They also have combined for 14 tackles for losses, nine sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions.
This is the first time since 2003 that WVU’s top three tacklers were linebackers. That season All-America Grant Wiley, Adam Lehnortt and Scott Gyorko led the team.
“That’s a great compliment,” Williams said of Rodriguez’s tribute. “That makes us feel good.
“But D-linemen and guys in the secondary also are working hard. They are making it easy for us this year.
“We’ve improved so much in the last year, and I think we can still play even better. We can continue to improve each and every week.”
Ivy said, “(Losing to South Florida) was hard. But, at the same time, it got us back to reality. Now we’ve got to prepare harder and play like a national championship contender.”
He noted that the linebackers talk to each other as much as they can and try to make sure everybody is in the right place.
Magro said, “The linebackers are veterans, and we have to be the quarterback of the defense: Knowing where everybody is going to be and making sure everybody is line up right.
“I think we’ve gotten defensive pressure on the quarterbacks better in the last three games. But we have to keep working on the little things.
“I believe the defense is doing better this year than last year, though.”