Post by WVUfanPHILLY on Aug 23, 2007 14:57:52 GMT -5
By MICKEY FURFARI, For The Inter-Mountain
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University football notebook:
Quarterback Patrick White admittedly is impressed with this year’s freshman class, especially a talented trio that are not expected to be redshirted.
“Brandon Hogan, Jock Sanders and Noel Devine definitely are three players that can help us out tremendously,” White said.
All of them performed well in last Saturday’s scrimmage.
Sanders carried five times for 57 yards, Devine seven for 41 yards and a touchdown, and Hogan three times for 19 yards. They also caught three passes each.
Tito Gonzales thinks the Mountaineers’ pass-receiving corps can’t help but be better than it was last year.
“Most definitely,” said the 6-2, 210-pound junior from Tampa, Fla. “We’ve created more competition. A lot of guys came in and stepped up. So I think it can only make us better as a team.”
Adding athleticism to that area are Adam Bednarik and Nate Sowers, quarterbacks-turned-receivers at least for the start of the season. Bednarik also continues to take reps with the signal-callers.
Gonzales cracked the receiver rotation last season. While he caught only six passes for 152 yards and one touchdown, he proved to be a terrific blocker. The unselfish team player was credited with 25 knockdowns.
He stood out in the Friends of Coal Bowl victory over Marshall in 2006. He covered 61 yards on just two catches. He also had a 57-yard TD reception in the Gator Bowl win over Georgia Tech.
All-America tailback Steve Slaton has said he doesn’t think there’s any one team he’d want to play more than another.
“There’s just a long time waiting to play a game, so it all comes down to me wanting to play them one at a time as they come up on the schedule,” the talented junior reasoned.
In other words, Slaton has no favorite among WVU foes. He has topped 100 yards rushing in 15 of the 20 games he has started.
Defensive back Franchot “Boogie” Allen, who has done well in preseason practice, will tell you that he feels much better than he did a year ago as a true freshman.
“I was just a nervous wreck out there last season,” the standout sophomore recalled. “But I’m glad to have a year under my belt.
“This year I feel a lot more comfortable. I can play both safety positions. I think ‘bandit’ is a little bit better than free safety.”
He appeared in seven games as a rookie
Pat Lazear appears certain to see action as a true freshman, despite the fact that the linebacking corps looks strong.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound product of Bethesda, Md., has been learning the system quickly. As a result, he’s getting a lot of work on special teams as well as at LB.
Told that he really looks like a linebacker, Lazear replied: “I get that a lot.”
That’s the position he played at Wheaton High School. He also was a kicker and punter.
But he admits there’s no way he could compete with WVU kicker/punter Pat McAfee.
“He’s on a completely different level,” Lazear said.
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 football notebook:
Quarterback Patrick White admittedly is impressed with this year’s freshman class, especially a talented trio that are not expected to be redshirted.
“Brandon Hogan, Jock Sanders and Noel Devine definitely are three players that can help us out tremendously,” White said.
All of them performed well in last Saturday’s scrimmage.
Sanders carried five times for 57 yards, Devine seven for 41 yards and a touchdown, and Hogan three times for 19 yards. They also caught three passes each.
Tito Gonzales thinks the Mountaineers’ pass-receiving corps can’t help but be better than it was last year.
“Most definitely,” said the 6-2, 210-pound junior from Tampa, Fla. “We’ve created more competition. A lot of guys came in and stepped up. So I think it can only make us better as a team.”
Adding athleticism to that area are Adam Bednarik and Nate Sowers, quarterbacks-turned-receivers at least for the start of the season. Bednarik also continues to take reps with the signal-callers.
Gonzales cracked the receiver rotation last season. While he caught only six passes for 152 yards and one touchdown, he proved to be a terrific blocker. The unselfish team player was credited with 25 knockdowns.
He stood out in the Friends of Coal Bowl victory over Marshall in 2006. He covered 61 yards on just two catches. He also had a 57-yard TD reception in the Gator Bowl win over Georgia Tech.
All-America tailback Steve Slaton has said he doesn’t think there’s any one team he’d want to play more than another.
“There’s just a long time waiting to play a game, so it all comes down to me wanting to play them one at a time as they come up on the schedule,” the talented junior reasoned.
In other words, Slaton has no favorite among WVU foes. He has topped 100 yards rushing in 15 of the 20 games he has started.
Defensive back Franchot “Boogie” Allen, who has done well in preseason practice, will tell you that he feels much better than he did a year ago as a true freshman.
“I was just a nervous wreck out there last season,” the standout sophomore recalled. “But I’m glad to have a year under my belt.
“This year I feel a lot more comfortable. I can play both safety positions. I think ‘bandit’ is a little bit better than free safety.”
He appeared in seven games as a rookie
Pat Lazear appears certain to see action as a true freshman, despite the fact that the linebacking corps looks strong.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound product of Bethesda, Md., has been learning the system quickly. As a result, he’s getting a lot of work on special teams as well as at LB.
Told that he really looks like a linebacker, Lazear replied: “I get that a lot.”
That’s the position he played at Wheaton High School. He also was a kicker and punter.
But he admits there’s no way he could compete with WVU kicker/punter Pat McAfee.
“He’s on a completely different level,” Lazear said.
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
