Like more than 28,500 other students, West Virginia University’s football players hit the classroom today instead of the blocking sleds and tackling dummies.
They will spend the entire day settling into their classes, then will practice under the lights tonight for the first time since starting preseason preparations Aug. 2.
Bill Stewart, in his first year as the head coach, is very pleased with how the Mountaineers performed in two weeks of spirited camp drills. They posed for pictures on Sunday and afterward signed autographs for Fan Day enthusiasts.
Stewart is happy that WVU escaped serious injury, but said he’s saddened that other colleges nationwide were not as fortunate as WVU.
“I keep praying not only for the Mountaineers, but for the young men all over the country to stay healthy,”
he said.
“It’s really frustrating to see people get hurt, and I’m praying that it doesn’t happen to us. I hate that it happens to other people.”
That’s why, as extra precaution, he kept tailback Noel Devine and wide receiver Jock Sanders, also the No. 2 tailback, out of Saturday’s scrimmage which ended camp.
“Both are good players and we know what they can do,”
Stewart said.
No. 2 quarterback Jarrett Brown, fullback/tight end Will Johnson and wide receiver/No. 3 quarterback Bradley Starks also were held out of the scrimmage. But all three did participate in skeleton drills during which they weren’t hit.
All three had missed some work because of bumps and bruises.
Devine and Sanders moved quickly and pleasingly in non-contact exercises and could have played if there were a game.
Stewart is pleased with the play of all three quarterbacks, and he thought the veteran offensive line also had a good camp. He singled out wide receivers Alric Arnett and Tito Gonzales for making some big plays.
Dorrell Jalloh, holdover starting wide receiver, is being treated for a foot infection. So he did not do much Saturday.
Stewart thinks freshman tight end Tyler Urban is going to be special.
“He made some big catches,”
the coach noted.
He’s also impressed by sophomore defensive end Larry Ford, saying no one could block him Saturday.
“In the two-minute drill, he was smoking and that cat was rolling. Coach (Bill) Kirelawich was pushing him hard, and it was nice to see Zac Cooper, Pat Liebig and Larry Ford are huge for us,”
he said of the standout defensive linemen. “Josh Taylor, too. He’s tough.”
Big blitzing plays by defensive backs Nate Sowers and Sidney Glover also caught Stewart’s eye. Brandon Hogan and Boogie Allen also did some nice things in the defensive backfield.
“We’re really going to bring it (on blitzes), and people had better be able to block us,”
he said. “I really thought our defense was outstanding (Saturday). It looked like what Mountaineer defense should, would and has become.”
WVU will be banging in practice sessions Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Then there will be work on some special game situations Friday before the players take Saturday and part of Sunday off.
