MORGANTOWN - Apparently it's never too late to recruit a football player to fill a position of need, even if it's less than three weeks before the start of a season.

That's what West Virginia has done, picking up cornerback Chaz Russell from a junior college in California.

Assuming Russell satisfactorily finishes the handful of summer school classes he needs to earn his two-year degree, he is expected to be in Morgantown by the weekend, enroll for the start of classes on Monday and begin practicing with the team.

Russell has three years of eligibility remaining and if he can play at all, could be on the field in short order, given West Virginia's lack of experience and depth at cornerback.

"We'd have to get him ready and certainly [it wouldn't be] by the first game,'' West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said Monday when asked what he might be able to do with a cornerback in just two weeks. "But you can put certain people in the lineup and play man [and] zone. You don't have to play everything.''

If nothing else, the 6-foot, 195-pound Russell doesn't lack for confidence. He chose West Virginia Monday over an offer from Memphis, a school he visited Friday. While in Memphis, Russell was interviewed by a television station there and was asked if two weeks was enough time to get ready to play.

"That's more than enough time,'' he said.

He was also asked what he would bring to a team.

"I'm shutting down one side of the field,'' Russell said. "There's no points on that side of the field. That's what I can promise.''

Russell played his high school football at Stranahan High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He played last season at Pierce Community College in Los Angeles.

West Virginia lost its top three cornerbacks from last season and heads into the final weeks of preseason practice with only three legitimate contenders for the two spots.

Ellis Lankster seems to have locked down one position, which Kent Richardson and converted receiver Brandon Hogan are battling for the other spot. Another converted offensive player, Eddie Davis, could eventually work into the mix, but Guesly Dervil is playing now with a dislocated finger.

Judging by his post-practice comments, it wasn't hard to tell that Stewart was more than a little disappointed with parts of Monday's workouts. As is his habit, though, the effervescent head coach ran the gamut of emotions in describing it.

To simplify, suffice it to say Stewart didn't like the performance of his defense ("They'd better stop reading their press clippings,'' he said) until late in the practice when his displeasure became evident and the defense cranked it up a notch.

MORGANTOWN - Apparently it's never too late to recruit a football player to fill a position of need, even if it's less than three weeks before the start of a season.

That's what West Virginia has done, picking up cornerback Chaz Russell from a junior college in California.

Assuming Russell satisfactorily finishes the handful of summer school classes he needs to earn his two-year degree, he is expected to be in Morgantown by the weekend, enroll for the start of classes on Monday and begin practicing with the team.

Russell has three years of eligibility remaining and if he can play at all, could be on the field in short order, given West Virginia's lack of experience and depth at cornerback.

"We'd have to get him ready and certainly [it wouldn't be] by the first game,'' West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said Monday when asked what he might be able to do with a cornerback in just two weeks. "But you can put certain people in the lineup and play man [and] zone. You don't have to play everything.''

If nothing else, the 6-foot, 195-pound Russell doesn't lack for confidence. He chose West Virginia Monday over an offer from Memphis, a school he visited Friday. While in Memphis, Russell was interviewed by a television station there and was asked if two weeks was enough time to get ready to play.

"That's more than enough time,'' he said.

He was also asked what he would bring to a team.

"I'm shutting down one side of the field,'' Russell said. "There's no points on that side of the field. That's what I can promise.''

Russell played his high school football at Stranahan High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He played last season at Pierce Community College in Los Angeles.

West Virginia lost its top three cornerbacks from last season and heads into the final weeks of preseason practice with only three legitimate contenders for the two spots.

Ellis Lankster seems to have locked down one position, which Kent Richardson and converted receiver Brandon Hogan are battling for the other spot. Another converted offensive player, Eddie Davis, could eventually work into the mix, but Guesly Dervil is playing now with a dislocated finger.

Judging by his post-practice comments, it wasn't hard to tell that Stewart was more than a little disappointed with parts of Monday's workouts. As is his habit, though, the effervescent head coach ran the gamut of emotions in describing it.

To simplify, suffice it to say Stewart didn't like the performance of his defense ("They'd better stop reading their press clippings,'' he said) until late in the practice when his displeasure became evident and the defense cranked it up a notch.

There was also talk of up-and-down grass drills after practice, the intensity he expects and even a lecture to those who might consider that Stewart is a bit of a flake sometimes.

"I'm not in the best of moods,'' Stewart said at one point. "Everybody's mad at Mister Rogers.''

Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel said Monday he expects free safety Robert Sands to play right away, although right now the 6-foot-41/2 true freshman is behind redshirt freshman Eain Smith on the depth chart.

"He's really progressed,'' Casteel said. "He's a smart kid, a great athlete and we're really pleased with him. He's got a lot of ability. He's going to make a lot of mistakes as a young guy, but he's done a great job.''

Casteel said Sands worked with both the No. 1 and 2 defenses on Monday.

Devon Lyons' West Virginia football career lasted less than a week.

The older brother of wide receiver Wes Lyons, Devon left practice late last week and on Monday told Stewart that he was quitting. Devon Lyons was a wide receiver who spent four years at Ohio State and got a waiver from the NCAA to transfer to WVU and complete his final season of eligibility.

"We're leaving on good terms,'' Stewart said. "He's an outstanding young man.''

From the start of practice on Aug. 2, Devon Lyons had struggled and was not considered to be a factor on the depth chart. His brother, Wes, is out of practice this week after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Briefly

"When he sees Tyler Urban, that helps, doesn't it?'' Stewart quipped. 

Backup quarterback Jarrett Brown was again limited by a hamstring injury.

Reach Dave Hickman at 348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.