MORGANTOWN - West Virginia tailback Noel Devine credits second-year running backs coach Chris Beatty for much of his blossoming maturity, talking about how Beatty is just as interested in making his charges good people as well as good backs.
MORGANTOWN - West Virginia tailback Noel Devine credits second-year running backs coach Chris Beatty for much of his blossoming maturity, talking about how Beatty is just as interested in making his charges good people as well as good backs.
"He talks not just about football, but things in life,'' Devine said. "I admire the way he handles himself and the way he handles us.''
But Devine will also be the first to say that Beatty has helped him become a better tailback, not by introducing anything radical to his game but by simply concentrating on the basics.
"I've gotten a lot better by just doing the little things right,'' Devine said. "I mean, I've always been good, but it's the little things like blocking, getting north and south, making one move and getting up the field and being more patient.''
Despite having only started 12 games during his career, Devine already has rushed for 1,916 yards (1,289 last season) and is just 265 yards away from breaking into the school's all-time top 10. With even a mediocre season in 2009 (705 yards) he will move ahead of everyone on the list except Avon Cobourne, Pat White, Amos Zereoue and Steve Slaton.
Devine's per-rush average of 6.9 yards for his career is the best in school history among the career rushing leaders. White averaged 6.5 yards and Arthur Owens 6.4. No one else was above 5.9, a full yard per carry less than Devine.
Those numbers, though, as well as all the national attention Devine is getting heading into his junior season, don't seem a big deal to the 5-foot-8, 176-pounder from North Fort Myers, Fla.
"That's individual stuff. I'm not too much focused on that,'' Devine said. "It is what it is. All I can do is play the best I can play and help my team out and let everything fall into place.''
Depth chart released
West Virginia's coaches officially released the team's post-camp depth chart Wednesday and there aren't many surprises.
There are a few noteworthy entries, however.
Redshirt freshman Joe Madsen has been penciled in as the starter at center only a week after getting his first chance to play the position with the No. 1 offense. Eric Jobe, who had been the center since replacing injured Mike Dent in the ninth of last season's 13 games, is now listed as the starter at right guard. Jeff Braun, who had been playing right guard since midway through the spring, is now the backup at center.
That gives WVU's rebuilding line a collection of two sophomores (left guard Josh Jenkins and left tackle Don Barclay), a redshirt freshman (Madsen), a junior (Jobe) and a senior (right tackle Selvish Capers).
On defense, the only real question mark during preseason camp is apparently still a question. Nate Sowers, Sidney Glover and Boogie Allen will combine to fill the two strong safety spots, but Sowers and Glover are listed as co-starters at the spur and Allen and Glover at the bandit.
For the record, the rest of the starters on offense - dependent upon formations, of course - are quarterback Jarrett Brown, Devine at tailback, wide receivers Alric Arnett and Bradley Starks, slot receivers Wes Lyons and Jock Sanders, tight end Tyler Urban and fullback Ryan Clarke. On defense the rest of the lineup is Scooter Berry, Chris Neild and Julian Miller on the line, linebackers Reed Williams, J.T. Thomas and Pat Lazear, cornerbacks Brandon Hogan and Keith Tandy and free safety Robert Sands.
True freshman Tavon Austin is listed behind Sanders at slot receiver and also in the kick and punt return mix. The only other true freshmen listed as No. 2 at their positions are wide receiver Logan Heastie and quarterback Geno Smith. Shawne Alston is listed as the No. 3 tailback.
As expected, Tyler Bitancurt is listed ahead of Josh Lider as the place-kicker and the two reverse roles for kickoffs. Scott Kozlowski is the punter, Cody Nutter the long snapper and Jeremy Kash the holder. Devine, Sanders and Austin are listed as kick returners and Hogan, Sanders, J.D. Woods and Austin as punt returners.
MORGANTOWN - West Virginia tailback Noel Devine credits second-year running backs coach Chris Beatty for much of his blossoming maturity, talking about how Beatty is just as interested in making his charges good people as well as good backs.
"He talks not just about football, but things in life,'' Devine said. "I admire the way he handles himself and the way he handles us.''
But Devine will also be the first to say that Beatty has helped him become a better tailback, not by introducing anything radical to his game but by simply concentrating on the basics.
"I've gotten a lot better by just doing the little things right,'' Devine said. "I mean, I've always been good, but it's the little things like blocking, getting north and south, making one move and getting up the field and being more patient.''
Despite having only started 12 games during his career, Devine already has rushed for 1,916 yards (1,289 last season) and is just 265 yards away from breaking into the school's all-time top 10. With even a mediocre season in 2009 (705 yards) he will move ahead of everyone on the list except Avon Cobourne, Pat White, Amos Zereoue and Steve Slaton.
Devine's per-rush average of 6.9 yards for his career is the best in school history among the career rushing leaders. White averaged 6.5 yards and Arthur Owens 6.4. No one else was above 5.9, a full yard per carry less than Devine.
Those numbers, though, as well as all the national attention Devine is getting heading into his junior season, don't seem a big deal to the 5-foot-8, 176-pounder from North Fort Myers, Fla.
"That's individual stuff. I'm not too much focused on that,'' Devine said. "It is what it is. All I can do is play the best I can play and help my team out and let everything fall into place.''
Depth chart released
West Virginia's coaches officially released the team's post-camp depth chart Wednesday and there aren't many surprises.
There are a few noteworthy entries, however.
Redshirt freshman Joe Madsen has been penciled in as the starter at center only a week after getting his first chance to play the position with the No. 1 offense. Eric Jobe, who had been the center since replacing injured Mike Dent in the ninth of last season's 13 games, is now listed as the starter at right guard. Jeff Braun, who had been playing right guard since midway through the spring, is now the backup at center.
That gives WVU's rebuilding line a collection of two sophomores (left guard Josh Jenkins and left tackle Don Barclay), a redshirt freshman (Madsen), a junior (Jobe) and a senior (right tackle Selvish Capers).
On defense, the only real question mark during preseason camp is apparently still a question. Nate Sowers, Sidney Glover and Boogie Allen will combine to fill the two strong safety spots, but Sowers and Glover are listed as co-starters at the spur and Allen and Glover at the bandit.
For the record, the rest of the starters on offense - dependent upon formations, of course - are quarterback Jarrett Brown, Devine at tailback, wide receivers Alric Arnett and Bradley Starks, slot receivers Wes Lyons and Jock Sanders, tight end Tyler Urban and fullback Ryan Clarke. On defense the rest of the lineup is Scooter Berry, Chris Neild and Julian Miller on the line, linebackers Reed Williams, J.T. Thomas and Pat Lazear, cornerbacks Brandon Hogan and Keith Tandy and free safety Robert Sands.
True freshman Tavon Austin is listed behind Sanders at slot receiver and also in the kick and punt return mix. The only other true freshmen listed as No. 2 at their positions are wide receiver Logan Heastie and quarterback Geno Smith. Shawne Alston is listed as the No. 3 tailback.
As expected, Tyler Bitancurt is listed ahead of Josh Lider as the place-kicker and the two reverse roles for kickoffs. Scott Kozlowski is the punter, Cody Nutter the long snapper and Jeremy Kash the holder. Devine, Sanders and Austin are listed as kick returners and Hogan, Sanders, J.D. Woods and Austin as punt returners.
The numbers game
Get ready for duplicate numbers again. A lot of them.
It was a practice West Virginia first used a few years ago, but the cases of two players wearing the same number decreased last year. But according to the updated numerical roster, there could be a ton of them this fall.
Duplicate numbers are permitted as long as the players wearing them aren't on the field at the same time. That's fairly easy to track as far as offense and defense are concerned, but special teams can be sometimes tricky.
In many cases, duplicate numbers are being worn by walk-ons or by freshmen who figure to be redshirted. But that still leaves many possibilities. By the numbers, they include (but are not limited to):
1. Austin and freshman cornerback Pat Miller.
2. Heastie and Sands.
9. Sanders and freshman cornerback Brodrick Jenkins.
10. Freshman receiver Stedman Bailey and cornerback Guesly Dervil.
12. Smith and Sowers.
29. Freshman running back Daquan Hargrett and safety Trippe Hale.
33. Fullback Max Anderson and freshman safety Jonathan Scott.
77. Freshman defensive end Will Clarke and Jenkins.
The roster, which was expanded from 105 when classes began Monday, now includes 120 players. Among the additions was junior tailback Zach Hulce, who was competing for a backup job before being injured last season. He was left out of the pre-classes 105 because he still isn't 100 percent healthy.
Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.
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Once again too much hype last year about him.
Defense appears very strong, with some depth.