Big Things Ahead
December 17, 2003 10:09 AM | General
December 17, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – With all of the great things going on in Coach Rich Rodriguez’ Mountaineer football program right now, senior defensive back Lance Frazier is half tempted to petition the NCAA for a couple more years of eligibility.
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| Defensive back Lance Frazier thinks bigger things for Mountaineer football are on the horizon. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) | |
Frazier truly believes West Virginia football is on the cusp of greatness. He envisions a time in the near future when top prospects regularly consider WVU.
“They can really sell the last two years and the opportunity to be champions,” said Frazier, once a touted recruit himself from Florida who chose West Virginia over Ohio State. “We’re Big East champs and that helps the program tremendously. The coaching staff is on a roll, the team is on a roll, the program is changing, the facilities are changing and I think all of that is for the better.”
It’s one thing to be endorsed by another coach or a national sports columnist, but when a player – particularly an inherited player like Frazier – has that much confidence in the direction of the program that is the ultimate validation for a football coach.
Frazier was one of the Don Nehlen holdovers suspicious of all of the changes taking place when Rodriguez took over after the 2000 Music City Bowl. Now Frazier is a true believer.
“We’ve really grown,” said Frazier of his senior classmates. “It took a year or two but we bought into it. It showed greatly the first year because we didn’t have a clue.”
One of the things Frazier is most impressed about Rodriguez’ coaching staff is its willingness to make subtle changes and adaptations.
“As coaches they’re learning about their own system,” he said. “I’ve noticed that Coach (Jeff) Casteel is really learning a lot about the players in our defense and he’s really expanded what we’re doing. Coach Rod is doing the same.
“As Coach Rod and his staff bring in the guys that he needs, rather than using the guys Coach Nehlen had, I think offensively they can really get this thing rolling,” he added. “Get guys into positions they recruited; the proto-type guys for their program.”
Frazier touches on a topic seldom discussed since the Rodriguez revival began last year. In essence, the coach had to tweak his no-huddle, spread offense aimed at offensive balance and skew it toward a power running game because of the abundance of running backs and tight ends he inherited from Nehlen.
Instead of forcing a round peg into a square hole, Rodriguez chose to mold his system around the talents of the players he was left, including fleet quarterback Rasheed Marshall.
Frazier explains, “There is a difference between the guys Coach Nehlen recruited here for his style of football and the type of guys Coach Rod is going after now,” he said. “Coach Rod is going after smaller guys, even linemen, who are quicker and faster. He recruits speed and he wants speed at every position. He’s a speed demon; he wants a fast team and guys he can get into shape right away because of the pace of the offense.”
Frazier has been a first-hand witness to what a couple of good years of recruiting can do for a program. “It’s totally different,” he said. “I know we have some specimens on our team.”
Besides the obvious talented players like wide receiver Chris Henry, defensive backs Pac-Man Jones and Mike Lorello, and running backs Kay-Jay Harris and Jason Colson, Frazier points to younger players Mountaineer fans have yet to see on the field. One of those players works in Frazier’s group every day.
“Larry Williams … he’s a cornerback with a very bright future,” said Frazier.
Lance also believes Jeremy Hines and Dan Mozes could develop into two of the most athletic and gifted offensive linemen West Virginia has ever produced.
“What they have done this year has surprised even me,” said Frazier.
And while things are moving in the right direction, Frazier points out that there are still some pieces that need to be added in order for West Virginia to become an annual BCS bowl contender.
“Number one, they need to keep the whole coaching staff intact because those guys are great and a big part in why we are winning,” he said. “Also, we have good, young players but we need to continue working on depth.”
Two major areas of emphasis in this year’s recruiting have been offensive and defensive linemen. Frazier believes a big, dominant defensive lineman who can force double teams is something West Virginia can use immediately.
Frazier also thinks West Virginia coaches have to continue to be smart in their recruiting approach. Because weather is a big concern for southern players being recruited by northeastern schools, Frazier maintains West Virginia will have to look closely at how it recruits areas like South Florida where he’s from.
“I can tell you, guys in Florida don’t like the cold weather,” he said.
West Virginia has already altered its recruiting territories, spending less time in South Florida and concentrating more on surrounding states Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia in addition to working states like Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi where Rodriguez’ assistants are familiar. From day one, Rodriguez has always made it a priority to sign the best players in West Virginia.
Frazier also sees a crack of light in the darkness that has become of a diluted Big East Conference. He believes the loss of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College could actually help West Virginia’s recruiting.
“(West Virginia) has a great chance of winning the Big East and going to the BCS,” he reasoned. “Players want to play for championship teams.”
Frazier says prospects pay attention to facilities and the commitment a school makes to remain up-to-date and modern. End zone stadium suites and extensive renovations to the Puskar Center are on the horizon at Mountaineer Field.
“When you come on visits you look at the facilities,” he said. “Coming from high school you’re comparing them with other visits you had. Really, as a young man you tend to react to your surroundings. If you’re at a great school with great facilities that will motivate you even more to become a better player.”
Player motivation, according to Frazier, has never been higher at WVU.
“Those guys have a lot of desire to be the best,” he said. “We have great young talent but besides that I think we’ve got guys who are really buying into the program. These guys want to be known as some of the best players in the country.
“When you have guys who have the desire and the passion for the game, nothing but big things can happen,” he added.
