A Family Affair
April 22, 2003 10:59 AM | General
April 22, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – There was a minor tug of war of allegiances in the McLee family when young Kevin was pressed to make a college decision.
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| Kevin McLee has worked himself into a backup role at the Rob linebacker position. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
At the head of the family is father Kevin Sr., who was a three-year letterman at the University of Georgia as a running back and played in both the 1976 Cotton and 1977 Sugar Bowls.
Then there was Kevin’s relatives Billy and Reggie McLee, who both made the short drive south to Morgantown to play at West Virginia University.
Billy was a 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker whose career was plagued by injuries. His best season came in 1977 when he recorded 23 tackles. His cousin Reggie, a 6-foot, 185-pound backup running back, also doubled as a kickoff returner. Reggie earned a varsity letter in 1979.
Kevin, who goes by the nickname “Boo”, wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and go to Georgia but when the Bulldogs only showed lukewarm interest, Reggie and Billy began to make some progress with him.
“My uncles told me to come down here because it was a great place,” said McLee.
Although Uniontown, Pa., is just a 30-minute drive from Morgantown, McLee said he didn’t really begin following the Mountaineers until he was in the ninth grade. If he ever came down to Mountaineer Field to watch a game, he doesn’t remember it.
“I remember (Reggie and Billy) talking about it one time, though,” said McLee.
Because he didn’t get his test score until June, most schools held off extending scholarship offers. Still Michigan State, Virginia, North Carolina and, yes, Georgia, were involved.
Some wanted McLee as a linebacker while others were interested in him as a fullback.
Running back is where he made a name for himself, rushing for 1,637 yards and earning second team all-state honors as a senior in 2001. McLee helped Uniontown to a 9-1 record and the Keystone Conference championship and he was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 team.
McLee excelled at basketball and track as well.
West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez was confident McLee would get the necessary SAT score and stuck with him the entire way.
McLee rewarded Rodriguez and his coaching staff for their persistence by signing a letter of intent. And when McLee finally achieved his test score, he made up his mind that he was going to be a defensive player at WVU.
“I just thought I would be better at the Division I level at defense,” he said. “I think I could have played offense but I like defense better.”
McLee turned heads with his aggressive play and surprising speed for a player his size last fall. Although he saw early action on special teams, Mountaineer coaches have since petitioned for a medical redshirt to regain a fifth year of eligibility for him. According to the sports information department, that process is still ongoing.
McLee says the brief playing time he got was invaluable: “I got experience last year. There’s experience playing in games and there is experience learning in a new environment and adjusting to the speed of the game.
“The biggest adjustment for me was going to class and then coming back and lifting weights,” he added. “We spend a lot of time over here and I had to get used to that.”
This spring McLee has worked his way up the depth chart and is now right behind senior Leandre Washington at the Rob (right) linebacker position. That was the spot occupied by James Davis last year.
According to McLee so far so good, “What I’m trying to do right now is get the plays down and get some reps with the ones and twos.”
Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel, who works daily with WVU’s linebackers, sees a great deal of potential in the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder.
“He’s as gifted as we’ve had at the linebacking position from a physical standpoint,” Casteel told the Clarksburg Exponent earlier this spring. “”He’s big, strong and fast.
“He’s still got a ways to go in the defense, but he’s leaps and bounds ahead of where he was last August.”
McLee says veterans Grant Wiley and Adam Lehnortt have been his two biggest supporters.
“They’ve helped me a lot,” he said.
McLee says he has plenty of goals to achieve before the start of fall practice in August.
“I want to just get better, to get more reps and get the plays down to where I don’t even have to think about it and just play ball. I think physically I’m ready to play.”
When Boo does reach the field, he will only add to the McLee legacy here at West Virginia University.
