California Dreamin'
December 22, 2004 09:38 PM | General
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| Hardee |
Coaches of today’s college football teams always want to protect their own backyards when recruiting. The elite programs conduct a nationwide search and reach into the warm weather states to identify the best athletes.
This year’s West Virginia squad features players from 21 states, including three from the fertile recruiting grounds of California.
The three young men that make up the California connection for the Mountaineers come from different areas in the nation’s most populous state. They are similar in several important respects. Jason Hardee, Anthony Mims and Michael Watson were recruited because they are excellent athletes and possess the speed required to be a player at this level.
The fastest member of that group is Mims. The Los Angeles native combines that speed with the smarts you would expect from the son of a football coach. His strong play in the spring earned him a starting spot at cornerback. He has been up to the task and ranks among the team leaders in passes broken up.
Also from southern California is Watson, a highly touted recruit from Pasadena City College. The 305-pound senior is a returning starter at offensive tackle. His impressive athletic ability makes him a force up front in a powerful Mountaineer ground game that ranks in the country’s Top 10 in rushing yards per game.
Representing northern California and San Mateo is defensive tackle Hardee. The former tight end plays a pivotal role in Coach Rodriguez’s unique 3-3-5 defensive scheme. His tremendous quickness and constant motor have made him WVU’s top pass rusher.
The trio have relocated more than 2,500 miles from their homes to be part of a team that ranks in the Top 15 in the nation. Cell phones and email can help, but there are adjustments required when that far from home. The traffic to and from everywhere is reduced and the lifestyle can be dramatically different.
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| Mims |
“Where I grew up there was lot more going on,” laughs Mims. “There are bigger buildings, more traffic and definitely more people in L.A.”
“It’s a more diverse population in southern California,” agrees Watson. “It is more high energy, more fast paced than Morgantown.”
“I grew up 20 minutes south of San Francisco,” says Hardee. “It’s close to lot of places. Oakland is nearby and I would go to an A’s ballgame, or catch a Giants or 49ers game.”
The not so always mild climate of Morgantown has required an adjustment on the part of the California natives.
“I’ve adjusted to the snow and changes in weather, but I still struggle with it,” admits Mims. “I was miserable my freshmen year because of the snow. I think I have just learned to tolerate it.”
“I found out I can’t wear certain shoes in the winter,” adds Watson. “One of the first things I did was go out and buy some snow gear though. Overall, I think I’ve adjusted pretty well.”
The glitz and glamour so evident and on display in Los Angeles and California can be a little more difficult to identify in West Virginia. But that’s okay with these transplants.
“When I signed here, I heard all the wisecracks and stereotypes about West Virginia,” recalls Hardee, who grew up a Michigan and Southern Cal fan. “I came here and quickly realized West Virginia is not like that at all. Now I do remember thinking everybody had strange accents. I heard Josh Bailey talk, and I was like ‘What the heck did he say?’”
“The people here are so friendly,” says Hardee. “I’ll be in Wal-Mart or somewhere and people will say, ‘Hi,’ or ‘Hello.’ They don’t do that at home. People don’t reach out unless spoken to. It still kind of throws me because I’m used to people just keeping to themselves.”
Watson speaks for all three on the friendliness and support they receive and hear on a daily basis from the residents of the Mountain State.
"People out west are totally wrong about West Virginia,” declares Watson. ”The friendliest people I’ve met are from West Virginia. No matter where you go in the state, there is always somebody complimenting you and the team.”
The demands of the football program mean these student-athletes rarely have the opportunity to go home. But they can often be found together reminiscing on what they miss the most about California.
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| Watson |
“We talk all the time about California,” says Mims “We talk a lot about places that are familiar to us, like restaurants or street names. We’ll be watching a television show or movies and they will mention a place that we all recognize from back home.”
“They live a little further south than I do,” comments Hardee. “But we’ll talk about how different the food is here compared to home. Sometimes it’s just nice to have another guy around who is missing the same things you are.”
This trio is focusing their energies on football.
“I’m not in any rush to return home,” says Hardee. “This team is working very hard to win a second Big East title. After we win our bowl game, maybe I’ll go home for a couple of days.”
Watson has the same sentiments.
“I’ve only been home three times now since I arrived. But I’m here and doing well. California isn’t going anywhere.”
It can be difficult to leave home and to make your way home. West Virginia will always leave a door open for these California Mountaineers.
Tim Goodenow is a graduate assistant in the WVU sports communications office.
