The Right Five
August 27, 2006 10:51 AM | General
August 27, 2006
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| Rick Trickett |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sometime this week the West Virginia University Sports Communications Office is going to release a two-deep for Saturday’s season opener against Marshall. When you get down to the offensive line, don’t put too much stock into what’s listed because the lineup you read this week may turn out to be totally different on Saturday.
Most programs prefer to have a first five intact by the end of fall camp and work that unit exclusively in preparation for the opener. West Virginia offensive line coach Rick Trickett takes a different approach. He’s constantly working and tinkering trying to pair the best five players. To Trickett, having a settled unit can be unsettling if it isn't the right five.
The right side of the line is set with senior Jeremy Sheffey at right guard and redshirt freshman Jake Figner at right tackle. Sheffey is a three-year starter at guard and Figner has performed well enough during fall camp to gain the confidence of the coaching staff.
At center, West Virginia has one of the best in the country in senior Dan Mozes.
“Dan is our building block,” says sophomore Ryan Stanchek. “He makes all the calls.”
Stanchek, a starter last year at left guard, could begin the season there or he could move out to left tackle. The versatile Cincinnati resident moved there midway through fall camp when senior Damien Crissey was performing inconsistently, but moved back to guard last Thursday when Crissey had a really good week of practice.
The real depth comes at guard where the Mountaineers have John Bradshaw and Mike Dent who both have game experience, along with rising redshirt freshman Greg Isdaner. Dent is also Mozes' backup at center while Bradshaw can go out and play tackle in a pinch. Like a basketball rotation, those three make up the eight players that figure prominently into the equation. Progressing true freshman Eric Rodemoyer could be the ninth lineman in the mix heading into the opener.
“I think we’re narrowing down who the top eight or nine are now,” said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. “That was one of our main goals heading into next week.”
Stanchek is probably the key to the whole puzzle and the reason Trickett isn’t overly concerned. If things are not going well this week at tackle, then Trickett moves Stanchek there and Isdaner and Bradshaw battle it out at guard. If the left tackle spot stabilizes, Stanchek returns to his more comfortable left guard position with Isdaner and Bradshaw providing outstanding depth.
“I have no idea where I will be playing,” Stanchek said. “If anything, it helps to be able to learn how to play both positions.”
Isdaner was having a solid camp when he went down with an MCL sprain two weeks ago. The coaching staff got good news recently when an MRI revealed no tear, allowing Isdaner to get back out onto the field last week. Although he is still playing catch up, he’s by no means out of the mix.
“I’m getting there,” he said. “I’m close to about 90 percent right now. I feel like I’m almost back. With my knee I still have a little problem getting my top-end speed right now but hopefully (by this weekend) it should be good. I’m just hoping to be 100 percent for Marshall.”
All of these variables only add to the intrigue.
“It’s a luxury,” says Trickett. “I can go two or three ways with this thing.”
Briefly:
Stations outside the West Virginia market carrying the telecast include: SportsNet New York, WTAE in Pittsburgh, MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network) in Baltimore, Cox Cable in New Orleans, Cox-New England in Providence, R.I., and NW Iowa Telephone in Sioux City, Iowa.
Viewers can also access the game as part of ESPN’s Game Plan package.
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| Doug Slavonic |
Senior Bobby Hathaway (foot infection) is expected to be back on the field Monday to compete with sophomore Reed Williams for the starting sam linebacker spot. Another option, according to Rodriguez, is to start Jay Henry at sam and play Henry’s backup Marc Magro at mike linebacker. Magro has had an excellent fall camp and gives the Mountaineers a big, physical presence in the middle.
Dorrell Jalloh, sidelined all fall camp with a stress fracture, could be back on the field Monday and could work his way into the wide receiver rotation, according to Rodriguez.
“Right now he’s probably 50-50 if he plays against Marshall,” Rodriguez said. “But he’s done a little bit more each day.”
“When I was coming out I wanted to play in the biggest arena possible and I felt football was the easiest way to do that,” he said.
“This is probably the best group we’ve ever had,” he said. “We’ll decide that by this week.”
“We’ve got lots of talent on the D-line but to say we’re deep enough to roll six or seven of them out there … not right now,” he said.
“Glenville,” he said to laughter. “There are a lot of crazy things that happen in the first game. You’re more nervous about the first game than any of the other ones.”
“I don’t have the same amount of concerns at certain positions that I did last year,” he said.
