Falling Into Place
September 13, 2006 09:07 AM | General
September 13, 2006
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| Owen Schmitt's interest in Maryland was not matched by the Terps when he decided to leave Wisconsin-River Falls two years ago.
Pete Emerson photo |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - As you settle in for the border war Thursday night between No. 5 West Virginia and Maryland, be it in your 50-yard line seat at Milan Puskar Stadium or in the comfort of your recliner at home, take a moment to ponder just how different this game could have been if things had not fallen perfectly into place for West Virginia two years ago.
Steve Slaton committed to Maryland in August of 2004 and was all set to become a Terrapin when he received a fateful phone later in the fall.
“A reporter called and told me I didn’t have a scholarship at Maryland anymore,” Slaton said. “I called the coach recruiting me over there and he confirmed it.”
Slaton was both shocked and hurt by the news.
“It was tough to take. I thought I had found a home and was going to be there for four years of my life. I guess they didn’t feel the same way. It really taught me that recruiting is just a business,” Slaton said.
Despite the early commitment to Maryland, the Mountaineers stayed vigilant in the pursuit of Slaton. Defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich, who recruits eastern Pennsylvania, formed a lasting relationship with the Levittown, Pa. resident.
“West Virginia always called me after I committed. I talked to them a lot. I built a friendship with Coach Kirelawich and it was just nice to talk to him. We didn’t talk too much about football, just about everything else. I thought he was a great guy,” Slaton said.
With Maryland now out of the picture, in January, 2005 Slaton made his decision to become a Mountaineer and as they say, well, the rest is history.
Slaton admits that with Thursday night being his first chance to play a vital role against the Terrapins, he may be a little more juiced up than normal.
“I think it gives me a little bit more motivation. I definitely want to show them what they missed out on,” Slaton said.
Through it all, Slaton has no regrets about his decision to attend WVU and he concedes that perhaps everything happens for a reason.
“The way things have turned out, it’s the best decision I have ever made. West Virginia has a great tradition of great running backs and I just want to continue that tradition and be one of the best,” Slaton said.
Some might say he already is.
Owen Schmitt’s path to WVU also has a connection to Maryland. The Fairfax, Va., native garnered small amounts of interest from the Terrapins coming out of high school but when it came time to recruit him, they weren’t completely sold.
“I called their coaches at the end of the recruiting year to kind of sell myself to them but it didn’t seem like they were interested,” Schmitt said.
It was then that Schmitt made the decision to attend Wisconsin-River Falls for a year in 2003. After a successful year as the starting running back there, the bruising back again tried to open the door to a career in College Park.
“After a year at River Falls I called up their coaches and talked to them a little bit. They suggested that I stay at River Falls and try to be all I could be there,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt was undeterred, knowing in his heart that if given the opportunity he could perform at the highest level of college football.
“All I wanted was a chance to play Division I ball. It didn’t look like Maryland was really keen on giving me a chance so I just drove up here (Morgantown) with my mom one cold day and dropped off my film at the Puskar Center. I toured the campus myself and then went back home and waited,” Schmitt said.
Within a week, the Mountaineer coaching staff was in touch with Schmitt and from there the seeds were planted to secure the third and final piece in what has become a dangerous and dynamic West Virginia backfield.
Schmitt says he holds no ill will toward Maryland.
“I guess you could hold a grudge if you wanted to but that’s not me. It was their honest opinion. It was something to work off of and I figured if I can’t be their best I’m definitely going to try to be West Virginia’s best,” Schmitt said.
So when Slaton breaks into the secondary for his first long run Thursday night, or when Schmitt plows through the line carrying a host of Terrapins on his back, think of how close they were to donning the Red and White instead of the more familiar Old Gold and Blue.
The game from Milan Puskar Stadium will be televised nationally by ESPN. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
