Friday Bowl Notes
December 29, 2007 11:01 AM | General
It has been 27 days since the Mountaineers last played a football game. The West Virginia coaching staff has been working hard since arriving at the bowl site to regain the team’s focus.
“They’ve done a pretty good job,” interim head coach Bill Stewart said. “We had a tremendous practice (Friday) and I expect today’s practice will be a good one as well. The rust if falling off from the break and we need to continue to stay focused.”
Friday afternoon’s practice was the last physical workout in Arizona. The Mountaineers were dressed in full pads under another clear and sunny sky. West Virginia will have three more full practices and a walk through before Wednesday’s Fiesta Bowl.
No Excuses
There has been recent talk among college football pundits about Oklahoma cruising to a bowl victory over West Virginia with its high-powered offense and stingy defense, on top of the distractions from WVU’s coaching change nearly two weeks ago.
One player choosing not to make excuses is defensive lineman Johnny Dingle.
“I don’t get into that talk about being favored or being the underdog,” Dingle firmly answered. “It’s us trying to beat them and them trying to beat us. We are just ready to play. We need to go out and play our game. That is all we can do.”
Third-String QB
With the news of quarterback/special teamer Adam Bednarik missing the trip because of academic issues, seldom-used Markell Harrison becomes the third-string signal-caller.
“Markell is a fifth-year guy who has been signaling in the plays and knows the system quite well,” Stewart said. “One of the last times he was in a football game he went 98 yards, in 21 plays, and took just about eight minutes off the clock. That was at home a couple of years ago. I don’t have to worry about Markell Harrison entering the football game.”
Bouncing Back
Place-kicker/punter Pat McAfee has put his Pitt game disappointment behind him and is looking forward to getting on the field again in the Fiesta Bowl.
“The first week after the Pitt game was miserable. After that I kind of bounced back. The break really helped as I could get away from the situation,” McAfee said, often his own biggest critic. “I’m confident and really am looking forward to that first kick again in a game. That is all done and behind me.”
Basketball Fans
“You know, I think I will be watching,” McAfee said of Saturday night’s contest in Charleston on ESPN2. “I have a lot of boys on the basketball team, so I will be cheering them on. It’s a little weird they are playing Oklahoma, but I am excited to watch. I think Joe Alexander will have a nice night again, or a nice day -— if it’s at 4 p.m. here. That time thing is messing with me.”
