Spring Recap
April 11, 2007 04:00 PM | General
April 11, 2007
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| Rich Rodriguez |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Most of the objectives put forth by Coach Rich Rodriguez were met this spring, but there still remains plenty of work left to be done before the Mountaineers open the 2007 football season against Western Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 1.
Rodriguez said after last Saturday’s Gold-Blue game that his team is heading into one of its most important summers since he’s been here.
“We can be really, really good and we could be very average,” Rodriguez said. “In the summer when they’re on their own they’ve got to make the decision what they do. When we have our first practice in August I will be able to tell what kind of shape they’re in and the mentality they have.”
Because several key performers were out this spring, Rodriguez says he couldn’t get an accurate gauge on exactly how all of the parts are going to fit. That’s why he has been reluctant to issue a depth chart and won’t for some time.
“I don’t know who’s first team or second team and I won’t have a depth chart until Tuesday before the first game,” Rodriguez said. “Other than that it’s pure speculation.”
Two areas of major concern are wide receiver and offensive line. Darius Reynaud is a potential headline performer, but after that Rodriguez is still waiting for other young receivers to emerge.
“We don’t have a first group with the wide receivers,” he said.
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| Wes Lyons |
Converted quarterback Nate Sowers showed signs this spring that he could be an effective pass catcher and blocker, and 6-foot-8-inch sophomore Wes Lyons has the physical tools to be a solid performer.
“There were some days when Wes did really well and some days when Wes didn’t do as well as we’d like,” Rodriguez said. “This was his first spring so I think he’s still maturing in his role in what we want. He’s got talent; he’s a good guy and he’ll work hard.”
Tito Gonzales and Dorrell Jalloh have experience but have not done enough yet to put themselves clearly ahead of the others. Sophomore Darren Brownlee couldn’t participate this spring after undergoing off-season wrist surgery and redshirt freshman John Maddox missed a chance to show what he could do with a hamstring injury.
“He was a guy that needed this,” said Rodriguez. “Can John Maddox help us this fall? I don’t know?”
To help with depth, Rodriguez plans on using quarterback Adam Bednarik at receiver some this fall.
“He’ll play multiple positions for us,” Rodriguez said.
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| Greg Frey |
Injuries had an impact on the development of the offensive line, which was undergoing change anyway with new coach Greg Frey.
“I think Greg feels good about the guys that he has,” Rodriguez said. “It would have been better having three or four of those guys that were injured. I think that limited some of the work he could do with them but we’ve got guys that will play hard for him. They know he’s a good coach and he’s adjusted to being here.”
And while all of the linemen held out for spring drills should be available for summer conditioning, that did allow younger players like Selvish Capers the opportunity to get valuable reps. Rodriguez labeled Capers’ move from tight end to offensive tackle one of the best of the spring.
“Moving Selvish Capers to tackle has been the best move he could make because he’s got a chance to play some,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said there were other moves he thought were beneficial.
“Johnny Holmes I think was a good move. Eric Wicks moving around at safety that was a good move for him,” Rodriguez said. “I think Greg Davis at safety that was a good move for him as well: Reed Williams at a different linebacker position. Some of the guys up front that have moved around … Keilen Dykes can play multiple positions.
“I think it has made us more versatile and it will probably help us with a long season if we get guys injured we still have 11 solid guys out there on defense.”
The seventh-year coach was also pleased with the secondary play this spring.
“Antonio (Lewis), Vaughn (Rivers) and Larry Williams did a nice job for us this spring,” he said. “We did some different things defensively. I expect those three corners – a lot of people criticized them last year – I expect them to have big years. They played pretty well this spring.”
Briefly:
“We have a fabulous video system and we have a video file of each player,” Rodriguez said. “Each one of our players may have 50 clips doing different drills or things throughout spring ball. We’ll watch every play and then we’ll critique them. Before I meet with them I will know exactly what they’re strengths and weaknesses are. We haven’t been able to do that or had the time to do that before.”
“The weather wasn’t good but that was probably our fault for practicing early,” he said. “We have never been done this early. I was disappointed at times but I think maybe my expectations are higher and they should be. I expect things to be physical and crisp and intense; no mistakes and the execution being good. We like to get better every year and I think sometimes I get frustrated with them when it’s like it was the other day.”
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| Kent Richardson |
“Kent Richardson had a very solid spring and he was a guy that was kind of under the gun; J.T. Thomas had a good spring,” Rodriguez said. “We have some young guys on defense that I think will be able to help us.”
“We’ve become more multiple because we’ve become a lot more experienced in the secondary,” Rodriguez said. “I think when you have more experience in the secondary you can do more things. Those guys can disguise coverages more. When you’re young you just want them to get lined up. When you’re experienced you can get lined up and mess with the quarterback a little bit.”
“We’ve got receiver recruits here. I’ve got it on film that we throw the ball,” Rodriguez joked. “When I show off (quarterbacks) Coach Rod Smith and tell them, ‘This was my starting quarterback and all-conference guy’ they say, ‘You’re right coach, you did throw the ball a lot because you’re running quarterback isos with him.’”
