Preseason Magazines
May 21, 2008 09:37 AM | General
May 21, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Lindy’s and Phil Steele’s preseason magazines are either out on the store shelves or are coming out in the near future and several Mountaineers have earned recognition by the publications.
West Virginia is projected by Lindy’s to be the BIG EAST Champion and the No. 9 team in the nation. The Mountaineers’ recruiting class also was listed as the second-best in the conference. WVU’s offensive line was ranked No. 4 nationally and the backfield No. 5.
Senior offensive lineman Ryan Stanchek was selected a first-team All-American. Senior quarterback Pat White was named the No. 3 quarterback in the nation, Stanchek was the No. 3 tackle, junior left guard Greg Isdaner No. 7 among guards and sophomore running back Noel Devine No. 11 among running backs.
White, Devine, Stanchek, Isdaner and kicker Pat McAfee were all named first team All-BIG EAST.
Senior center Mike Dent, kickoff returner Devine, sophomore defensive lineman Scooter Berry and senior linebacker Reed Williams were named to the second team.
White was named the league’s MVP and the “coolest in the clutch”, Devine, “the toughest to bring down” and Stanchek was named “the best run blocker”. White was also listed among the Top 10 NFL talents in the league.
Junior defensive lineman Tevita Finau, freshman offensive lineman Josh Jenkins and freshman offensive lineman Benji Kemoeatu were named among the Top 20 newcomers in the league. Finau was named the most likely to be the best NFL Player, and freshman cornerback J.J. Dorsey was selected as the top sleeper.
Phil Steele’s publication named White to its All-American second team, as well as the BIG EAST first team. Also named to the league’s first team was Devine, Isdaner, Stanchek, Williams and junior safety Quinton Andrews.
Named to the second team was Dent, senior linebacker Mortty Ivy, McAfee as a punter and Devine as a kickoff returner. Third-team members include senior offensive lineman Jake Figner and McAfee as a kicker. Senior wide receiver Dorrell Jalloh, Finau and sophomore Jock Sanders as a punt returner were named to the fourth team.
The Mountaineers finished 11-2 overall last year, 5-2 in the BIG EAST Conference, winning their fourth conference title in the past five years and ranked No. 6 in both polls, earning Top 10 rankings in each of the past three years.
WVU returns 44 letterwinners from last year’s team, including 17 starters for the 2008 season. The Mountaineers open the 2008 season on Aug. 30, against Villanova at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.
