A Veteran Approach
June 30, 2009 11:08 AM | General
June 30, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Heavily-recruited wide receiver Logan Heastie might show up as a freshman on the incoming fall roster, but his actions and intentions make him look like a veteran both on and off the field.
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| Wideout Logan Heastie enters fall camp looking to climb up the depth chart.
WVU Photo |
Ranked as one of the country’s best wide receiver prospects, the 6-foot-2, 192 pound newcomer wanted to take advantage of his widely-acclaimed reputation for catching balls. His commitment to the Mountaineer program was shown when he enrolled early at West Virginia and loaded up with 15 credit hours in the spring.
Simply put, the talented route runner knows that if you want to get a head start and climb up the depth chart at a nationally-renowned program, you have to do whatever it takes. Even if that means leaving behind the customs and traditions of high school graduation.
“I don’t regret it,” Heastie said of enrolling early at WVU. “They let me walk. I didn’t get to do the senior prank or any of that, but I think I’d pass on that because I don’t want to get in any trouble. But I don’t regret leaving; I think it was better for me. If you want to play you have to get up here early, so I got up here early.”
The former Great Bridge High standout is already cycling his way through the learning curve. The differences between high school and college football are readily apparent to Heastie, who has progressed tremendously through spring practice and summer workouts.
“I’m getting more comfortable with 7 on 7’s, I think I’m doing a lot better,” Heastie said. “Just being out there with the guys, you get more familiar with the plays and it’s going smoother now. It was rough when I first came in the spring, but I think I got things together and it’s going fine.”
Coming from a prominent recruiting area for WVU football in southern Virginia, Heastie’s staggering numbers throughout his high school career made him an easy target for the Mountain state. He ended his senior season with 58 catches for 886 yards and nine touchdowns, earning his way as a second team All-American by USA Today while earning several statewide honors.
For someone so gifted athletically as well as academically (he is a criminology and investigations major), Heastie faced expectations of learning the playbook quickly in order to accommodate his playmaking abilities as a wideout.
“It was a lot of pressure. You’re expected to do great things but at the same time you don’t know what to expect and you don’t know any of the plays at all,” Heastie said of his first collegiate practice. “It’s kind of tough out there when you have big expectations and you have no idea what to do.”
“Right now in the offseason I think I’ve picked up a lot and I’m doing 10 times better then I was in the spring. I’m enjoying it. It’s a lot more fun too.”
Known for having a good sense of humor, Heastie admitted that the coaching staff left out a few things on his first official visit at WVU.
“The official visit they show you nothing but the good side, but they don’t tell you about all the running and stuff,” Heastie said comically. “But it’s not a bad thing at all. I enjoy it, and I don’t regret my decision. It was a little overwhelming but I’m getting used to it now.”
The first team all-Southeastern District performer is conscious of the things he needs to work on in order to make an impact in his first season. He continues to perfect his route running in several ways, including coming aggressively off the snap, staying low in order to fend off cornerbacks and running at full speed.
But a key adjustment he will have to make from last year to the upcoming season is taking on bigger, stronger and faster secondary players.
“They are tough. I’ve managed to get off,” Heastie said of cornerbacks jamming him at the line. “It’s not like high school where you can just run past someone. Here, they’re going to be in you pretty quick.”
Part of what gives Heastie confidence in those rugged one-on-one battles is his progression in the weight room. He has noticed a change since setting foot on campus in the spring.
“Oh yeah. I think I’m actually above where I’m supposed to be at in the weight room,” Heastie said with confidence. “I’ve picked up on that pretty quick. I got a lot stronger when I first came here. A lot stronger.”
Like several of WVU’s hard-working athletes, Heastie is becoming a self-made player with a focus to get better as soon as possible. He continues to work with quarterback Jarrett Brown in practice, and is impressed by the redshirt senior’s strength and accuracy on his throws.
Brown is not the only player Heastie has collaborated with in the offseason. He has gotten to know several other teammates through watching film and participating in 7 on 7 workouts every Tuesday and Thursday.
“Everybody’s been helping me but I’ve also been helping myself by just coming in and catching extra balls and watching film,” Heastie added.
The ESPN Under Armour All-American Game participant will get a much-needed break for the current week, heading back home to Virginia Beach before devoting the majority of his time to football and academics for the next six months.
Although it may be a priority for some to stay in shape during such a break, Heastie plans to do so to a certain extent. But his main initiative calls for rest and relaxation before he delves into his first fall camp as a Mountaineer.
