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Bradley Starks Sophomore Wide Receiver/Quarterback Orange County Unionville, Va. Year G Rec Yards Avg TD LG 2008 9 17 168 9.9 1 35

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Extenuating circumstances may require Bradley Starks’ on-again, off-again involvement with the quarterback position to once again be on.

Starks finds himself having to prepare for two different positions this summer because of the sudden uncertain status of freshman quarterback Gino Smith, who broke his foot last month.

The original plan heading into fall camp was to have Starks on standby at quarterback in case something happened to starter Jarrett Brown, with redshirt freshman Coley White and true freshman Smith being brought along at a more leisurely pace.

That would have enabled Starks to spend the majority of his time at Z receiver where he was really starting to blossom at the end of last year. Starks caught a key touchdown pass in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina and finished the game with four catches for 61 yards.

But that is no longer an option with Smith expecting to be idle for up to eight weeks, leaving coach Bill Stewart with only two other scholarship QBs (Brown and White) available to do all of the throwing when camps starts. Even now during player-organized 7-on-7 drills, Starks is preparing on his own for what he will most likely be asked to do this fall.

“During one series I go in at quarterback and the other I go in at wide receiver. I just take it one day at a time,” he shrugged. “I don’t really think too far into the future about what the coaches want me to do. Wherever they want me on any given day - I’m there and I’m just going to give it my all.”

Keep in mind, Starks is still plenty wet behind the ears when it comes to playing quarterback, and having him behind center means an audible has been called on the team’s No. 1 option. Starks’ only pass attempt last year against Colorado didn’t turn out well, and it remains to be seen how he will perform at QB when the bright lights are turned on.

Along that same vein, the coaches were beginning to get a glimpse of Starks’ enormous potential at wide receiver.

“Every game I played at wide receiver I felt like I was getting more comfortable with the position and knowing what to do,” Starks admitted. “By the time of the Car Care Bowl I felt really comfortable with the position with my role in the offense.”

What Starks offers WVU at Z is another tall and athletic pass-catching target to go with Alric Arnett and Wes Lyons. If this group can remain intact, it will be one of the biggest and most athletic receiver units in the conference.

“We’re very tall and lanky and we’re fast,” Starks opined. “It definitely helps out with Wes in the slot because a normal linebacker can’t cover him. Then we have speed with the outside guys. That gives us great match ups for both one-on-one and zone.”

The reason having taller receivers is so appealing to offensive coordinators is because big receiving targets can dramatically increase the window with which a quarterback can throw through. For example, there is a big difference throwing a post-corner or a seam to a 6-foot-3 receiver as opposed to throwing the same pattern to a 5-foot-7 receiver.

Consequently, Starks says having bigger receivers in the lineup can mean having a bigger playbook to utilize when the season starts.

“Coaches can feel more confident calling things with bigger guys out there not having to worry about the QB losing them once the linemen stand up and start to block,” Starks explained. “It just adds another dimension to our offense.”

The possibility of taking a big playmaker away from the receiver corps is only one concern. There are other issues as well. Being in quarterback shape is not necessarily the same as being in wide receiver shape with the constant running that is required of the position. Quarterback and wide receiver also require different levels of focus and concentration.

Starks explains.

“You definitely have to prepare differently,” he said. “At quarterback you’ve got to mind your Ps and Qs. You’ve got to be sharp. You’ve got to be able to read the defense before they actually show it.

“As for wide receiver,” he continued, “just because of our offense - you have to be able to read defenses, too. So I think it probably benefits me from both perspectives.”

Starks also has a surgically repaired shoulder to contend with, although he says it has been coming along great this summer.

“It’s more about strengthening it and making sure I take care of it when I’m done throwing and everything,” he said.

With Smith likely needing more than the required six-to-eight weeks it will take for his foot to totally heal in order to begin getting back into playing shape, perhaps the best short term solution will be for Coley White to continue progressing to the point where he is capable of going in and running the offense should the need arise.

“It’s important that he comes along so that if he gets in there, he can get the job done,” Starks said.

That would be great for everyone concerned.