Football Notebook
August 16, 2010 07:37 PM | General
August 16, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Bill Stewart was much happier with the way his football team performed during Monday’s fully-padded practice up on the grass practice field.
“There was a lot of intense hitting and we even scrimmaged the pups afterward,” Stewart said. “We went 15 minutes with them and it was a fun time with the seniors and juniors in behind helping coach. It was good to see our youngsters get out there and compete.”
Stewart said there were some new faces working with the ones today. Redshirt freshman Cole Bowers got work with the No. 1 offense at right guard and Eain Smith took reps with the first defense at safety with Sidney Glover still wearing a green jersey. Robert Sands played Glover’s bandit safety position.
The coach was also impressed with the way Stedman Bailey continues to progress at wide receiver. Bailey is taking the reps that would normally go to junior Brad Starks, who was wearing a green jersey Monday.
“Stedman Bailey is just playing lights out,” Stewart said. “We’ve got some guys in green shirts and red shirts that better pick it up because there may be guys like Stedman Bailey that could take some jobs.”
Stewart also commented on the difference Chris Neild makes on defense. Neild didn’t play during Saturday’s scrimmage by design.
“I think Chris Neild is really having a fine camp,” Stewart said. “We didn’t play him Saturday because we know what he can do, but what a wrecking crew today.”
West Virginia is schedule to have two practices on Tuesday.
Monday Camp Notes …
“I was real pleased with the offense when we first started with short yardage,” he said. “We put our big backs in there and let me tell you, Ryan Clarke and Shawne Alston they hit it. Then we went to goal line and other stuff and the defense came on like gangbusters. It was a real good day from a coach’s perspective.”
“Chris Neild probably has as good of hands as anyone on the team,” said Stewart. “He begs me every year to put him on the hands team. I told him he’s awful big. I like putting those second basemen and shortstops out there and I said to Chris, ‘You’re an awful big infielder.’”
When the team does punt catching competition to determine how many sprints they will run at the end of practice, the players always request Neild be the player chosen to catch the punts.
“He’ll catch one with one arm, another with the other arm,” said Stewart. “The guy just has tremendous hands.”
“Quinton Spain had a jersey on today and that was it,” said Stewart. “He was in shorts and he looked like he was in full gear just because he’s so big. We’re glad he’s here.”
Because Spain got a late start, he will have an acclimation period before he is able to get unrestricted work.
“Spain will go in helmet only for two days, then transition into shoulder pads and a helmet for two days and be ready to practice in full pads by the fifth day of practice,” said Stewart.
Speaking of young players, Stewart hopes to get a better handle on who will be able to help the team for the opener following Saturday’s scrimmage.
“We want to know after this week,” he said. “When Sands comes off and Eain Smith comes off I want to see what Mike Dorsey does a little bit more. I want to see what Travis Bell does a little bit more, a Wes Tonkery a little bit more, and then on the offensive side, let’s watch Ivan McCartney and those guys. By Saturday we’ll know what we’re doing with some of those guys and then get two weeks to polish it.”
“Two guys can get side by side, while the pros can get four or five side by side and grab hands and that’s dangerous,” he said. “The third and fourth man - when the third man gets there he must stay more than two yards away, so there will be four men but only two guys can be side by side at one time.”
