By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN —
Bill Stewart, who feels more secure and more comfortable, is going into his third year as West Virginia University’s head football coach with higher expectations.
“I want so bad for us to win the Big East championship,” he said. “And if we could get a double-digit win this year, that would be great.”
With nine starters returning on offense, the same number on defense and six special team regulars, the 2010 Mountaineers certainly would appear to have a good shot at attaining both goals.
If they win 10 or more games, it would be only the eighth time in 118 years of WVU football.
West Virginia teams posted 10 victories in 1922 and 1969, and 11 in 1988, 1993, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Stewart believes this year’s team should be stronger on both sides of the ball. The players have had a great summer of workouts on their own, according to Mike Joseph, director of strength and conditioning.
All players are to report to training camp Friday, then begin the preseason practice sessions Saturday.
“It’s wonderful to have Noel Devine and Jock Sanders back for their senior year,” Stewart said of last season’s top running back and pass-catcher, respectively. Both standouts passed up an opportunity to make themselves available for the NFL draft.
Devine rushed 241 times, for 1,465 yards and had 13 touchdowns. Sanders had 72 receptions for 688 yards and 3 touchdowns.
“That shows their dedication to this program,” the head coach noted. “They trust me and they trust their coaches. That speaks volumes for the trust these kids have in this program. It speaks well for our recruiting, too.
“People can see what’s happening in our program. I think that’s what people ought to be excited about. Devine and Sanders wanted to stay and help their teammates.”
Stewart thinks his team is going to be pretty good on offense, with a veteran line providing strong support. But WVU has a young starting quarterback in sophomore Geno Smith.
Smith appeared in five games as a true freshman. He completed 32 of 49 passes for 309 yards and a touchdown. He had a net 7 yards on 17 keeper plays.
Stewart also is looking for an improved 3-3-5 stacked defense. “Those kids know how to play the game,” he said.
“What we need to do better is being run-stoppers. We’ve always been good at that in the past. But we need to go back and disguise in the secondary and keep the opposing quarterback guessing.
“Keep him off balance. Don’t show everybody what we’re doing. Keep that quarterback guessing. And when we blitz, don’t show it. Play man coverage. If we can do that, we would be really, really good. I hope we can do it. That will be a big test for us.”
Stewart thinks the cornerbacks and safeties should have more confidence in doing their jobs.
Linebackers Pat Lazear and J.T. Thomas, and cornerback Brandon Hogan were last year’s leading tacklers with 78, 76 and 74, respectively.
“We really do have a chance to have a fun year,” Stewart declared. “We really do. We just have to do what we know we must do.”
