By Mickey Furfari
MORGANTOWN — “We had a very, very spirited and very, very physical practice,” Coach Bill Stewart said Monday evening in briefing the media on the 11th preseason football practice at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.
“It was a tough practice. There was some real banging. If you don’t love football, it’s one you shouldn’t have been in. It was very good to see that.”
Apparently irked by something he had read, a fired-up Stewart said some people say that he’s an optimist whereas he insists that he’s neither an optimist nor a pessimist in talking about his football squad.
“I’m a realist,” he emphasized. “If someone does good, they will be told that. If someone doesn’t do well, they will be told that. And if they don’t like it, they will be shown the door.
“You may not like that. You may not agree. Well, I don’t care what you think, I’m going to control my attitude. I’m happy because I have a lovely bride and lovely young. So that’s off my chest.”
Returning to his thoughts about the day’s practice session, he said the offense showed sure signs of jelling and had the better of the day’s going. That is, until the defense began asserting its superiority toward the end of the afternoon.
“It was old-fashioned football, just like the old days of Pappy Lewis at Jackson’s Mill,” Stewart continued. “There were some big hits on the offensive side. But the defense swarmed late to make up for (the earlier play).”
He said some on defense should quit reading their press clippings because that’s affecting their performances. “They got knocked right in their teeth. They have to remember that they still have to get off blocks and make tackles,” he said.
But in goal line skirmishing, the defenders responded by dominating the action.
Stewart noted that there were a very intense 15 minutes “with people flying everywhere.”
NOTES: All-America offensive tackle Ryan Stanchek participated fully in practice for the first time since camp opened. “He was going full motor,” Stewart said. ... The Mountaineers will have two practice sessions on Tuesday. They may even scrimmage both in the morning and afternoon … Defensive lineman Pat Liebig still hasn’t heard a decision by the NCAA on his request for a sixth year of eligibility ...
Devon Lyons, a transfer wideout from Ohio State, decided to quit the squad — Stewart said he’s leaving with best wishes from everyone.
