By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN —
At 6-foot-6 and 360 pounds, Quinton Spain is one of the biggest football players ever recruited by West Virginia.
The highly sought true freshman from Petersburg, Va., is not in the offensive line two-deep at this time. But he certainly looms large in the Mountaineers’ future.
He is the biggest football player since John Ray of Charleston, a 6-foot-10, 340-pound offensive tackle from 1988 to 1991.
Spain missed much of the fall camp awaiting academic clearance from the NCAA, and the coaches want him to shed some weight. So he’s performing on the scout team as WVU winds up preparations for Saturday’s season opener against Coastal Carolina at home. The kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
“For him to be ready to play, he’s got to get a lot better and he came late,” coach Bill Stewart said. “So we’ll bring him along.
“At this point, he’s on the scout team. So we’ll go from there and watch the progression we’re looking for.”
With four of the five interior linemen back, Spain isn’t needed as much as he will be in the future. So he likely will be redshirted this year.
“It is not harder (being larger than most players),” Spain said. “They say it’s OK as long as I can move.”
He also was an outstanding basketball player on a top-ranked team at Petersburg High School and that helped him in his footwork on the gridiron.
“I’ve been learning and getting in shape,” he said. “Coach (Dave) Johnson just told me to work hard and my chance will come.”
Asked whether it’s hard to live in the spotlight (because of his size), Spain replied, “Yes. I’d rather be just one of the guys. Everywhere I go, someone wants to interview me.”
He played in the U.S. Army All-America game after his senior season as a prep standout. Rivals.com ranked him as No. 2 defensive guard prospect.
Spain was named All-District first team on offense and defense in 2009. He had 54 knockdown blocks. He also scored touchdowns and two-point conversions. He earned numerous other honors.
o o o o o o
If you’re a Mountaineer basketball fan, you’ll enjoy “Roll out the Carpet,” now in leading bookstores.
It is the proud creation of John Antonek, in his 20th year as a member of WVU’s sports information department.
This book, a bargain price of $40, is a comprehensive history of the school’s 101 years of intercollegiate basketball competition. It contains some 500 photographs and stories put together so expertly by Antonek, an excellent writer and designer.
I think it’s a must for WVU basketball lovers of the past and present.
