MORGANTOWN —
On the fourth day of spring practice, West Virginia University spring practice finally began.
Until Wednesday, practice was more like the senior prom than football. They wore helmets and shorts for two practices, helmets and shoulder pads during the third.
They were polite, getting-to-know-you sessions not to be confused in any way with football.
“It was like playing basketball without the basketball,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel.
The rules changed Wednesday.
“Practice No. 4 was very physical,” head coach Bill Stewart said. “I liked our intensity.”
Intensity comes naturally the first time you are allowed to bang heads and hit people. In the life of a football player, the first day of pads isn’t far off from the first game that matters because running drills gets old fast.
“We’re flying around and we’re hitting people, but we aren’t doing the little things well,” Stewart said. “This is pads now. I thought there was good effort, but you have to work on the fundamentals. I see too many guys on the ground and too many guys, offensively, not finishing the day’s job. I don’t see a lot of great second effort by our offense.”
Defensively there are problems, too.
“I don’t think we’re tackling very well, but we’re hitting,” Stewart said. “I don’t see a lot of wrapping up by our defense.”
All of that will come.
The offense has to be somewhat hesitant because the formations, language and schemes are new, which means players have to think rather than just act. It takes more than three days to become familiar with and accomplished in an offense.
And defensively there are seven starters gone, including a couple of beefy spots in the middle of the defensive line.
“Yeah, it’s a little concerning,” said Casteel of being much smaller up front. “There is no question we don’t have the 300-pound kid up front, but we’ve been like that before so hopefully we can find ways (to compensate). We don’t have to tee off until September, so these guys still have a lot of eating to do between now and September.”
It could be of the seven players who are gone from the defense, the one who will be missed the most is nose guard Chris Neild, an experienced, strong 300-pounder who was also a great team leader. He is almost certain to wind up as a force in the NFL.
o o o o o o
The Mountaineers are still looking for a running back to emerge and take charge, and running backs coach Robert Gillespie says one is not enough.
He plans to use at least three a game, with the man who steps forward getting maybe 40 snaps in the game, with the next player getting 25 and the other one 15.
He also doesn’t believe it makes a difference if it’s a big back like Ryan Clarke at 240 pounds or Shawne Alston back there or a little back such as Trey Johnson or Daquan Hargrett. He expects them all to do the same thing.
“Of the big backs, I thought Shawne Alston ran well today. He ran behind his pads. Matt Lindamood and Ryan Clarke are both giving great effort,” Stewart said.
“I just don’t see that little, quick guy yet. Daquan Hargrett busted one today. These guys have a long way to go in terms of pass protection and knowing the offense. They’re young kids and we have to bring them along.”
o o o o o o
Defensive end Bruce Irvin continues to dazzle.
“I haven’t seen anyone block him yet,” Stewart said.
Email Bob Hertzel at bhertzel@hotmail.com.
WVU Sports
Mountaineers get physical
Stewart: Intensity there but work on fundamentals needed
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