The Times West Virginian

WVU Sports

September 25, 2008

WVU needs reliable fullback

By Mike Casazza

MORGANTOWN — Newsflash No. 1: West Virginia is looking for a fullback.

Newsflash No. 2: This is not news.

"We've been looking since the day we came to camp," WVU Coach Bill Stewart said. "What we have is what we have."

What the Mountaineers have is a three-player group that consists of a converted sophomore receiver, a true freshman tight end and a second true freshman who was invited to walk on this summer.

The walk-on, Ricky Kovatch, has played only special teams. The tight end, Tyler Urban, hasn't lined up as a fullback and didn't run a route in last week's loss to Colorado. The former receiver, Will Johnson, plays more at tight end than he does at fullback.

"I hate to say it," Stewart said, "but as good as Will Johnson is and as good as he's going to be, he's not Owen Schmitt yet."

Johnson needs and will be given time and the same can be said for the one true fullback Stewart recruited.

Ryan Clarke, who came to camp about 25 pounds overweight, has worked his way back down to about 240 pounds and traveled to each of the past two games, but hasn't played and isn't yet in a position to get on the field.

"You don't want to play a guy just to play him," fullbacks/tight ends coach Doc Holliday said. "When you take a guy's redshirt away, you want to make sure he's going to play a lot of football.

"As a coach, when you make a decision to play a guy, you want him to play a lot. If not, he's not going to play. At this point, there are two or three guys ahead of him, but if we feel we need Ryan Clarke to win, we'll play him. If we feel he needs to sit, he'll have four more years."

The Mountaineers have considered others on the roster, even if it means moving players from one spot to fullback or giving a player a second responsibility.

"Believe me," Holliday said, "we spend a lot of time in the staff room trying to find the best possible way to get a yard. We're going to put our kids in the best position to succeed."

Clarke won't be rushed and a defensive lineman or reserve offensive lineman isn't being switched because the staff just doesn't see the emergency others see.

Holliday likes the way Urban blocks on the line of scrimmage and admires Johnson's athletic ability and potential to create mismatches.

"They're good kids, but they're young and they're going to continue to grow as players," Holliday said. "We're going to keep doing what we've done and we've done some good things. We rushed for 311 yards a week ago and a lot of that was because of what Urban did and what Will did."

The Mountaineers, who rarely run out of the I-formation, have adapted and are considering different ideas to succeed in short yardage situations. They bring in an extra offensive lineman in spots and might use backup quarterback Jarrett Brown and his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame in some instances.

Jock Sanders actually has been tabbed as the short-yardage back ahead of the starter, Noel Devine."There's not much of a difference between them, but Jock's a little bit more of a downhill runner where Noel is more of the get-to-the-edge kind of guy," running backs coach Chris Beatty said.

"Would you like to have a guy who's 225 pounds, 230 pounds? Sure. But we've got who we've got."

Sanders, the starting slot receiver, is virtually the same size as Devine -- listed as an inch shorter and five pounds heavier.

"Everybody thinks when you need a short-yardage back, you need a big back," Sanders said. "It's mental. Me and Noel prove small guys can take a pounding. We've got to get to open space and make things happen."

Sometimes, Sanders said, a fullback gets in the way.

"People think the fullback does most of the pounding," Sanders said, "but with this offense, we're so fast all the guys have to do is get in someone else's way and Pat or Noel can spring it and be out."

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