MORGANTOWN —
If heat were gasoline, there’d be so much of it around here that it would cost about 30 cents a gallon.
Hot? Ask Keith Tandy, the West Virginia University cornerback.
“He lost 12 pounds the other day,” coach Bill Stewart reported after spending another day on the upper side of 90 degrees under the scorching sun. “Next day he had headaches, couldn’t practice.”
The wiseguys made a killing buying Gatorade stock.
“Replenish,” Stewart said. “Drink a lot of water, but we’re not backing up a step. In fact, I made practices harder the past three days.”
It is affecting everyone, this heat, except for two men. Dave Johnson is the offensive line coach. He’s out there in sweats, soaked right through.
And then there’s this week’s winner of the “What Heat?” Award, running backs coach Chris Beatty.
Like Johnson, he’s out there in sweats, pants and shirt. But not a drop of sweat is visible.
How can this be?
“I got layers on underneath, two long-sleeve shirts under that,” Beatty revealed. “I’m sweating, too, but it doesn’t show.”
Now one may ask when everyone is dying from the heat and Beatty is wearing three long-sleeve shirts and long sweat pants?
“I don’t want to say superstitious, that’s not a good thing, but it’s kind of one of those things I’ve always done, wearing sweat shirts. That’s always been my deal since I was playing,” Beatty said.
You might say he’s playing it cool by staying hot.
o o o o o o
Football camp isn’t just classroom work and on-field training at West Virginia.
Coach Stewart has brought in a group of guest speakers to talk to the team, motivational speakers including a brigadier general talking on leadership.
Wednesday night he invited in Carl Francis from the National Football League Players Association to talk to the team about the NFL and life after football.
The practice on Wednesday was attended by three NFL scouts and Stewart was asked if he liked that or wanted to follow Nick Saban’s lead at Alabama where he is banning the scouts.
“Is it time for a joke?” asked Stewart.
Assured that it was fine, he remarked, “I’d throw you media out before I’d throw the scouts out.”
Considering the way things have gone lately with the NFL and the media’s reports, Stewart probably was only half kidding.
o o o o o o
Linebacker J.T. Thomas was cleared for practice after an MRI showed no structural damage to his neck.
According to Stewart, he had joint irritation causing the pain.
o o o o o o
NOTES: Today is the first day of two-a-days for the Mountaineers. ... West Virginia put on the pads for the first time and had contact drills on Wednesday. ... It was also the first day that Coley White went full time at slot receiver, moving away from the quarterback spot. That allows starter Geno Smith and his two freshman backups, Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson, to split the practice snaps. ... Smith’s foot, which forced him to go through a limited spring due to broken fifth metatarsal bone, is fully healed and he is going full scale. ... The heat has been unpleasant but it is working toward getting a football team in shape at a rapid pace. ... Linebacker J.T. Thomas’ mother, up from Florida, attended practice. ... The place-kicking is starting to take shape as Corey Smith has the edge on kickoffs and Tyler Bitancurt on extra points and field goals. Stewart said he won’t let Bitancurt kick off unless it is an emergency as he has been battling leg injuries.
E-mail Bob Hertzel at bhertzel@hotmail.com.
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