MORGANTOWN - If West Virginia's troubles with the NCAA are going to affect the way the Mountaineers prepare for the 2010 season, there was no indication of it Saturday when practice opened.
MORGANTOWN - If West Virginia's troubles with the NCAA are going to affect the way the Mountaineers prepare for the 2010 season, there was no indication of it Saturday when practice opened.
And why should it be any other way?
"I addressed it with the football team and the staff very briefly [Friday] night,'' coach Bill Stewart said after the first of 29 preseason practices leading up to the season opener Sept. 4 against Coastal Carolina. "That is not on our mind.''
Stewart, who along with former coach Rich Rodriguez is accused by the NCAA of allowing non-coaching personnel to perform coaching duties, did not address specifics of the charges because he's not permitted to by the NCAA.
But he stressed that beyond his comments to the team the night before the first practice the issue would be dropped as far as the football team is concerned.
"It's not what we're thinking right now,'' Stewart said. "This football team ... is going to concentrate on the 2010 season with full effort in that regard. We will not talk about it anymore because it's been addressed by [athletic director Oliver] Luck and it's over.''
And so it was. While the players are aware of the charges against the program, to a man they said it wasn't a consideration.
"They talked to us about it and that was it,'' said defensive lineman Scooter Berry. "There's nothing we can do about it, so we won't even think about it.''
Instead, Stewart and the Mountaineers concentrated on the first day of practice, held under bright sunshine and with nearly everyone expected to be there on hand.
That included a couple of freshmen whose status had been in doubt leading up to the weekend. Offensive lineman Marquis Wallace and running back Trey Johnson both practiced Saturday and appear fully eligible for the season.
Still, there are three members of the class who aren't here because of academic issues. Offensive tackle Quinton Spain is still awaiting the results of a test score, and the eligibility of receiver Dante Chambers is still being investigated. Neither has been ruled out.
The only freshman who has been scratched is defensive back Avery Williams, who Stewart said will likely enroll in January.
As for the position with the highest profile during the preseason camp, freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson split the second-team reps at quarterback almost down the middle. They are expected to battle for the backup job behind sophomore Geno Smith.
"We have to go slow with those two, spoon feed them,'' said offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. "And then we'll see where they are in seven to 10 days.''
As expected, Coley White was working with the receivers and not the quarterbacks. Despite White's encouraging performance in the spring, that was the plan all along because there aren't enough reps to go around for Smith and the true freshmen, much less a fourth quarterback. Until one or both of the freshmen prove they can or cannot handle the job right away, White will take reps at receiver.
Stewart was encouraged by White's play out there.
"I thought he did a great job,'' Stewart said of White. "He made some nice catches.''
As for Smith, who sat out all contact drills in the spring because of a broken foot, Stewart said he was satisfied with what he saw from his starting quarterback on the first day.
"Geno was not quite as nimble as I've seen him in the past, but he was moving well enough,'' Stewart said.
Smith said the lack of live action in the spring really wasn't much of a loss.
"They [the defense] aren't allowed to hit me anyway,'' Smith said.
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NCAA allegations not on WVU players' minds
MORGANTOWN - If West Virginia's troubles with the NCAA are going to affect the way the Mountaineers prepare for the 2010 season, there was no indication of it Saturday when practice opened.
And why should it be any other way?
"I addressed it with the football team and the staff very briefly [Friday] night,'' coach Bill Stewart said after the first of 29 preseason practices leading up to the season opener Sept. 4 against Coastal Carolina. "That is not on our mind.''
Stewart, who along with former coach Rich Rodriguez is accused by the NCAA of allowing non-coaching personnel to perform coaching duties, did not address specifics of the charges because he's not permitted to by the NCAA.
But he stressed that beyond his comments to the team the night before the first practice the issue would be dropped as far as the football team is concerned.
"It's not what we're thinking right now,'' Stewart said. "This football team ... is going to concentrate on the 2010 season with full effort in that regard. We will not talk about it anymore because it's been addressed by [athletic director Oliver] Luck and it's over.''
And so it was. While the players are aware of the charges against the program, to a man they said it wasn't a consideration.
"They talked to us about it and that was it,'' said defensive lineman Scooter Berry. "There's nothing we can do about it, so we won't even think about it.''
Instead, Stewart and the Mountaineers concentrated on the first day of practice, held under bright sunshine and with nearly everyone expected to be there on hand.
That included a couple of freshmen whose status had been in doubt leading up to the weekend. Offensive lineman Marquis Wallace and running back Trey Johnson both practiced Saturday and appear fully eligible for the season.
Still, there are three members of the class who aren't here because of academic issues. Offensive tackle Quinton Spain is still awaiting the results of a test score, and the eligibility of receiver Dante Chambers is still being investigated. Neither has been ruled out.
The only freshman who has been scratched is defensive back Avery Williams, who Stewart said will likely enroll in January.
As for the position with the highest profile during the preseason camp, freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson split the second-team reps at quarterback almost down the middle. They are expected to battle for the backup job behind sophomore Geno Smith.
"We have to go slow with those two, spoon feed them,'' said offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. "And then we'll see where they are in seven to 10 days.''
As expected, Coley White was working with the receivers and not the quarterbacks. Despite White's encouraging performance in the spring, that was the plan all along because there aren't enough reps to go around for Smith and the true freshmen, much less a fourth quarterback. Until one or both of the freshmen prove they can or cannot handle the job right away, White will take reps at receiver.
Stewart was encouraged by White's play out there.
"I thought he did a great job,'' Stewart said of White. "He made some nice catches.''
As for Smith, who sat out all contact drills in the spring because of a broken foot, Stewart said he was satisfied with what he saw from his starting quarterback on the first day.
"Geno was not quite as nimble as I've seen him in the past, but he was moving well enough,'' Stewart said.
Smith said the lack of live action in the spring really wasn't much of a loss.
"They [the defense] aren't allowed to hit me anyway,'' Smith said.
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MORGANTOWN - If West Virginia's troubles with the NCAA are going to affect the way the Mountaineers prepare for the 2010 season, there was no indication of it Saturday when practice opened.
And why should it be any other way?
"I addressed it with the football team and the staff very briefly [Friday] night,'' coach Bill Stewart said after the first of 29 preseason practices leading up to the season opener Sept. 4 against Coastal Carolina. "That is not on our mind.''
Stewart, who along with former coach Rich Rodriguez is accused by the NCAA of allowing non-coaching personnel to perform coaching duties, did not address specifics of the charges because he's not permitted to by the NCAA.
But he stressed that beyond his comments to the team the night before the first practice the issue would be dropped as far as the football team is concerned.
"It's not what we're thinking right now,'' Stewart said. "This football team ... is going to concentrate on the 2010 season with full effort in that regard. We will not talk about it anymore because it's been addressed by [athletic director Oliver] Luck and it's over.''
And so it was. While the players are aware of the charges against the program, to a man they said it wasn't a consideration.
"They talked to us about it and that was it,'' said defensive lineman Scooter Berry. "There's nothing we can do about it, so we won't even think about it.''
Instead, Stewart and the Mountaineers concentrated on the first day of practice, held under bright sunshine and with nearly everyone expected to be there on hand.
That included a couple of freshmen whose status had been in doubt leading up to the weekend. Offensive lineman Marquis Wallace and running back Trey Johnson both practiced Saturday and appear fully eligible for the season.
Still, there are three members of the class who aren't here because of academic issues. Offensive tackle Quinton Spain is still awaiting the results of a test score, and the eligibility of receiver Dante Chambers is still being investigated. Neither has been ruled out.
The only freshman who has been scratched is defensive back Avery Williams, who Stewart said will likely enroll in January.
As for the position with the highest profile during the preseason camp, freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson split the second-team reps at quarterback almost down the middle. They are expected to battle for the backup job behind sophomore Geno Smith.
"We have to go slow with those two, spoon feed them,'' said offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. "And then we'll see where they are in seven to 10 days.''
As expected, Coley White was working with the receivers and not the quarterbacks. Despite White's encouraging performance in the spring, that was the plan all along because there aren't enough reps to go around for Smith and the true freshmen, much less a fourth quarterback. Until one or both of the freshmen prove they can or cannot handle the job right away, White will take reps at receiver.
Stewart was encouraged by White's play out there.
"I thought he did a great job,'' Stewart said of White. "He made some nice catches.''
As for Smith, who sat out all contact drills in the spring because of a broken foot, Stewart said he was satisfied with what he saw from his starting quarterback on the first day.
"Geno was not quite as nimble as I've seen him in the past, but he was moving well enough,'' Stewart said.
Smith said the lack of live action in the spring really wasn't much of a loss.
"They [the defense] aren't allowed to hit me anyway,'' Smith said.
The team will continue practice today and every day but a week from today for the next two weeks.
Briefly
Noel Devine was back after his bout with food sickness earlier in the week at the Big East's media day in Rhode Island. He blamed it on eating crab and said he lost about seven pounds.
That weight loss got Devine out of post-practice sprints Saturday because, as Stewart said, losing seven pounds on a body like Devine's is not like most people losing seven pounds. "He's a rock-solid 178 pounds. When you lose a few of those you've got to watch,'' Stewart said.
Devine wasn't crowing about being allowed to skip the sprints.
"I'm a runner,'' he said. "That's what I was born to do.''
In addition to those competing for jobs, there is also a walk-on quarterback in camp, freshman Tom Ferrari from Ashland, Pa. He's in camp basically to throw to receivers so that the others don't wear out their arms.
Eddie Davis, bounced around from offense to defense and back through his career, is back working with wide receivers. Apparently the coaches feel confident in what they have at cornerback, where Davis worked much of the spring.
The first time the offense lined up in a two-back set during an early walk-through drill, Tavon Austin was the second back with Devine. The first time the team lined up with four wide receivers, they were Austin, Brad Starks, Jock Sanders and J.D. Woods.
There are only 100 players in camp, five short of the NCAA limit for pre-classes practice. Stewart left a few openings for the freshmen who might still become eligible, as well as offensive lineman Nick Kindler, recovering from surgery. Kindler can't practice, but in order to be here and go through rehab he has to be included in the 105.
Another of last year's freshman linemen, Ryan Spiker, has left the team.
Cornerback Keith Tandy, he of the flowing dreadlocks, arrived for camp with those locks completely shorn.
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
NCAA allegations not on WVU players' minds
MORGANTOWN - If West Virginia's troubles with the NCAA are going to affect the way the Mountaineers prepare for the 2010 season, there was no indication of it Saturday when practice opened.
And why should it be any other way?
"I addressed it with the football team and the staff very briefly [Friday] night,'' coach Bill Stewart said after the first of 29 preseason practices leading up to the season opener Sept. 4 against Coastal Carolina. "That is not on our mind.''
Stewart, who along with former coach Rich Rodriguez is accused by the NCAA of allowing non-coaching personnel to perform coaching duties, did not address specifics of the charges because he's not permitted to by the NCAA.
But he stressed that beyond his comments to the team the night before the first practice the issue would be dropped as far as the football team is concerned.
"It's not what we're thinking right now,'' Stewart said. "This football team ... is going to concentrate on the 2010 season with full effort in that regard. We will not talk about it anymore because it's been addressed by [athletic director Oliver] Luck and it's over.''
And so it was. While the players are aware of the charges against the program, to a man they said it wasn't a consideration.
"They talked to us about it and that was it,'' said defensive lineman Scooter Berry. "There's nothing we can do about it, so we won't even think about it.''
Instead, Stewart and the Mountaineers concentrated on the first day of practice, held under bright sunshine and with nearly everyone expected to be there on hand.
That included a couple of freshmen whose status had been in doubt leading up to the weekend. Offensive lineman Marquis Wallace and running back Trey Johnson both practiced Saturday and appear fully eligible for the season.
Still, there are three members of the class who aren't here because of academic issues. Offensive tackle Quinton Spain is still awaiting the results of a test score, and the eligibility of receiver Dante Chambers is still being investigated. Neither has been ruled out.
The only freshman who has been scratched is defensive back Avery Williams, who Stewart said will likely enroll in January.
As for the position with the highest profile during the preseason camp, freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson split the second-team reps at quarterback almost down the middle. They are expected to battle for the backup job behind sophomore Geno Smith.
"We have to go slow with those two, spoon feed them,'' said offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. "And then we'll see where they are in seven to 10 days.''
As expected, Coley White was working with the receivers and not the quarterbacks. Despite White's encouraging performance in the spring, that was the plan all along because there aren't enough reps to go around for Smith and the true freshmen, much less a fourth quarterback. Until one or both of the freshmen prove they can or cannot handle the job right away, White will take reps at receiver.
Stewart was encouraged by White's play out there.
"I thought he did a great job,'' Stewart said of White. "He made some nice catches.''
As for Smith, who sat out all contact drills in the spring because of a broken foot, Stewart said he was satisfied with what he saw from his starting quarterback on the first day.
"Geno was not quite as nimble as I've seen him in the past, but he was moving well enough,'' Stewart said.
Smith said the lack of live action in the spring really wasn't much of a loss.
"They [the defense] aren't allowed to hit me anyway,'' Smith said.
