MORGANTOWN - When Alric Arnett was looking for a major-college home, he called West Virginia University's football office.

The man who answered the phone was Bill Stewart.

Now, Arnett may answer the bell for the new Mountaineer head coach.

While Jock Sanders will probably start in the slot this coming fall and Tito Gonzales will man one of the wide-receiver positions, the other outside job probably will go to Arnett.

At least according to the man who fielded that phone call.

"Oh, he'll be starting,'' said the coach. "He's good. He has a chance to be pretty good.

"He's very fluid. He competes. He catches the ball with soft hands. And he's a good kid - sharp. He's picking up everything. He should be our starting end.''

The coach continued.

"With that motion we're [installing in the offense], he should be perfect. He will be whoosh, on you and by you. The kid can run.''

Stewart paused.

"He just can't figure out how to get to and from school.''

Ah yes, Arnett has been in Stewart's proverbial doghouse. The redshirt junior returned to Morgantown late from his spring-break trip home to Belle Glade, Fla. The penalty was to walk stadium steps.

"That was a bad mistake by me,'' Arnett said sheepishly.

Arnett, though, has been taking one step forward and one back since his high school days.

"I didn't have good grades coming out of high school,'' he said. "I had a couple Division I offers from [Florida International] and Illinois, but that was it.

"So I took the [junior college] route. I went to Butler Community College and everything has worked out since.''

Well ... not exactly. Arnett went to Butler in Kansas and Scottsdale Community College in Arizona. He hauled in just 21 passes between the two stops.

When Arnett landed in Morgantown, then-coach Rich Rodriguez indicated Arnett and now-sophomore Will Johnson didn't have a good grasp of the offense. Finally, Arnett was redshirted after having thumb surgery in the fall.

"It's been awhile,'' Arnett admitted. "My dream to be a Division I football player has been on hold for quite a while.''

Now, though, the light may have changed to green. Stewart loves the kid. And, perhaps as important, so too does Mountaineer quarterback Pat White.

"What I like about him is he can go,'' White said with a smile. "I don't think there's any cornerback that can run with him down the field. Once he gets going, he's pretty good.

"He'll definitely help the offense out a lot. He's a great player. He'll be a great receiver for us.''

Arnett's secret weapon is his speed. In addition to football, he's been a track standout at every stop. He finished third in the 400-meter dash (48.66) in the 2005 Florida High School Athletic Association 2A outdoor state finals. At Butler, he ran a 48.89 at the 2007 NJCAA region championships, good for seventh place.

Stewart and White hope Arnett, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, is the deep threat the Mountaineers have been awaiting.

"That's my goal,'' Arnett said. "That's why I come out here every day and work hard. I want to be the starter. I want to be the best I can every day.''

Arnett remembers that fateful phone call.

"I called here and Coach Stew was the first person that picked up the phone,'' said the receiver. "He gave me an address and told me to send a highlight tape. Now he's the head coach.''

One that will still make a man walk a step - or a couple thousand.

"That was tough because I wanted to be out there with the team,'' Arnett said of his punishment for tardiness. "I wanted to be working hard with those guys.''

While he walked with fellow stair master Eain Smith, the wide receiver competition, namely Wes Lyons, made some nice grabs in Wednesday's practice.

"I'm happy for him,'' Arnett said of Lyons. "I root for him. I want him to go up and make those catches. I mean, there's competition out there every day.''

The junior said his ultimate goal is to reach the NFL.

"But right now I'm just focusing on next season,'' Arnett said. "I'm trying to work hard and help us win a national championship.''

One step at a time.

To contact sports editor Mitch Vingle, use e-mail or call 348-4827.