MORGANTOWN - They call themselves "roll dogs.''
Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Brandon Hogan. They are three serious Mountaineer offensive threats. And they roll together - on and off the field.
"If you see one, you see all three,'' said Sanders.
On Saturday, West Virginia fans got a taste of their effectiveness. Devine averaged 5.5 yards on six carries for 33 yards. Hogan had the most catches, six, for 49 yards.
Sanders, meanwhile, was the offensive standout with five catches for 71 yards, including a 23-yard catch-and-run, complete with a sweet move, and a 24-yard gain that included a squirm to the 1-yard line.
It's fun to watch. Because although they may be roll dogs, they are miniatures.
Their average weight: 177 pounds. You could almost build one of those dollhouses and put them inside.
Except none of your run-of-the-mill dolls can bench-press 405 pounds - as can Devine, 5-foot-8, 173 pounds.
"You can't judge a book by its cover,'' Devine says with a grin. "I may look small, but I can lift. I can push it.''
And rush it. The best news for WVU this spring? Neither Devine nor Pat White suffered an injury. They came through unscathed.
Any casual football fan, though, can tell you Devine and White are blue-chip college football players. They have It. What was encouraging for Mountaineer coaches was the improvement of Hogan and Sanders.
West Virginia fans have seen White run the ball. They've seen the bubble screens.
"Now we need to get the ball over the linebackers and in front of the safeties,'' said WVU coach Bill Stewart.
Which means putting much of WVU's success next season in little hands.
"[Devine, Hogan and Sanders] are going to be a big part [of the offense],'' Stewart said. "A big, big, big part. They are playmakers. We just have to get more playmakers. That's where [quarterback-turned-wide receiver] Bradley Starks has to come in.
"I think those little guys will do well. I'm tickled about them.''
Devine, of course, will have the chance to run and catch from his tailback position. Hogan and Sanders will try to open the running attack by hitting the aforementioned seams from their slot positions.
"That's what we're working on,'' Hogan said. "We didn't have too much of that last year. We're trying to get better.''
At 5-10, 186 pounds, Hogan actually towers over the other two. He nor Sanders, though, have proved to stand up to the legacy left by former slot receiver Darius Reynaud.
"We're the same type of player as D-Ray, I would say,'' Hogan said. "He was just a little smaller. The defenders will see us, I guess.''
"When we're all on the field, people don't know who is going to get the ball,'' Sanders said. "If you spread it out, you never know who is going to get it. That makes our offense more potent.''
To show how deceiving a spring game can be, Mike Poitier was the leading rusher with 54 yards. He's been listed as the backup at tailback to Devine. But two junior college backs - Mark Rodgers and Zach Hulce - are on the way. And ...
"[Stewart] said in the fall, we'd have more two-back [sets] with me and Noel in the backfield,'' Sanders said. "I'm looking forward to that.''
Interesting, eh? But wherever the three line up, White will be looking to them.
"I have to step up and take on the role of a leader,'' Devine said. "I'm a veteran. I'm not a freshman anymore.''
"With a lot [of skill players] leaving for the [NFL] draft, we have to go out and do what we can,'' Sanders said.
The sophomore from St. Petersburg, Fla., flashed his shiny grill.
"It's not your size, it's what you have in your heart,'' he said.
And how big those three hearts are will determine how far WVU rolls in 2008.
Camp closers:
WVU listed the spring game turnout at 18,000. That may have been a bit much, but there were more people at this event than any this observer can remember. For once, parking was actually a problem.
Nitro High's Chad Snodgrass played at right guard on WVU's second offensive line. The others along the line were Donny Barclay at left tackle, Phil Conroy at left guard, Gino Gradkowski at center and Stephen Maw at right tackle.
Snodgrass will have to work hard to keep his position. Injured linemen Mike Dent and Greg Isdaner will return and highly regarded prospects Josh Jenkins and Benji Kemoeatu are on their way in.
After the spring game, Stewart mentioned he needs depth help at tailback and defensive line. Indeed. The second defensive line on Saturday was Josh Taylor (nose tackle), Joe Rhein (tackle) and Julian Miller (end). Incoming junior-college prospects D.J. Shaw and Tevita Finau will have to provide immediate help.
Parkersburg's Jenkins, by the way, attended the game. In fact, about 15 high school players with interest in WVU attended, including Logan Heastie and Tajh Boyd. Heastie, avid WVU fans may know, has been rated by one service as the No. 1 receiver prospect in the country.
Too, Chris Snook, a fullback/linebacker from Medina, Ohio, was there. Snook, 6-3, 223 pounds, has already committed and is considered a very nice get.
Word also surfaced that Washington (D.C.) wideout Deon Long, 5-11, 176 pounds, committed Saturday.
Also, Stewart said to expect "great recruiting news within the next 24 hours ... I can't say more than that.''
The guess from here: WVU wrapped up Cabell Midland's Cole Bowers, considered the state's No. 1 recruit for 2009. (Remember where you read that guess.)
The move of Pat Lazear to middle linebacker went very well this spring. Lazear, a highly regarded prospect, seemed to find a home at middle, rather than on the strong side.
Saturday, Lazear played with the first-team defense.
Could he challenge Reed Williams, who sat out spring, for a starting spot?
"I don't really know,'' Lazear said. "Reed is extremely intelligent at that position. Right now it's just a mentor-player thing.''
And finally ...
This thought from Devine concerning offensive goal-line situations. Big fullback Schmitt is gone. Devine, the tailback, is small.
"I think we'll be able to do what we need,'' Devine said. "Mainly, our defense stopped us [this spring] because they know our offense and go against us every day. I think when we put our minds to it, we'll get it in the end zone.''
To contact staff writer Mitch Vingle, call 348-4827 or send e-mail to mitchvin...@wvgazette.com.
MORGANTOWN - They call themselves "roll dogs.''
Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Brandon Hogan. They are three serious Mountaineer offensive threats. And they roll together - on and off the field.
"If you see one, you see all three,'' said Sanders.
On Saturday, West Virginia fans got a taste of their effectiveness. Devine averaged 5.5 yards on six carries for 33 yards. Hogan had the most catches, six, for 49 yards.
Sanders, meanwhile, was the offensive standout with five catches for 71 yards, including a 23-yard catch-and-run, complete with a sweet move, and a 24-yard gain that included a squirm to the 1-yard line.
It's fun to watch. Because although they may be roll dogs, they are miniatures.
Their average weight: 177 pounds. You could almost build one of those dollhouses and put them inside.
Except none of your run-of-the-mill dolls can bench-press 405 pounds - as can Devine, 5-foot-8, 173 pounds.
"You can't judge a book by its cover,'' Devine says with a grin. "I may look small, but I can lift. I can push it.''
And rush it. The best news for WVU this spring? Neither Devine nor Pat White suffered an injury. They came through unscathed.
Any casual football fan, though, can tell you Devine and White are blue-chip college football players. They have It. What was encouraging for Mountaineer coaches was the improvement of Hogan and Sanders.
West Virginia fans have seen White run the ball. They've seen the bubble screens.
"Now we need to get the ball over the linebackers and in front of the safeties,'' said WVU coach Bill Stewart.
Which means putting much of WVU's success next season in little hands.
"[Devine, Hogan and Sanders] are going to be a big part [of the offense],'' Stewart said. "A big, big, big part. They are playmakers. We just have to get more playmakers. That's where [quarterback-turned-wide receiver] Bradley Starks has to come in.
"I think those little guys will do well. I'm tickled about them.''
Devine, of course, will have the chance to run and catch from his tailback position. Hogan and Sanders will try to open the running attack by hitting the aforementioned seams from their slot positions.
"That's what we're working on,'' Hogan said. "We didn't have too much of that last year. We're trying to get better.''
At 5-10, 186 pounds, Hogan actually towers over the other two. He nor Sanders, though, have proved to stand up to the legacy left by former slot receiver Darius Reynaud.
"We're the same type of player as D-Ray, I would say,'' Hogan said. "He was just a little smaller. The defenders will see us, I guess.''
"When we're all on the field, people don't know who is going to get the ball,'' Sanders said. "If you spread it out, you never know who is going to get it. That makes our offense more potent.''
To show how deceiving a spring game can be, Mike Poitier was the leading rusher with 54 yards. He's been listed as the backup at tailback to Devine. But two junior college backs - Mark Rodgers and Zach Hulce - are on the way. And ...
"[Stewart] said in the fall, we'd have more two-back [sets] with me and Noel in the backfield,'' Sanders said. "I'm looking forward to that.''
Interesting, eh? But wherever the three line up, White will be looking to them.
"I have to step up and take on the role of a leader,'' Devine said. "I'm a veteran. I'm not a freshman anymore.''
"With a lot [of skill players] leaving for the [NFL] draft, we have to go out and do what we can,'' Sanders said.
The sophomore from St. Petersburg, Fla., flashed his shiny grill.
"It's not your size, it's what you have in your heart,'' he said.
And how big those three hearts are will determine how far WVU rolls in 2008.
Camp closers:
WVU listed the spring game turnout at 18,000. That may have been a bit much, but there were more people at this event than any this observer can remember. For once, parking was actually a problem.Nitro High's Chad Snodgrass played at right guard on WVU's second offensive line. The others along the line were Donny Barclay at left tackle, Phil Conroy at left guard, Gino Gradkowski at center and Stephen Maw at right tackle.Snodgrass will have to work hard to keep his position. Injured linemen Mike Dent and Greg Isdaner will return and highly regarded prospects Josh Jenkins and Benji Kemoeatu are on their way in.
After the spring game, Stewart mentioned he needs depth help at tailback and defensive line. Indeed. The second defensive line on Saturday was Josh Taylor (nose tackle), Joe Rhein (tackle) and Julian Miller (end). Incoming junior-college prospects D.J. Shaw and Tevita Finau will have to provide immediate help.Parkersburg's Jenkins, by the way, attended the game. In fact, about 15 high school players with interest in WVU attended, including Logan Heastie and Tajh Boyd. Heastie, avid WVU fans may know, has been rated by one service as the No. 1 receiver prospect in the country.Too, Chris Snook, a fullback/linebacker from Medina, Ohio, was there. Snook, 6-3, 223 pounds, has already committed and is considered a very nice get.
Word also surfaced that Washington (D.C.) wideout Deon Long, 5-11, 176 pounds, committed Saturday.
Also, Stewart said to expect "great recruiting news within the next 24 hours ... I can't say more than that.''
The guess from here: WVU wrapped up Cabell Midland's Cole Bowers, considered the state's No. 1 recruit for 2009. (Remember where you read that guess.)
The move of Pat Lazear to middle linebacker went very well this spring. Lazear, a highly regarded prospect, seemed to find a home at middle, rather than on the strong side.Saturday, Lazear played with the first-team defense.
Could he challenge Reed Williams, who sat out spring, for a starting spot?
"I don't really know,'' Lazear said. "Reed is extremely intelligent at that position. Right now it's just a mentor-player thing.''
And finally ...This thought from Devine concerning offensive goal-line situations. Big fullback Schmitt is gone. Devine, the tailback, is small.
"I think we'll be able to do what we need,'' Devine said. "Mainly, our defense stopped us [this spring] because they know our offense and go against us every day. I think when we put our minds to it, we'll get it in the end zone.''
To contact staff writer Mitch Vingle, call 348-4827 or send e-mail to mitchvin...@wvgazette.com.
