If you view a website that specializes in football recruiting, the following words may pop up when you click on West Virginia University:
No Players Found.
According to Mountaineer head coach Bill Stewart, however, players have been found. He and his staff are simply taking a different tack in regard to 2011 recruits.
"We're keeping it very, very low key,'' Stewart said. "We've got five guys committed. But I don't want them to make it public until their parents have been to campus. No more jumping on board until we know the parents are sure. Then, when they are sure, the kids can start leaking it.''
Stewart spoke about his new approach after a WVU Classic golf practice round Thursday at Berry Hills Country Club. Many of WVU's coaches are in town for the event, which mostly benefits the Mountaineer Athletic Club scholarship fund.
On Thursday, a fashion show/luncheon was packed in the Embassy Suites ballroom. A dinner/dance, said to be the MAC's largest fund-raiser of the year, followed. Today, the Classic golf outing and tennis tournament will be held.
Stewart's new recruiting approach, however, was the foremost news item to come from the event.
"We had a kid [Shaun Kitchens] from Atlanta who committed last year,'' Stewart said. "Then his dad said, 'That's a long way from home.' So he ended up at Auburn.
"This year I'm telling [recruits] to get their parents' fannies to Morgantown. I want to make sure we're all on the same sheet of music. We're going slowly. But we're in the hunt for some dandies.''
WVU was also burned this past February by highly regarded Cleveland safety Latwan Anderson, who committed to the Mountaineers during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl but wound up signing with Miami, Fla. Stewart, however, is rumored to have Washington twins Vance and Vernard Roberts in the fold this season - pending parental approval. Vance is a cornerback and Vernard is a running back.
"We're looking for one quarterback, one or two running backs - probably one,'' Stewart said. "We're looking for two tight ends, no more than three offensive linemen and five or six receivers - that's a big area of need - on offense.
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Stewart unveils new recruiting tack at Classic
If you view a website that specializes in football recruiting, the following words may pop up when you click on West Virginia University:
No Players Found.
According to Mountaineer head coach Bill Stewart, however, players have been found. He and his staff are simply taking a different tack in regard to 2011 recruits.
"We're keeping it very, very low key,'' Stewart said. "We've got five guys committed. But I don't want them to make it public until their parents have been to campus. No more jumping on board until we know the parents are sure. Then, when they are sure, the kids can start leaking it.''
Stewart spoke about his new approach after a WVU Classic golf practice round Thursday at Berry Hills Country Club. Many of WVU's coaches are in town for the event, which mostly benefits the Mountaineer Athletic Club scholarship fund.
On Thursday, a fashion show/luncheon was packed in the Embassy Suites ballroom. A dinner/dance, said to be the MAC's largest fund-raiser of the year, followed. Today, the Classic golf outing and tennis tournament will be held.
Stewart's new recruiting approach, however, was the foremost news item to come from the event.
"We had a kid [Shaun Kitchens] from Atlanta who committed last year,'' Stewart said. "Then his dad said, 'That's a long way from home.' So he ended up at Auburn.
"This year I'm telling [recruits] to get their parents' fannies to Morgantown. I want to make sure we're all on the same sheet of music. We're going slowly. But we're in the hunt for some dandies.''
WVU was also burned this past February by highly regarded Cleveland safety Latwan Anderson, who committed to the Mountaineers during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl but wound up signing with Miami, Fla. Stewart, however, is rumored to have Washington twins Vance and Vernard Roberts in the fold this season - pending parental approval. Vance is a cornerback and Vernard is a running back.
"We're looking for one quarterback, one or two running backs - probably one,'' Stewart said. "We're looking for two tight ends, no more than three offensive linemen and five or six receivers - that's a big area of need - on offense.
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If you view a website that specializes in football recruiting, the following words may pop up when you click on West Virginia University:
No Players Found.
According to Mountaineer head coach Bill Stewart, however, players have been found. He and his staff are simply taking a different tack in regard to 2011 recruits.
"We're keeping it very, very low key,'' Stewart said. "We've got five guys committed. But I don't want them to make it public until their parents have been to campus. No more jumping on board until we know the parents are sure. Then, when they are sure, the kids can start leaking it.''
Stewart spoke about his new approach after a WVU Classic golf practice round Thursday at Berry Hills Country Club. Many of WVU's coaches are in town for the event, which mostly benefits the Mountaineer Athletic Club scholarship fund.
On Thursday, a fashion show/luncheon was packed in the Embassy Suites ballroom. A dinner/dance, said to be the MAC's largest fund-raiser of the year, followed. Today, the Classic golf outing and tennis tournament will be held.
Stewart's new recruiting approach, however, was the foremost news item to come from the event.
"We had a kid [Shaun Kitchens] from Atlanta who committed last year,'' Stewart said. "Then his dad said, 'That's a long way from home.' So he ended up at Auburn.
"This year I'm telling [recruits] to get their parents' fannies to Morgantown. I want to make sure we're all on the same sheet of music. We're going slowly. But we're in the hunt for some dandies.''
WVU was also burned this past February by highly regarded Cleveland safety Latwan Anderson, who committed to the Mountaineers during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl but wound up signing with Miami, Fla. Stewart, however, is rumored to have Washington twins Vance and Vernard Roberts in the fold this season - pending parental approval. Vance is a cornerback and Vernard is a running back.
"We're looking for one quarterback, one or two running backs - probably one,'' Stewart said. "We're looking for two tight ends, no more than three offensive linemen and five or six receivers - that's a big area of need - on offense.
"Defensively, we lose three defensive linemen, so we'll take two or three there. We'll take three or four linebackers and a couple corners and safeties.
"I'd like to take 18 to 20 recruits a year and save some scholarships for deserving walk-ons.''
Stewart pointed to Parkersburg's Cody Nutter, who earned a scholarship via long snapping.
The Mountaineer coach said his staff met Monday after four straight days of recruiting to end last week.
"We talked about all our current players,'' Stewart said. "We talked about them medically, academically. Then we talked about our recruiting board. We went down each position and where we stood with our prospects and the pecking order.''
Stewart said signed recruits Travis Bell, Ismael Banks and Barry Brunetti are already on campus in Morgantown and eight more will join the trio this weekend, including quarterback Jeremy Johnson and safety Wes Tonkery. Others would make their way the last week of June.
On Monday, Stewart and other WVU representatives will hit Weirton for more fund-raising. The camp season then begins. Mountaineer football coaches will play host to 8-to-13-year-old campers July 11 and 14-and-above campers on July 13. Team and 7-on-7 camps will follow.
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
Stewart unveils new recruiting tack at Classic
If you view a website that specializes in football recruiting, the following words may pop up when you click on West Virginia University:
No Players Found.
According to Mountaineer head coach Bill Stewart, however, players have been found. He and his staff are simply taking a different tack in regard to 2011 recruits.
"We're keeping it very, very low key,'' Stewart said. "We've got five guys committed. But I don't want them to make it public until their parents have been to campus. No more jumping on board until we know the parents are sure. Then, when they are sure, the kids can start leaking it.''
Stewart spoke about his new approach after a WVU Classic golf practice round Thursday at Berry Hills Country Club. Many of WVU's coaches are in town for the event, which mostly benefits the Mountaineer Athletic Club scholarship fund.
On Thursday, a fashion show/luncheon was packed in the Embassy Suites ballroom. A dinner/dance, said to be the MAC's largest fund-raiser of the year, followed. Today, the Classic golf outing and tennis tournament will be held.
Stewart's new recruiting approach, however, was the foremost news item to come from the event.
"We had a kid [Shaun Kitchens] from Atlanta who committed last year,'' Stewart said. "Then his dad said, 'That's a long way from home.' So he ended up at Auburn.
"This year I'm telling [recruits] to get their parents' fannies to Morgantown. I want to make sure we're all on the same sheet of music. We're going slowly. But we're in the hunt for some dandies.''
WVU was also burned this past February by highly regarded Cleveland safety Latwan Anderson, who committed to the Mountaineers during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl but wound up signing with Miami, Fla. Stewart, however, is rumored to have Washington twins Vance and Vernard Roberts in the fold this season - pending parental approval. Vance is a cornerback and Vernard is a running back.
"We're looking for one quarterback, one or two running backs - probably one,'' Stewart said. "We're looking for two tight ends, no more than three offensive linemen and five or six receivers - that's a big area of need - on offense.
