In trying to replace Doc Holliday as West Virginia's football recruiting coordinator, Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart turned to running backs coach Chris Beatty.
In trying to replace Doc Holliday as West Virginia's football recruiting coordinator, Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart turned to running backs coach Chris Beatty.
Now, Beatty is trying to replace Holliday's presence in south Florida.
And he's doing so not with a team of Docs, but with a team effort.
"The biggest change I've made since Doc left [for Marshall] is seeing in which areas we're getting the better players from and concentrating there,'' Beatty said. "Also, we're compensating for the loss of Doc in Florida with teamwork.
"I've moved [defensive backs coach] Dave Lockwood to south Florida. Him and [wide receivers coach] Lonnie Galloway. Lonnie still has Orlando, but I've got [offensive line coach] Dave Johnson also in central Florida: Tampa, Jacksonville. [Tight ends coach] Dave McMichael is back in western Pennsylvania, where Johnson was. [McMichael] used to work western Pennsylvania for Coach [Don] Nehlen.''
Beatty is undertaking a unique set of challenges. He's following in the footsteps of Holliday, the highest-paid assistant in WVU history and a savvy Florida recruiter. Beatty must help keep a steady flow of talented players moving into a program now used to success. He must do so with many fans still casting a wary eye on Stewart. And he must do so in a low-key manner, as per Stewart's recent instructions.
On top of all that, Beatty must coordinate a fine effort while the Big Ten's expansion process threatens the Big East, WVU's league.
So far, Beatty said, the latter hasn't seemed to be a problem.
"Not that I've noticed,'' he said. "The biggest thing has been with the other teams, Pitt and Rutgers [that are rumored to be among Big Ten candidates]. Recruits never ask me about the situation. It hasn't come up with any of the kids I've recruited. I can't speak for all our coaches though.''
Beatty has certainly earned his keep via recruiting since joining the WVU staff. Although he experienced heartbreak when two of his most highly regarded catches - wideouts Logan Heastie and Deon Long - left, Beatty has landed such names as Ryan Clarke, Shawne Alston and, this past February, Quinton Spain, perhaps WVU's top recruit.
And it is no surprise Beatty knows talent when he sees it. While coaching at Landstown (Va.) High, he taught ex-Florida Gator and current Minnesota Viking standout Percy Harvin. Landstown won the Virginia 3-A state title in 2004 under Beatty.
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Beatty leading team effort to replace Doc
In trying to replace Doc Holliday as West Virginia's football recruiting coordinator, Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart turned to running backs coach Chris Beatty.
Now, Beatty is trying to replace Holliday's presence in south Florida.
And he's doing so not with a team of Docs, but with a team effort.
"The biggest change I've made since Doc left [for Marshall] is seeing in which areas we're getting the better players from and concentrating there,'' Beatty said. "Also, we're compensating for the loss of Doc in Florida with teamwork.
"I've moved [defensive backs coach] Dave Lockwood to south Florida. Him and [wide receivers coach] Lonnie Galloway. Lonnie still has Orlando, but I've got [offensive line coach] Dave Johnson also in central Florida: Tampa, Jacksonville. [Tight ends coach] Dave McMichael is back in western Pennsylvania, where Johnson was. [McMichael] used to work western Pennsylvania for Coach [Don] Nehlen.''
Beatty is undertaking a unique set of challenges. He's following in the footsteps of Holliday, the highest-paid assistant in WVU history and a savvy Florida recruiter. Beatty must help keep a steady flow of talented players moving into a program now used to success. He must do so with many fans still casting a wary eye on Stewart. And he must do so in a low-key manner, as per Stewart's recent instructions.
On top of all that, Beatty must coordinate a fine effort while the Big Ten's expansion process threatens the Big East, WVU's league.
So far, Beatty said, the latter hasn't seemed to be a problem.
"Not that I've noticed,'' he said. "The biggest thing has been with the other teams, Pitt and Rutgers [that are rumored to be among Big Ten candidates]. Recruits never ask me about the situation. It hasn't come up with any of the kids I've recruited. I can't speak for all our coaches though.''
Beatty has certainly earned his keep via recruiting since joining the WVU staff. Although he experienced heartbreak when two of his most highly regarded catches - wideouts Logan Heastie and Deon Long - left, Beatty has landed such names as Ryan Clarke, Shawne Alston and, this past February, Quinton Spain, perhaps WVU's top recruit.
And it is no surprise Beatty knows talent when he sees it. While coaching at Landstown (Va.) High, he taught ex-Florida Gator and current Minnesota Viking standout Percy Harvin. Landstown won the Virginia 3-A state title in 2004 under Beatty.
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In trying to replace Doc Holliday as West Virginia's football recruiting coordinator, Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart turned to running backs coach Chris Beatty.
Now, Beatty is trying to replace Holliday's presence in south Florida.
And he's doing so not with a team of Docs, but with a team effort.
"The biggest change I've made since Doc left [for Marshall] is seeing in which areas we're getting the better players from and concentrating there,'' Beatty said. "Also, we're compensating for the loss of Doc in Florida with teamwork.
"I've moved [defensive backs coach] Dave Lockwood to south Florida. Him and [wide receivers coach] Lonnie Galloway. Lonnie still has Orlando, but I've got [offensive line coach] Dave Johnson also in central Florida: Tampa, Jacksonville. [Tight ends coach] Dave McMichael is back in western Pennsylvania, where Johnson was. [McMichael] used to work western Pennsylvania for Coach [Don] Nehlen.''
Beatty is undertaking a unique set of challenges. He's following in the footsteps of Holliday, the highest-paid assistant in WVU history and a savvy Florida recruiter. Beatty must help keep a steady flow of talented players moving into a program now used to success. He must do so with many fans still casting a wary eye on Stewart. And he must do so in a low-key manner, as per Stewart's recent instructions.
On top of all that, Beatty must coordinate a fine effort while the Big Ten's expansion process threatens the Big East, WVU's league.
So far, Beatty said, the latter hasn't seemed to be a problem.
"Not that I've noticed,'' he said. "The biggest thing has been with the other teams, Pitt and Rutgers [that are rumored to be among Big Ten candidates]. Recruits never ask me about the situation. It hasn't come up with any of the kids I've recruited. I can't speak for all our coaches though.''
Beatty has certainly earned his keep via recruiting since joining the WVU staff. Although he experienced heartbreak when two of his most highly regarded catches - wideouts Logan Heastie and Deon Long - left, Beatty has landed such names as Ryan Clarke, Shawne Alston and, this past February, Quinton Spain, perhaps WVU's top recruit.
And it is no surprise Beatty knows talent when he sees it. While coaching at Landstown (Va.) High, he taught ex-Florida Gator and current Minnesota Viking standout Percy Harvin. Landstown won the Virginia 3-A state title in 2004 under Beatty.
The recruiting coordinator, of course, still handles the Virginia and Washington, D.C., areas. He dabbles in Prince George's County in Maryland and hits Houston from time to time.
But Beatty stresses this is a team effort. If, for instance, assistant Bill Kirelawich needs help recruiting a running back in eastern Pennsylvania, Beatty will be there. And vice versa.
"We're doing a lot more piggybacking,'' Beatty said. "There's a little more team recruiting.''
Especially in talent-rich Florida.
"That will never change,'' Beatty said. "We'll always go there. Those players don't mind leaving home. Places like the Carolinas haven't been as good to us. There's a lot of competition from SEC and ACC schools and, for some reason, kids there don't travel as well. So we pick areas in which the kids are more transient.''
This go-round WVU's areas of need, according to Beatty, are receiver, tight end, linebacker and safety. He also mentioned the mix must have "great special teams players'' as well. In all my years of covering WVU, that's the first time I've heard that.
This season is also a bit different because of Stewart's new low-key recruiting approach. He wants recruits to escort their parents to Morgantown before locking in commitments and releasing the information.
"That's been a point,'' Beatty said. "We want to avoid all the drama. It's still hard. Some will commit when they haven't even been here. For instance, a running back may have seen Noel Devine and Steve Slaton on TV and want to come even before visiting. We want to make sure they've been here and there aren't mistakes.
"Right now we have some guys we feel really good about. You can't avoid [recruits committing then signing elsewhere], but we feel this [policy] lessens the chances.''
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
Beatty leading team effort to replace Doc
In trying to replace Doc Holliday as West Virginia's football recruiting coordinator, Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart turned to running backs coach Chris Beatty.
Now, Beatty is trying to replace Holliday's presence in south Florida.
And he's doing so not with a team of Docs, but with a team effort.
"The biggest change I've made since Doc left [for Marshall] is seeing in which areas we're getting the better players from and concentrating there,'' Beatty said. "Also, we're compensating for the loss of Doc in Florida with teamwork.
"I've moved [defensive backs coach] Dave Lockwood to south Florida. Him and [wide receivers coach] Lonnie Galloway. Lonnie still has Orlando, but I've got [offensive line coach] Dave Johnson also in central Florida: Tampa, Jacksonville. [Tight ends coach] Dave McMichael is back in western Pennsylvania, where Johnson was. [McMichael] used to work western Pennsylvania for Coach [Don] Nehlen.''
Beatty is undertaking a unique set of challenges. He's following in the footsteps of Holliday, the highest-paid assistant in WVU history and a savvy Florida recruiter. Beatty must help keep a steady flow of talented players moving into a program now used to success. He must do so with many fans still casting a wary eye on Stewart. And he must do so in a low-key manner, as per Stewart's recent instructions.
On top of all that, Beatty must coordinate a fine effort while the Big Ten's expansion process threatens the Big East, WVU's league.
So far, Beatty said, the latter hasn't seemed to be a problem.
"Not that I've noticed,'' he said. "The biggest thing has been with the other teams, Pitt and Rutgers [that are rumored to be among Big Ten candidates]. Recruits never ask me about the situation. It hasn't come up with any of the kids I've recruited. I can't speak for all our coaches though.''
Beatty has certainly earned his keep via recruiting since joining the WVU staff. Although he experienced heartbreak when two of his most highly regarded catches - wideouts Logan Heastie and Deon Long - left, Beatty has landed such names as Ryan Clarke, Shawne Alston and, this past February, Quinton Spain, perhaps WVU's top recruit.
And it is no surprise Beatty knows talent when he sees it. While coaching at Landstown (Va.) High, he taught ex-Florida Gator and current Minnesota Viking standout Percy Harvin. Landstown won the Virginia 3-A state title in 2004 under Beatty.
