MORGANTOWN - It was silly, really.
MORGANTOWN - It was silly, really.
To think West Virginia wide receiver Ivan McCartney would be down after last season was, in retrospect, absurd.
McCartney is, after all, the cousin of outspoken Cincinnati Bengals wideout Chad Ochocinco.
So it will take more than a season in which McCartney had but one catch for 4 yards to get him down.
"I don't doubt myself," McCartney said after WVU's practice Wednesday. "I don't regret anything. I just work hard. What happens in the past is in the past."
You might think McCartney is simply putting on a brave front. There's no way he can avoid being a little shaken, right? After all, the guy hit WVU as one of the most highly touted recruits in recent years. Was a Florida Class 6A first-team all-state player. Was a member of the Sporting News Top 35 recruiting list. Was named the No. 1 receiver in talent-rich Broward County. Heck, he was a member of the Miami Herald's Top 5 in South Florida.
So to hit Morgantown, participate in 12 games and 125 plays and finish with one catch ... well, it's not what one expected.
"Not at all," McCartney said. "But it was a learning process, and it motivates me for this year. I mean, I'm not planning on going through another year of not playing that much and having one catch for just 4 yards. It motivates me to work harder and do what I have to do."
That motivation could pay off in a big way. Of all the players on WVU's team, McCartney could be the biggest beneficiary of new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen's "Air Raid" offense.
"Coach Holgorsen spreads the ball around a lot," McCartney said. "Everybody touches the ball, and more than just one time. I feel real good about the upcoming season."
Also, despite the lack of production last season, McCartney feels good about himself. Real good. As in channel-the-inner-Ochocinco good.
"When it comes to me, think of [Houston Texans All-Pro] Andre Johnson," McCartney said. "Think of Chad Ochocinco. I play the way they play. You put those two together and you would get me."
You may think that's bluster. McCartney does not.
"The Andre Johnson aspect would be my height, ball skills, jumping in the air and catching the ball and getting down the field," said the 6-foot-3, 176-pound sophomore. "With Chad Ochocinco, I'm talking about route running, catching and moves after the catch, those types of things."
He should get the chance to prove himself. Wearing No. Cinco, he's currently the starter at the outside "X" position. Then there's the matter of Holgorsen's offense. And there's also the talk from receivers coach Shannon Dawson that at least one Mountaineer could finish the season with 100 catches.
"Right now," McCartney said, "our focus is on doing our part to help out the team. If those 100 balls come, those 100 balls come."
The Miramar, Fla., product is confident. But he's confident in his teammates as well as himself.
MORGANTOWN - It was silly, really.
To think West Virginia wide receiver Ivan McCartney would be down after last season was, in retrospect, absurd.
McCartney is, after all, the cousin of outspoken Cincinnati Bengals wideout Chad Ochocinco.
So it will take more than a season in which McCartney had but one catch for 4 yards to get him down.
"I don't doubt myself," McCartney said after WVU's practice Wednesday. "I don't regret anything. I just work hard. What happens in the past is in the past."
You might think McCartney is simply putting on a brave front. There's no way he can avoid being a little shaken, right? After all, the guy hit WVU as one of the most highly touted recruits in recent years. Was a Florida Class 6A first-team all-state player. Was a member of the Sporting News Top 35 recruiting list. Was named the No. 1 receiver in talent-rich Broward County. Heck, he was a member of the Miami Herald's Top 5 in South Florida.
So to hit Morgantown, participate in 12 games and 125 plays and finish with one catch ... well, it's not what one expected.
"Not at all," McCartney said. "But it was a learning process, and it motivates me for this year. I mean, I'm not planning on going through another year of not playing that much and having one catch for just 4 yards. It motivates me to work harder and do what I have to do."
That motivation could pay off in a big way. Of all the players on WVU's team, McCartney could be the biggest beneficiary of new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen's "Air Raid" offense.
"Coach Holgorsen spreads the ball around a lot," McCartney said. "Everybody touches the ball, and more than just one time. I feel real good about the upcoming season."
Also, despite the lack of production last season, McCartney feels good about himself. Real good. As in channel-the-inner-Ochocinco good.
"When it comes to me, think of [Houston Texans All-Pro] Andre Johnson," McCartney said. "Think of Chad Ochocinco. I play the way they play. You put those two together and you would get me."
You may think that's bluster. McCartney does not.
"The Andre Johnson aspect would be my height, ball skills, jumping in the air and catching the ball and getting down the field," said the 6-foot-3, 176-pound sophomore. "With Chad Ochocinco, I'm talking about route running, catching and moves after the catch, those types of things."
He should get the chance to prove himself. Wearing No. Cinco, he's currently the starter at the outside "X" position. Then there's the matter of Holgorsen's offense. And there's also the talk from receivers coach Shannon Dawson that at least one Mountaineer could finish the season with 100 catches.
"Right now," McCartney said, "our focus is on doing our part to help out the team. If those 100 balls come, those 100 balls come."
The Miramar, Fla., product is confident. But he's confident in his teammates as well as himself.
"I feel we should have the No. 1 receiving corps in the nation," McCartney said. "As long as we come in, work and do what we have to on and off the field, there should be no other receiving corps that can touch ours."
He expanded on the subject.
"Tavon [Austin] is quick, fast," McCartney said. "He always makes the first guy miss. Stedman [Bailey] can catch the ball and get up the field. Brad [Starks] is the grandpa of the group. He teaches everybody so much. He's a complete receiver.
"I mean, everybody can do everything. We can go deep. We can stay low. And I think that's going to be a problem for any defense that faces us. They won't know how to play us. We all can do everything."
Including get over one-catch seasons. Easily.
Camp notes
McCartney isn't the only one impressed by the receiving corps. "They all look good," Holgorsen said before the start of spring drills. "It's collectively a good-looking group. Probably the best-looking group I've had."That's saying a lot, considering the offensive success the coach has had at places like Oklahoma State, Houston and Texas Tech.
McCartney echoed what many WVU players have said concerning Holgorsen's offense: He's quickly grasping the concepts."It's very simple to learn," said the receiver. "It only took three days to install. Now it's just time to polish everything up."
Of all the returning offensive linemen, the one who seems to have caught the coaches' fancy is center Joe Madsen. And the lineman called "probably the most athletic" of the bunch by assistant Bill Bedenbaugh? He's a product of the Mountain State: Cole Bowers, currently the No. 1 right guard.While on the subject of West Virginia products, linebacker Tyler Anderson of Morgantown picked off a pass during Wednesday's practice after the attempt bounced off the pads of running back Trey Johnson.Daquan Hargrett has been somewhat lost in the race for the tailback spot opened via the departure of Noel Devine. On Wednesday, however, the 5-6, 187-pound sophomore flashed a little speed with a nice burst up the middle for a long run. Word is Hargrett has been having a nice spring.And finally . . .Linebacker is a major concern for WVU defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel. To illustrate that, the only returning starter, Najee Goode, is listed No. 1 both at strong-side and weak-side linebacker on the spring depth chart.
When fall rolls around, however, don't be surprised if Goode is the starter at middle linebacker, with junior college transfer Josh Francis manning the weak-side spot and sophomore Doug Rigg starting on the strong side. Those three seem to present the most talent available to Casteel.
Reach Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827, mitchvin...@wvgazette.com or follow him at http://twitter.com/MitchVingle.
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