MORGANTOWN - WVU drew a line when it decided to jump from the Big East to the Big 12 immediately.
MORGANTOWN - WVU drew a line when it decided to jump from the Big East to the Big 12 immediately.
Now, one of its most pressing priorities is to draw strong linemen.
In order to compete with schools like Texas and Oklahoma, schools that annually fare well in recruiting big men, the Mountaineers need to stock up on big bodies. For the front line. For depth.
The hope in the current camp is a start was made with newcomers Christian Brown and Mark Glowinski. The former is a 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive nose tackle out of Bridgeton (N.J.) High. The latter is a 6-5, 290-pound offensive tackle who transferred from Lackawanna (Pa.) College.
"I got here in June and have just been working hard, trying to compete every day," Brown said. "Trying to help my team win the Big 12."
Brown is a big body expected to help projected starter Jorge Wright. Right now, he's running No. 2 on the depth chart. Brown's goal, however, is to start.
"Yes sir," Brown said. "They said if I come in and compete, play hard and give effort I have a chance to start and play."
Brown said he chose WVU over Rutgers, Connecticut, Central Florida and South Florida because of the opportunity.
"When I was looking at West Virginia, Coach [Bill Kirelawich] and I had a good relationship," said the player. "We talked about playing time. Then he left and I met Coach [Erik] Slaughter and he's the same type of coach. They want me to play early, work hard and start. They want me to compete every day."
Conditioning might be the key.
"That's the hardest," Brown said. "When I came in I wasn't prepared . . . [strength coach] Mike Joseph is a good guy, but he'll push you. As long as you give effort, though, that's all that matters."
On the field, there are other obstacles.
MORGANTOWN - WVU drew a line when it decided to jump from the Big East to the Big 12 immediately.
Now, one of its most pressing priorities is to draw strong linemen.
In order to compete with schools like Texas and Oklahoma, schools that annually fare well in recruiting big men, the Mountaineers need to stock up on big bodies. For the front line. For depth.
The hope in the current camp is a start was made with newcomers Christian Brown and Mark Glowinski. The former is a 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive nose tackle out of Bridgeton (N.J.) High. The latter is a 6-5, 290-pound offensive tackle who transferred from Lackawanna (Pa.) College.
"I got here in June and have just been working hard, trying to compete every day," Brown said. "Trying to help my team win the Big 12."
Brown is a big body expected to help projected starter Jorge Wright. Right now, he's running No. 2 on the depth chart. Brown's goal, however, is to start.
"Yes sir," Brown said. "They said if I come in and compete, play hard and give effort I have a chance to start and play."
Brown said he chose WVU over Rutgers, Connecticut, Central Florida and South Florida because of the opportunity.
"When I was looking at West Virginia, Coach [Bill Kirelawich] and I had a good relationship," said the player. "We talked about playing time. Then he left and I met Coach [Erik] Slaughter and he's the same type of coach. They want me to play early, work hard and start. They want me to compete every day."
Conditioning might be the key.
"That's the hardest," Brown said. "When I came in I wasn't prepared . . . [strength coach] Mike Joseph is a good guy, but he'll push you. As long as you give effort, though, that's all that matters."
On the field, there are other obstacles.
"Like technique, reading gaps, keying the running back and quarterback, keying what I have to do," Brown said.
Glowinski, meanwhile, was expected to be more ready. Back to spring drills, head coach Dana Holgorsen pointed to the junior college transfer in hopes the junior could at least provide depth. Currently, Glowinski is at right tackle with 6-6 Pat Eger and 6-7 Curtis Feigt.
"It's a little different switching from left tackle to right tackle, but I've picked it up pretty quickly," Glowinski said in what he claims was his first media interview.
Glowinski went to high school at GAR Memorial High in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., before hitting junior college in Scranton, Pa. Among the other schools to recruit him were Connecticut, North Carolina State, South Florida and Texas Tech.
"I like the atmosphere here, though, and how the state really likes the team," Glowinski said. "I was into that."
WVU's coaches were into Glowinski's style of play.
"They like that I'm physical and have a motor," he said. "I just keep going . . . I like driving someone downfield and, after a pancake, jump over them and keep going downfield."
Glowinski said, despite his pleasant demeanor, he has a mean streak on the field.
"When I'm down in a stance, that's when I'm ready to go," he said with a grin.
This season, WVU's coaches are hoping both players are ready to go.
Reach Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827, mitchvin...@wvgazette.com or follow him at twitter.com.MitchVingle.
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