Moving ahead into this week, the WVU football team will direct its attention to the home opener – a Saturday, Sept. 5 date, with the Liberty Flames.
Geno Smith, a freshman who earned the backup quarterback job during summer camp, may make his Mountaineer debut against Liberty. Despite being a freshman, Smith is taking a mature approach to the team’s first opponent, which hails from the Football Championship Series (FCS) classification.
“We’re all grown men out there on the field,” he said. “We all have pride.”
Smith expects WVU will get Liberty’s best shot.
“I’m pretty sure Liberty is going to come out and give it their all. We are, too.”
Getting ready for football games is something Smith does not take lightly.
“You just got to prepare for every game like it’s your last one,” he said.
NO PRESSURE
Smith isn’t the only player who will get his first taste of what game days are like at Mountaineer Field.
Though Joe Madsen, a redshirt freshman center, was with the team last season, he still has not taken the field for a single play from scrimmage.
Against Liberty, when Madsen bends over, grips the football, snaps it back to quarterback Jarrett Brown, then launches upright into blocking position, he may be debuting in front of as many as 60,000 WVU fans.
Is that a little quick to thrust Madsen in at center, in his first-ever college game?
“It probably is,” admitted head coach Bill Stewart. “He deserves that shot.
Eric Jobe was projected to start at center, but during camp, was switched with Madsen, who was playing right guard. Jobe and Madsen will be responsible for reading defenses and calling out blocking assignments.
“The good thing is, Jobe is beside him and helps make all the calls,” Stewart said.
Stewart said Madsen was a tough, dependable center with “great explosion and hip snap.”
Snapping the football, reading defenses and occupying the middle of the offensive line make center the most important position on the line.
“Usually, that’s where your best offensive lineman goes,” Stewart said.
LIGHTNING LAUNCH FOR LANKSTER
Former WVU defensive back Ellis Lankster was a seventh round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills. Lankster has hit the ground running in his NFL debut.
Through four preseason games, Lankster has totaled nine tackles and two interceptions. Both of his interceptions came during a 27-20 win, against Chicago. Lankster racked up 43 return yards following his picks, as he maneuvered down the field and nearly reached the endzone.
WVU defensive backs coach David Lockwood, who only had a year to guide Lankster, deserves much of the credit for his protégé’s development. The two still keep in contact with text messages and phone calls.
Lockwood watched his pupil’s performance against Chicago and said Lankster called him after the game.
He joked with Lankster about his interception returns telling him, ‘Hey you better get with the running back coach and learn some moves.’”
“I’m happy for him. I’m excited for him.”
“It just goes to show you – if the individual makes the commitment, and works hard, nine times out of 10, they get something out of it,” said Lockwood. “The thing about Ellis is, he’s taken full advantage of it.”
Pointing to a proven track record of producing NFL players certainly doesn’t hurt on the recruiting trail.
“That’s what guys want to hear,” Lockwood said. “I think the neat thing about that [Lankster’s instance] is, it did happen in a year.
“It comes down to relationships and stuff like that. You do use that as a recruiting tool.”
The Mountaineers use a 3-3-5 odd stack defensive scheme. The five description of the defense identifies the amount of defensive backs that are on the field at the same time. More specifically, WVU uses two cornerbacks and three safeties, but all are relatively similar in stature and speed.
That uniqueness is also helpful in recruiting promising high school defensive backs.
“There are more numbers. There are more opportunities to get on the field,” Lockwood explained, as opposed to a more traditional 4-3 pro-style system.
D LOOKING TO SHOW UP FOR 60 MINUTES, NOT 30
Lockwood has been impressed with the development of the current WVU defense. Even though the team was relatively young last year, only returning three starters, Lockwood was impressed with the group’s poise. In seven games (out of 13) during 2008, WVU’s defense held opponents scoreless throughout the entire second half.
Getting off to a quicker start defensively and carrying that momentum during entire games is something Lockwood and the defensive coaches have stressed this offseason.
A requirement during camp was for the defense to create at least three turnovers per day. If they didn’t, they had to stay after practice and do some extra running. Most days, the defense got the job done. WVU is hoping the pressure to get turnovers in practice will pay off in real games.
The Mountaineers are hoping to eliminate early breakdowns and missed assignments that can make a difference if a game is decided by one score.
“You’re kicking yourself in the butt because we went out there early in the game and kind of went through the motions and give up a play here and a play there,” Lockwood said of last year.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS PRIMED FOR SPECIAL TEAMS
In a continued effort to fix special teams woes from last season, namely kickoff coverage, Stewart, who doubles as special teams coach, is making an interesting adjustment. Besides going to offseason camps around the country and learning techniques of premier special teams units, Stewart plans on sticking some offensive players in with the kickoff coverage group.
In most cases, defensive players handle kickoff coverage. This experiment will help keep WVU’s defensemen from getting worn down as easily.
So far, Stewart said running back Shawne Alston and fullback Ryan Clarke have taken reps with the kickoff coverage group.
Offensive skill position players don’t typically possess tackling skills, but Stewart noted they are still athletes who often played linebacker in high school. Such players who may participate on special teams are undergoing tackling drills to keep their skills sharp.
Stewart lauded one of Clarke’s takedowns in practice. “I saw him blow them up the other day.”