-QB Skyler Howard said that all three of the new wide receivers have impressed. Jovon Durante has been very fast and has caught on quickly during his time on campus. Gary Jennings has a big body and has caught the ball in traffic, while Ka’Raun White has a “limitless” ceiling much like his brother Kevin.
-It’s nice to have those big-bodied wide receivers to throw the ball up and let them get it in man coverage giving the Mountaineers some options down the field. Both are great athletes with speed.
-Howard said that yesterday was the last day of installation but now the focus has shifted to tweaking what they are doing and focusing on the things they do well.
-Howard was very guarded about the installation of the run-game aspect with the read option but said that things are going well. It’s something he is very familiar with during his time in high school and at the junior college level.
-OL Stone Underwood said that he is working primarily at center now after bouncing around between several positions during his time on campus. He realizes this is the last go-around for him in his career and is ready to work and see the field this fall.
-Underwood said that the depth is as good as it’s been since he has been on campus. There are two lines right now that could come in and contribute if called upon. Underwood told me that right now the second team unit is Sylvester Townes at left tackle, Kyle Bosch at left tackle, Stone Underwood at center, Grant Lingafelter at right guard and Marcell Lazard at right tackle.
-The offensive linemen have yet to talk about if they will be rotated in this season like some of you have been asking about.
-SPUR KJ Dillon said that Jordan Thompson uses “any cheating way,” to get open because he is elusive and quick off the ball. He has many tools in his tool belt so he has gotten a lot better at finding the open holes in the defense.
-Dillon said that Jovon Durante came in ready to work and ever since he came back he has been making plays and standing out. Dillon thinks the coaches will give him his chance. Overall, Dillon said that Jovon Durante reminds him of Stedman Bailey because his footwork and route running, but he’s faster and uses that speed to his advantage.
-When it comes to the other two, Gary Jennings is a guy that has strong hands and will out muscle you as well as being smooth down the field. Ka’Raun White makes sure he catches the ball first but has explosion down the sideline.
-Overall the defense is in a position it hasn’t been at in the past with the high expectations but Dillon said that it has really given them confidence and believe they can make an impact this fall. “If you don’t believe it’s going to happen, it’s not going to happen.”
-CB Daryl Worley played as a true freshman and from what he has seen out of Jordan Adams and Tyrek Cole he believes that those two are currently further along from a physical and mental standpoint than he was when he first arrived on campus. “They are steps ahead of where I was when I came in,” he said. During the off-season the coaches challenged Worley to be a more vocal leader and it’s something he really has one this fall. Athletically the two are catching onto techniques and moving as well as understanding much better but it’s the film room that is different.
-Worley said the most difficult thing to defend so far has been the speed of the players on the opposite side of the field. Shelton Gibson is one of those players and Worley said that he is a special player and is somebody that people need to look out for moving forward.
-CB Nana Kyeremeh is currently working with the second team unit right now and where he has seen the most improvement has been in the off-season both adding weight, around 20-pounds since he got on campus, and knowing how to better play the position with recognition and route recognition. He believes that the group is competitive and they are pushing each other to be the best they can be.
-Kyeremeh said he has placed higher expectations on himself this fall because he doesn’t want a freshman to come in and out play him for one of those spots. So far he has seen a lot of willingness to compete out of those newcomers and desire to get better.
-CB Ricky Rumph said that he changed his number from No. 14 to No. 3 because his mother has three sons and every time he puts the jersey on he takes pride in not only the school but his family. Overall, Rumph has seen more improvement in himself and has taken the next-man-up thought process when it comes to where he will see the field this fall.
-I asked Rumph specifically about usage in the nickel and dime packages and he told me that they have not really gotten into that aspect yet in practice.
-Shelton Gibson says his first year in Morgantown was really tough since football was taken away from him. Gibson said he had to learn to be a good student that year. Head coach Dana Holgorsen challenged Gibson to be a 3.0 GPA student during that first semester on campus. Gibson did get a 3.0 then and hasn't gotten anything lower since. Gibson points to KJ Myers as the guy who took him under his wing during those tough times. During his time not being able to play in games, it was also the start of friendships with Skyler Howard & Jacky Marceullus.
-After Gibson said that, Myers was asked about why he took Gibson under his wing, especially since Gibson was a candidate to take his job. Myers said he did so because he really got to know Gibson as a person and felt like it was his job to make sure Gibson had a support system.
-Myers is repping with the ones and twos at inside receiver. He admitted it was tough for him not getting to play all that much over the past few years, but really believes its his time to shine in the offense. He understands that if he can make plays inside, it'll open both the run game for guys like Rushel Shell and Wendell Smallwood as well as big plays on the outside for Gibson. Myers feels he can make an impact.
-During the offseason, KJ Dillon and Karl Joseph led film room sessions for their fellow defensive backs. Dillon says the group watched every game numerous times. Some days the group would watch the whole game through, sometimes they would watch just the mistakes, other times would be scouting some of the opponents they have again on the schedule this fall and others would be just to watch the really good plays to keep the morale high.
-Both Daryl Worley and Dravon Henry raved about these film sessions. Worley and Henry said the group of defensive backs became even closer than they were last season. Henry said he can point to one of his mistakes in each game that hurt the team. He says he thinks about a lot of those mistakes during practice as a reference so he won't make the same mistake.
-Quarterback Skyler Howard says he's worked extremely hard on his read-post throw, which is basically a slant route. He remembered missing high on it a bunch in the Liberty Bowl against Texas A&M. He felt if he could get that throw accurate, it would expand the offense for West Virginia. Howard spent time with Holgorsen, Michael Burchett and just alone working on his footwork for this specific throw.
-It’s nice to have those big-bodied wide receivers to throw the ball up and let them get it in man coverage giving the Mountaineers some options down the field. Both are great athletes with speed.
-Howard said that yesterday was the last day of installation but now the focus has shifted to tweaking what they are doing and focusing on the things they do well.
-Howard was very guarded about the installation of the run-game aspect with the read option but said that things are going well. It’s something he is very familiar with during his time in high school and at the junior college level.
-OL Stone Underwood said that he is working primarily at center now after bouncing around between several positions during his time on campus. He realizes this is the last go-around for him in his career and is ready to work and see the field this fall.
-Underwood said that the depth is as good as it’s been since he has been on campus. There are two lines right now that could come in and contribute if called upon. Underwood told me that right now the second team unit is Sylvester Townes at left tackle, Kyle Bosch at left tackle, Stone Underwood at center, Grant Lingafelter at right guard and Marcell Lazard at right tackle.
-The offensive linemen have yet to talk about if they will be rotated in this season like some of you have been asking about.
-SPUR KJ Dillon said that Jordan Thompson uses “any cheating way,” to get open because he is elusive and quick off the ball. He has many tools in his tool belt so he has gotten a lot better at finding the open holes in the defense.
-Dillon said that Jovon Durante came in ready to work and ever since he came back he has been making plays and standing out. Dillon thinks the coaches will give him his chance. Overall, Dillon said that Jovon Durante reminds him of Stedman Bailey because his footwork and route running, but he’s faster and uses that speed to his advantage.
-When it comes to the other two, Gary Jennings is a guy that has strong hands and will out muscle you as well as being smooth down the field. Ka’Raun White makes sure he catches the ball first but has explosion down the sideline.
-Overall the defense is in a position it hasn’t been at in the past with the high expectations but Dillon said that it has really given them confidence and believe they can make an impact this fall. “If you don’t believe it’s going to happen, it’s not going to happen.”
-CB Daryl Worley played as a true freshman and from what he has seen out of Jordan Adams and Tyrek Cole he believes that those two are currently further along from a physical and mental standpoint than he was when he first arrived on campus. “They are steps ahead of where I was when I came in,” he said. During the off-season the coaches challenged Worley to be a more vocal leader and it’s something he really has one this fall. Athletically the two are catching onto techniques and moving as well as understanding much better but it’s the film room that is different.
-Worley said the most difficult thing to defend so far has been the speed of the players on the opposite side of the field. Shelton Gibson is one of those players and Worley said that he is a special player and is somebody that people need to look out for moving forward.
-CB Nana Kyeremeh is currently working with the second team unit right now and where he has seen the most improvement has been in the off-season both adding weight, around 20-pounds since he got on campus, and knowing how to better play the position with recognition and route recognition. He believes that the group is competitive and they are pushing each other to be the best they can be.
-Kyeremeh said he has placed higher expectations on himself this fall because he doesn’t want a freshman to come in and out play him for one of those spots. So far he has seen a lot of willingness to compete out of those newcomers and desire to get better.
-CB Ricky Rumph said that he changed his number from No. 14 to No. 3 because his mother has three sons and every time he puts the jersey on he takes pride in not only the school but his family. Overall, Rumph has seen more improvement in himself and has taken the next-man-up thought process when it comes to where he will see the field this fall.
-I asked Rumph specifically about usage in the nickel and dime packages and he told me that they have not really gotten into that aspect yet in practice.
-Shelton Gibson says his first year in Morgantown was really tough since football was taken away from him. Gibson said he had to learn to be a good student that year. Head coach Dana Holgorsen challenged Gibson to be a 3.0 GPA student during that first semester on campus. Gibson did get a 3.0 then and hasn't gotten anything lower since. Gibson points to KJ Myers as the guy who took him under his wing during those tough times. During his time not being able to play in games, it was also the start of friendships with Skyler Howard & Jacky Marceullus.
-After Gibson said that, Myers was asked about why he took Gibson under his wing, especially since Gibson was a candidate to take his job. Myers said he did so because he really got to know Gibson as a person and felt like it was his job to make sure Gibson had a support system.
-Myers is repping with the ones and twos at inside receiver. He admitted it was tough for him not getting to play all that much over the past few years, but really believes its his time to shine in the offense. He understands that if he can make plays inside, it'll open both the run game for guys like Rushel Shell and Wendell Smallwood as well as big plays on the outside for Gibson. Myers feels he can make an impact.
-During the offseason, KJ Dillon and Karl Joseph led film room sessions for their fellow defensive backs. Dillon says the group watched every game numerous times. Some days the group would watch the whole game through, sometimes they would watch just the mistakes, other times would be scouting some of the opponents they have again on the schedule this fall and others would be just to watch the really good plays to keep the morale high.
-Both Daryl Worley and Dravon Henry raved about these film sessions. Worley and Henry said the group of defensive backs became even closer than they were last season. Henry said he can point to one of his mistakes in each game that hurt the team. He says he thinks about a lot of those mistakes during practice as a reference so he won't make the same mistake.
-Quarterback Skyler Howard says he's worked extremely hard on his read-post throw, which is basically a slant route. He remembered missing high on it a bunch in the Liberty Bowl against Texas A&M. He felt if he could get that throw accurate, it would expand the offense for West Virginia. Howard spent time with Holgorsen, Michael Burchett and just alone working on his footwork for this specific throw.
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