--West Virginia head coach Neal Brown said that they are through three spring practices with install with a lot of individual and group work. He can’t give much good on personnel yet, but they will go Tuesday and Thursday. The first six practices are for individual and group installs and then seven through fifteen is a lot of team work. This week they will go Tuesday and Thursday and will practice on Friday and it’s the only time they will go back-to-back all spring. The coaches clinic is Friday and they will do fundamentals for that. Saturday they will be in the stadium and it will be more of a scrimmage type.
--Rasheed Marshall has been hired as the Director of Player relations in a full-time role. Great player here and Brown got to know him over the last four years. He has been around the team and gotten to know him through the Fifth Quarter program. He is excited to add him and he has done well professionally. He wanted to be part of the program and loves West Virginia. The job is what Osman Kamara did before and he is a liaison between the players and the support staff with housing and admissions. He worked directly with several different pieces on campus and he is here for the players to help prepare them for life after football in this role.
--This is a big day for several of the former players and there are some good stories here with Pro-Day. Brown was excited what Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Dante Stills did at the Combine but the others get their opportunity to do so today.
--Offense had a nice day on Tuesday and Thursday but he wasn’t pleased with their urgency on Saturday. The first two practices were clean from an alignment and assignment perspective, but it wasn’t as clean Saturday. For the defense, Saturday was their best day and they were more confident. That happens more when you start putting the pads on and getting more physical. It’s too early for personnel wise, but the guy that has stood out has been Devin Carter. There’s a chance for a real quality running back room. Preston Fox has also stood out at wide receiver. Sean Martin and Aubrey Burks have stood out on defense and they’re off to a good start.
--Brown said that their nose guards as well over 300-pounds, the three-techniques are 270-plus but more than anything they need depth. They need to add one more body, maybe two.
--West Virginia lost a lot at wide receiver and a lot of production. Sam James and Bryce Ford-Wheaton were really productive over time and they’ve got to replace a lot of those catches and targets. Through three practices, Devin Carter has delivered and looks the part of a one and has made some big plays. Jeremiah Aaron and Cortez Braham have to make a move. They need to be more consistent but they have shown flashes. They have to use the running backs and tight ends in the pass game. That’s why they brought Kole Taylor here. Expect West Virginia to bring in another wide receiver.
--Both the new offensive coaches bring a lot of energy and Brown thinks they will be elite recruiters over time. They are both great teachers and have been under some good people and benefitted from that. Both bring something to the table that will help them offensively. Blaine Stewart is recruiting for the first time and that’s really the only new aspect of the job. It’s important to put him in areas he is comfortable where he has the name recognition.
--Devin Carter has done an excellent job attacking the off-season. He’s made a bunch of plays in the first three days now they’re only one week in but he’s made a lot of plays and contested catches.
--CJ Donaldson doesn’t have a whole lot of experience but he’s shown flashes. He needs to be durable and how much live tackling he’ll get is to be determined but he has practiced the entire time. They’ve worked Donaldson all over the field through the first three. They used him a lot in empty situations in high school and he is comfortable playing as a pass catcher.
--The identity of the football team is led by the staff but as far as personnel you have to use what you have at hand. If there is a vision you have you need to go seek that personnel. But the best pieces for them right now is the offensive line and running back room so they have to build around the strengths.
--Brandon Yates has done well at center and he’s got some natural ability there. The snaps are off a little bit because he hasn’t done it but he’s a more natural inside player.
--They need to get more out of the tight end spot. They didn’t take advantage of the tight ends in the flats or vertical off run/pass stuff. Kole Taylor played slot receiver in high school and he is long and he is open by birth with a distinct advantage given his size. That’s why they brought him here because he is an able blocker and help in the run game, but give them a vertical threat down the field and make a play after the catch. Now it’s up to them to take advantage of that.
--Bryce Ford-Wheaton got a lot better from spring of 2019 to now. You wouldn’t believe it was him back then but he has worked hard over the last calendar year and at a pro level to improve. His best football is ahead of him and he will be able to play on special teams and wide receiver. Dante Stills has versatility and can fit into a three down or four down front. He has played both and changed his body. He has grown in his mental approach and done well on the board. He was highly productive.
--Jasir Cox really helped himself last year and Sam James is a little slept on and he’s going to test out well. His biggest issue has been his weight but he has been productive on film and has an elite trait that he can cover punts and has done it as well as anybody in the country over the last three years.
--Brett Yormark has brought some out of the box ideas and the new pro day will only help. When Brown first learned about him getting hired he thought he would elevate the name brand of the Big 12.
--There will be 29 teams today but there will be 32 with multiple representatives at the combine event for the Big 12. Brown doesn’t know how it will work with doing their own pro-days. Brown thinks the Big 12 deal is great but he is unclear if everybody is draft eligible do they get invites and he wants everybody that is draft eligible to be able to perform in front of pro scouts. It depends what the rules are whether they’ll be able to host their own in the future.
--Keyshawn Cobb is working deep safety. Hershey McLaurin is getting work at spear, while Lance Dixon and Raleigh Collins are getting work at spear. Formationally will decide if Dixon is playing spear or will. He has great size and so much of the league is on the perimeter and he's a more difficult block.
--At WILL, Jairo Faverus, Trey Lathan and Ben Cutter are all working there.
--Rasheed Marshall has been hired as the Director of Player relations in a full-time role. Great player here and Brown got to know him over the last four years. He has been around the team and gotten to know him through the Fifth Quarter program. He is excited to add him and he has done well professionally. He wanted to be part of the program and loves West Virginia. The job is what Osman Kamara did before and he is a liaison between the players and the support staff with housing and admissions. He worked directly with several different pieces on campus and he is here for the players to help prepare them for life after football in this role.
--This is a big day for several of the former players and there are some good stories here with Pro-Day. Brown was excited what Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Dante Stills did at the Combine but the others get their opportunity to do so today.
--Offense had a nice day on Tuesday and Thursday but he wasn’t pleased with their urgency on Saturday. The first two practices were clean from an alignment and assignment perspective, but it wasn’t as clean Saturday. For the defense, Saturday was their best day and they were more confident. That happens more when you start putting the pads on and getting more physical. It’s too early for personnel wise, but the guy that has stood out has been Devin Carter. There’s a chance for a real quality running back room. Preston Fox has also stood out at wide receiver. Sean Martin and Aubrey Burks have stood out on defense and they’re off to a good start.
--Brown said that their nose guards as well over 300-pounds, the three-techniques are 270-plus but more than anything they need depth. They need to add one more body, maybe two.
--West Virginia lost a lot at wide receiver and a lot of production. Sam James and Bryce Ford-Wheaton were really productive over time and they’ve got to replace a lot of those catches and targets. Through three practices, Devin Carter has delivered and looks the part of a one and has made some big plays. Jeremiah Aaron and Cortez Braham have to make a move. They need to be more consistent but they have shown flashes. They have to use the running backs and tight ends in the pass game. That’s why they brought Kole Taylor here. Expect West Virginia to bring in another wide receiver.
--Both the new offensive coaches bring a lot of energy and Brown thinks they will be elite recruiters over time. They are both great teachers and have been under some good people and benefitted from that. Both bring something to the table that will help them offensively. Blaine Stewart is recruiting for the first time and that’s really the only new aspect of the job. It’s important to put him in areas he is comfortable where he has the name recognition.
--Devin Carter has done an excellent job attacking the off-season. He’s made a bunch of plays in the first three days now they’re only one week in but he’s made a lot of plays and contested catches.
--CJ Donaldson doesn’t have a whole lot of experience but he’s shown flashes. He needs to be durable and how much live tackling he’ll get is to be determined but he has practiced the entire time. They’ve worked Donaldson all over the field through the first three. They used him a lot in empty situations in high school and he is comfortable playing as a pass catcher.
--The identity of the football team is led by the staff but as far as personnel you have to use what you have at hand. If there is a vision you have you need to go seek that personnel. But the best pieces for them right now is the offensive line and running back room so they have to build around the strengths.
--Brandon Yates has done well at center and he’s got some natural ability there. The snaps are off a little bit because he hasn’t done it but he’s a more natural inside player.
--They need to get more out of the tight end spot. They didn’t take advantage of the tight ends in the flats or vertical off run/pass stuff. Kole Taylor played slot receiver in high school and he is long and he is open by birth with a distinct advantage given his size. That’s why they brought him here because he is an able blocker and help in the run game, but give them a vertical threat down the field and make a play after the catch. Now it’s up to them to take advantage of that.
--Bryce Ford-Wheaton got a lot better from spring of 2019 to now. You wouldn’t believe it was him back then but he has worked hard over the last calendar year and at a pro level to improve. His best football is ahead of him and he will be able to play on special teams and wide receiver. Dante Stills has versatility and can fit into a three down or four down front. He has played both and changed his body. He has grown in his mental approach and done well on the board. He was highly productive.
--Jasir Cox really helped himself last year and Sam James is a little slept on and he’s going to test out well. His biggest issue has been his weight but he has been productive on film and has an elite trait that he can cover punts and has done it as well as anybody in the country over the last three years.
--Brett Yormark has brought some out of the box ideas and the new pro day will only help. When Brown first learned about him getting hired he thought he would elevate the name brand of the Big 12.
--There will be 29 teams today but there will be 32 with multiple representatives at the combine event for the Big 12. Brown doesn’t know how it will work with doing their own pro-days. Brown thinks the Big 12 deal is great but he is unclear if everybody is draft eligible do they get invites and he wants everybody that is draft eligible to be able to perform in front of pro scouts. It depends what the rules are whether they’ll be able to host their own in the future.
--Keyshawn Cobb is working deep safety. Hershey McLaurin is getting work at spear, while Lance Dixon and Raleigh Collins are getting work at spear. Formationally will decide if Dixon is playing spear or will. He has great size and so much of the league is on the perimeter and he's a more difficult block.
--At WILL, Jairo Faverus, Trey Lathan and Ben Cutter are all working there.
