No. 7: West Virginia - AthlonSports.com

No. 7 West Virginia Mountaineers

Editor’s Note: Beginning every May 1, Athlon Sports counts toward the release of its College Football Annuals by releasing one spot in its Top 25 every weekday for five weeks. The No. 1 team will be revealed June 4. Check AthlonSports.com every day to see who’s next in the countdown. The 2008 College Football Annuals hit newsstands June 3rd.

Interim head coaches were 1–6 in bowl games this past postseason. The only winner was Bill Stewart, who took over in Morgantown following Rich Rodriguez’s resignation and engineered the Mountaineers’ stunning 48–28 Fiesta Bowl triumph over Oklahoma. For fans who may have been wondering how the players would respond to their new coach, the early results are most encouraging.

A returning starter at quarterback is always a welcome sight for a first-year head coach, and Stewart has one of the best. Pat White, the Big East Offensive Player of the Year the last two years running (pun intended), has no rival as a spread-option quarterback. White has been the starter since midway through his freshman year. As a junior last fall, he ran for 1,335 yards at 6.8 per carry, and threw for 1,724 yards on 144-of-216 attempts. He scored 14 touchdowns on the ground and threw for 14 more.

Running back Steve Slaton took off for the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining, but Noel Devine should step right in and flourish. Devine flashed glimpses of his enormous potential last year, averaging 8.6 yards per carry with six touchdowns in a limited role. White, Devine and their supporting cast will work behind arguably the nation’s best offensive line, with All-America tackle Ryan Stanchek and All-Big East guard Greg Isdaner holding down the left side.

There is some rebuilding to be done on defense, but last year’s top two tacklers — linebackers Reed Williams and Mortty Ivy — will steady the unit until help arrives.

There are potential landmines all over the schedule — at East Carolina and at Colorado in September, home to Auburn in October, and the visit from South Florida in the Dec. 6 finale. But the one circled in red is the trip to Pitt on Nov. 28.

Happy New Year West Virginia is one of only two teams to have played in five straight New Year’s bowl games. The other is USC.

Padding his record White holds the Big East record for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 3,506, and he still has a year to play.

Ground attack The 2007 Mountaineers finished third nationally in rushing offense with 297 yards per game, trailing only Navy and Air Force.

West Virginia superlatives:

OL Ryan Stanchek is named First-Team All-America and First-Team All-Big East.

RB Noel Devine is named Second-Team All-America and First-Team All-Big East.

QB Pat White and OL Greg Isdaner are named Third-Team All-America and First-Team All-Big East.

LB Reed Williams and K Pat McAfee are named First-Team All-Big East.

C Mike Dent and S Quinton Andrews are named Second-Team All-Big East.

OL Jake Figner, OL Selvish Capers, DL Scooter Berry, LB Mortty Ivy, LB J.T. Thomas, P Pat McAfee and KR Noel Devine join the All-Big East Third Team.

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2008 Preseason Top 25 Countdown Begins May 1st.

Pat White

No. 5, Senior, Quarterback

Pat White has been the Big East’s Offensive Player of the Year the past two seasons. He’s the school and league career rushing leader for a quarterback with 3,506 yards. He was the MVP of the Fiesta and Gator bowls. And now he’s a senior. “What else can you say about Patrick?” says coach Bill Stewart. “He’s the best winner I’ve ever coached. I don’t care how, he’ll beat you.”

White has speed to burn and should benefit from Stewart’s promise to install more motion and vertical passing in the offense. The 6'2", 185-pound White still needs to work on his touch passes, but otherwise is exceptional.

PASS YARDS	PASS TD
1,724	14
White	White

RUSH YARDS	RUSH TD
1,335	14
White	White

REC. YARDS	REC. TD
272	1
Jalloh	2 Tied

TACKLES	SACKS
107	6
Williams	Ivy

2007 RECORD
11-2
5-2 Big East

	GAME	NCAA	Big East
TOTAL OFFENSE	456.2	15th	2nd
TOTAL DEFENSE	301.7	7th	2nd
POINTS SCORED	39.6	9th	1st
POINTS ALLOWED	18.1	8th	1st

A. 30	Villanova
S. 6	at East Carolina
S. 18	at Colorado
S. 27	Marshall
O. 4	Rutgers
O. 11	Syracuse
O. 23	Auburn
N. 1	at Connecticut
N. 8	Cincinnati
N. 22	at Louisville
N. 28	at Pittsburgh
D. 6	South Florida

williamgeorge
(November 13, 2008 - 9:10pm)

Re:No. 7 West Virginia Mountaineers

Once an abomination, Rutgers'offense has come alive. Pitt found out the hard way. WVU can not overlook Rutgers'. Ryan Hart has done a great job at QB this year limiting his interceptions. Hart has plenty of weapons Tres Moses and Shawn Tucker. WVU can't afford to drop eight in coverage because of FB Brian Leonard, this guy can punish a defense.
----------------
williamgeorge
virginia drug rehab

bohnseye
(August 6, 2008 - 9:55pm)

Smart football fans

There are teams that i dont like. But a good team is a good team. Anyone that knows football can see that WVU is good. Anyone that says theyre not dosnt know what they are talking about.

erokvilla
(August 5, 2008 - 6:00pm)

1st crawl, then walk, then run

You don't have to win a national title you just can't lose to a team like Pitt ( at least not a Pitt team who loses 7 games in ONE season). WVU is past the crawl and should continue to dominate the Little(Big) East but in order to gain respect WVU can't stumble against rival Pitt in what was a very bad year for the Panthers.

ricjohn
(August 5, 2008 - 8:39am)

never have gotten respect

west virginia as a school and a state have never gotten respect so we are used all the trash talking, the talk only helps our team so keep talking. as for the pitt game open your eyes, dick rod wanted to go to the ho house and if wvu won it would be very difficult. count the different number of plays used, I might be wrong but I think the number was around 6. we have a much better overall staff by far now and I think good things will only get better. I expect dick rod to have a nervous breakdown sometime right after the ohio state game. where will he go next, only down and I dont mean south as in southern states.

WAREAGLE 566
(July 23, 2008 - 9:07am)

kill Auburn? O.K.

-WAR EAGLE-
If Florida cant do it in the Swamp. WVU surely cant do it at their house.

BuckeyeSioux
(July 19, 2008 - 1:43pm)

Everyone can beat WVU!

Your team had their chance with your best team and couldn't get to the NC! let alone get there THIS season. You guys have a long way still to go before you can be taken seriously. Can't beat your way out of a backyard brawl! Just Ask Pitt! Are "you all" through whinning about Rich Rod? Move on already so sick of hearing that crap too!

It is better to be IN the Dance than watching from home.

amalphru
(July 16, 2008 - 9:57pm)

DICK RODRIGUEZ

SLAMHOG SLAMMERThe reason we lost that game is because of dick rob...... he threw the game..... look at the game tape. he did nothing the same as he did the whole year. so 13-9 yeah whatever. ann arbor can take dick rob cuz we dont need someone throwing our games like he did. he knew he was going to ann arbor and threw that game. so 13-9 huh. eat the trash we throw at our tailgates cuz thats all u are buddy.

alkirec1
(June 26, 2008 - 2:05pm)

PITT SUCKS

PITT SUCKS/PITT SUCKS/PITT SUCKS/PITT SUCKS/

alkirec1
(June 26, 2008 - 2:01pm)

wvu

listen Slony- you probably got beat up in Morgantown one time and now your crotch hurts. so suck it up ans quit being a baby. who's your team? PITT? I absolutely hate PITT and and this year PITT will get crushed by the mighty mountaineers.

treetopolist
(May 29, 2008 - 8:00pm)

WVU FANS

Nothing wrong with your expectations of your team, having the best QB in college football that can be questioned, Until WVU does it knobody will EXPECT IT. I expect WVU to have another real good season and kill everybody except hmmm south florida, Louisville will be playing better defense this season. Auburn, kill Auburn and then everyone will say watch out for WVU.

david e
(May 29, 2008 - 3:16pm)

Nobody can beat WVU but WVU

WVU has lost only 5 games since 2005. In every game turnovers are what beat us. And except for the Louisville game, we had a chance to win each game up to the last play. When we don't make mistakes we can't be beat. Ask OU. And we have the best QB in college football. We are going to win the national championship.

daniel lafferty
(May 28, 2008 - 6:08pm)

wvu team to beat

daniel lafferty

treetopolist
(May 28, 2008 - 3:27pm)

Respect

I am an OU fan and I respect what WVU has done, how can I not? The MEDIA won't resepect you until you win the big one, call OU chokes all you want(OU HAS BEEN CHOKING!!) BUT we have 7 titles and 1 this decade, so the proof is there that OU CAN win a title with the talent constantly comming in. WVU has been on the brink of a NCAA title and honestly couldv'e played for it but it lost at whoefull PITT. Personally I don't think WVU could've beaten LSU in New Orleans (Yeah we lost that one too.) I do believe they'd given LSU a better game than Ohio St. I personally have WVU in the top 5, WVU lost alot on defense this season I remember 2 years ago when that happened you guys stuggled on defense for quite some time during the regular season.

treetopolist
(May 28, 2008 - 3:17pm)

Whatever

I can understand why WVU fans are crying BUT they lost to woefull PITT in the backyard brawl, now they head to the mile high area to face Colorado and a rebuilding Defense has to deal with Auburn at home. I know Morgantown is an extremley tough place to play, but if you think the Auburn Tigers will be shellshocked in Morgantown after yearly visits to Baton Rouge, Tuscallossa, Gainesville, and Athens.....need I say more? WVU IS rebuilding it's defense so when they may struggle to THROW the ball downfield it may cost them when the running game is being held in check. That's why WVU is not in the media's top 5! Personally I do think WVU will finish in the Top 3 I don't see them winning against a USC or Georgia unless they can throw it. I know you already beat GA before but that was a different Ga team. And Southern Cal's defense isn't one you can spread apart and run against unless you can pass the football.

slony
(May 28, 2008 - 2:42pm)

0 national titles for WVwho?

and the best thing to ever happen to that sorry excuse for a college will win in Ann Arbor maybe not this year but he will win while WVwho will find out the hard way that their 15 minutes of fame are up

13-9 13-9 13-9 13-9 13-9 13-9 13-9 is what WVwho will always be remembered for

The Bank
(May 28, 2008 - 2:24pm)

Give us some respect.

WVU number 7? I guess we will see the same ole teams. Ohio State will be rated too high again. Once they run through their all Ohio schedule they will get pounded yet again in another BCS bowl. Then of course Oklahoma will be right there. They couldn't win a BCS bowl even if they played Ohio State. Lets get off the traditional ranking and rank teams for what they have done in the last decade.

DubVee
(May 28, 2008 - 10:50am)

How many times must I smack you slony??????

1...2...3...4...5 straight New Year's bowl games ha ha ha.
I mean what else does West Virginia gotta do to make you understand son. Let me guess...win a title?

WVBUCK
(May 28, 2008 - 6:25am)

WVU - Results Do Matter!

When you win 11 games in 3 consecutive seasons and play on New Years Day 5 years in a row you don't owe ANYONE an apology! Big 12 chump Oklahoma did a great job holding WVU to less than 50 points and less than 400 yards rushing? When you play WVU, put some extra air in your helmet!

slony
(May 28, 2008 - 12:24am)

over rated

WVU is way over rated and they will lose 5 games this year the best thing that ever happened to WVU is in Ann Arbor now Bill Stewart is a nice guy but he has is so out of his leauge he will be the next Larry Coker oh and i forgot one more important thing

13-9 13-9 13-9 13-9 13-9

bozley
(May 27, 2008 - 9:08am)

No respect! All Pat White

No respect! All Pat White does is win, and you've got them 7th? I bet you had them picked to lose to OK, and to Louiville, and Georgia Tech, and Georgia! Does OK deserve a higher ranking after that butt whooping, and most of the team coming back? You cannot convince me! Please don't tell me you are going to rank two teams from the same conference, Big 12, that WVU dominated and humiliated, ahead of them?!?!?!?

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