Jock-ularity, jocularity, jocularity

WVU may be one of the final programs to begin spring practice, but WR Jock Sanders was in mid-season form when meeting with the media.


You gotta love it when Noel Devine pops in for a little love during the interview, and Sanders is really into the Batman and Superman reference. How long until HC Bill Stewart Tweets about this?

PS: If you don't get the headline then you're not a M*A*S*H fan.

Bowl Preview: Konica Minolta Gator Bowl

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.
West Virginia vs. Florida State
Date: Jan. 1
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: CBS
Line: West Virginia -2.5

About West Virginia (9-3): The Mountaineers of the sweater-vested and slightly confused Bill Stewart have been very close to being very good. They've also been very close to being very bad. Which I guess puts them about where they should be.

Intangibles:
Coach not retiring: -2
Chick as mountaineer: +2
Pat Lazear rap sheet: (redacted)

About Florida State (6-6): Bobby Bowwden is retiring (sniff, sniff) - about eight years too late of course. The 'Noles finally put together a somewhat effective offense this year and the pass defense sucked. geesh. Of course, FSU has no business being in this game but due to St. Bobby's "retirement" road show, they get a New Year's Day Bowl.

Intangibles:
Terry Bowden: -1
Tommy Bowden: -2
Jeff Bowden: -3
Dadgum: -1

Impact player: Noel Devine. This midget needs to get the ball more. Gotta feed the kids, ya know?

Bowl slogan: "We'll fill the seats no matter how ridiculous it may seem."

Little known fact: Chris Rix no longer plays for Florida State. I miss those days.

Watchability (1-5): 2.8

The pick: Florida State 28, West Virginia 24

Memories of WVU-Louisville

Whenever the 'Eer thinks about WVU playing Louisville all he can muster is images of 2005. It was one of the greatest comebacks in Mountaineer history and it was when the nation was truly introduced to Pat White and Steve Slaton.

Hopefully this weekend's game in Morgantown will be much easier for WVU. Thanks to Steve Kragthorpe the Mountaineers should improve to 7-2 on the season. It is nice to see Krags hasn't lost his sense of humor, though.



As much as the 'Eer loves Noel Devine and the spark he provides for the Mountaineers, it's just not the same as watching Slaton.

'Eer's Mid-season All-American Team

I'm the first to admit this means nothing, but it's fun to do. Most of these selections are based on what I've seen this fall, but some picks were made on team success combined with overall stats. I refuse to try to pick offensive linemen. Sorry, just can't do it.

Let me know what you think.

First Team
QB: Tony Pike, Cincinnati
RB: Toby Gerhart, Stanford
RB: Noel Devine, WVU
FB: Stanley Havili, USC
TE: Anthony McCoy, USC
WR: Jordan Shipley, Texas
WR: Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati

DE: Jerry Hughes, TCU
DT: Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
OLB: Eric Norwood, South Carolina
MLB: Brandon Spikes, Florida
DB: Kurt Coleman, Ohio State
SS: Eric Berry, Tennessee
FS: Taylor Mays, USC

Second Team
QB: Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
RB: Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
RB: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
FB: Vince Murray, Navy
TE: Dennis Pitta, BYU
WR: Golden Tate, Notre Dame
WR: Eric Decker, Minnesota

DE: O'Brien Schofield, Wisconsin
DT: Cameron Hayward, Ohio State
OLB: Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech
MLB: Rolando McClain, Alabama
DB: Javier Arenas, Alabama
SS: Ahmad Black, Florida
FS: Chad Jones, LSU

Sporting News takes a crack at best players

When you are trying to write about college football in June you find reporters and bloggers coming up with a lot of lists.

Best/worst coaches

Best/worst stadiums

Best/worst concessions

The Sporting News recently posted its Top 25 players for the 2009 season. No major surprises, but interesting to note that there is just one Buckeye (Terrelle Pryor) and no Mountaineers (what, no Noel Devine?).

There is only one other Big Ten player on the list (No. 25 Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois), and just one Big East player (No. 6 George Selvie, DE, South Florida).

Topping the list is University of Florida Superman Tim Tebow, the first of three Gators and eight SEC players to crack the Top 25. The Big 12 has seven representatives, led by Oklahoma QB and last year's Heisman winner Sam Bradford. The Pac-10 has four players, followed by one each from the ACC, Mountain West and Notre Dame.

WVU depth chart 2009

We try to talk about anything and everything related to College Football. However, once in awhile I like to stick with our basics -- Ohio State and WVU. So here's the Mountaineers depth charge following spring practice.

Interesting to note that the two highly touted freshman receivers--Tavon Austin and Logan Heastie--are both listed at No. 2, while Bradley Sparks, who didn't throw a pass all spring, is listed as the back-up at QB. Don't forget, Sparks played receiver all last season.

WVU 2009 Depth Chart
Offense WR (X): Alric Arnett (r-Sr.), Logan Heastie (Fr.), Ryan Nehlen (R-Fr.)
SL (H): Wes Lyons (Sr), Carmen Connolly (Sr.), Jack Crow (r-Sr.), Deon Long (Fr.), Steadman Bailey (Fr.)
TE: Tyler Urban (So.), Will Johnson (Jr.), Scott Loving (r-Sr.)
LT: Don Barclay (r-So.), Matt Timmerman (r-Jr.), Levi Pardee (r-Fr.), Cole Bowers (Fr.)
LG: Josh Jenkins (So.), Chad Snodgrass (r-So.), Nick Kindler (Fr.)
C: Eric Jobe (r-Jr.), Joe Madsen (r-Fr.), Joe Rhein (r-So.), Jordan Weingart (Fr.)
RG: Jeff Braun (r-Fr.), John Bassler (r-Fr.), Ryan Spiker (Fr.)
RT: Selvish Capers (r-Sr.), Jon Walko (r-Sr.), Pat Eger (Fr.)
SL (S): Carmen Connolly (Sr.), Tavon Austin (Fr.)
WR (Z): Bradley Starks (r-So.), J.D. Woods (r-Fr.)
QB: Jarrett Brown (r-Sr.), Bradley Starks (r-So.), Coley White (r-Fr.), Ian Loy (r-Fr.), Eugene Smith (Fr.)
RB: Noel Devine (Jr.), Mark Rodgers (So.), Jordan Roberts (r-Fr.), Mike Poitier (r-Sr.), Daquan Hargett (Fr.), Shawne Alston (Fr.)
FB/TE: Ryan Clarke (r-Fr.), Rickey Kovatch (So.), Max Anderson (Sr.), Chris Snook (Fr.)

Defense
DT: Scooter Berry (r-Jr.), Chris Neild (r-Jr.), Larry Ford (Jr.), Jorge Wright (r-Fr.)
NT: Chris Neild (r-Jr.), Josh Taylor (r-So.), D.J. Shaw (Sr.)
DE: Julian Miller (r-So.), Larry Ford (Jr.), J.B. Lageman (r-Fr.)
SLB: Pat Lazear (Jr.), Zac Cooper (r-Sr.)
MLB: Reed Williams (r-Sr.), Anthony Leonard (r-Jr.)
WLB: J.T. Thomas (r-Jr.), Ovid Goulbourne (r-Sr.), Najee Goode (r-So.)
LCB: Brandon Hogan (Jr.), Kent Richardson (r-Sr.), Brantwon Bowser (r-So.), Lawrence Smith (r-Fr.), Pat Miller (Fr.)
SS: Sidney Glover (Jr.), Nate Sowers (r-Sr.), Trippe Hale (r-Jr.), Robert Sands (So.), Eain Smith (r-So.)
BS: Franchot Allen (Sr.), Nate Sowers (r-Sr.), Courtney Stuart (r-Jr.)
RCB: Keith Tandy (r-So.), Eddie Davis (r-Jr.), Guesly Dervil (Sr.), Brodrick Jenkins (Fr.), Benji Powers (r-So.)

Special Teams
PK: Tyler Bitancurt (r-Fr.), Josh Lider (Sr.), Cameron Starke (Fr.)
P: Scott Kozlowski (r-Sr.), Greg Pugnetti (r-Jr.)
KO: Scott Kozlowski (r-Sr.)
LSN: Cody Nutter (r-So.), Jeremy Kash (r-Jr.)
H: Jeremy Kash (r-Jr.), Carmen Connolly (Sr.)
KR: Brandon Hogan (Jr.), Eddie Davis (r-Jr.), Tavon Austin (Fr.)
PR: Brandon Hogan (Jr.), Eddie Davis (r-Jr.), Tavon Austin (Fr.)