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Schmitt named to ESPN's preseason All-America team
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bitcruncher Offline
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Schmitt named to ESPN's preseason All-America team
The Charleston Daily Mail Wrote:Mountaineer fullback receives accolades
by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sportswriter
Wednesday August 15, 2007


http://www.dailymail.com/story/Sports/WV...accolades/

MORGANTOWN -- So much for fullback being an anonymous position in West Virginia's offense.

Senior Owen Schmitt was named to ESPN.com's preseason All-America team Tuesday.

"We're not saying that without Schmitt clearing space, Steve Slaton and Pat White wouldn't be Heisman Trophy candidates," the introduction read. "But the 6-3, 250-pound senior is very good at clearing space for his talented teammates.

"Schmitt also knows how to tote the ball himself, rushing for 351 yards (5.4 per carry) and seven touchdowns. Fullback is an anachronism in the modern offense. Guys like Schmitt may spearhead a comeback."

Schmitt also will play tight end for WVU this season.

* * *

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ranked WVU No. 4 in its College Football Preview edition Top 20, out this week. The Mountaineers will be one of five teams featured on regional covers of the magazine, with Southern Cal, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Michigan.

The SI top 10, in order, are USC, LSU, Florida, WVU, Louisville, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Texas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Another Big East Conference title contender, Rutgers is No. 12.

* * *

COACH RICH Rodriguez said he was more pleased with Monday's practice than he was with Tuesday's two-a-days, but he was in decidedly better spirits Tuesday than he was on Monday or after Saturday's scrimmage.

In fact, after about 11 total minutes with the media Saturday and Monday, he devoted 16 minutes, 40 seconds of his time to questions and answers Tuesday.

"That," Rodriguez noted as he left the Puskar Center's team room, "should get you caught up."

* * *

RODRIGUEZ HAS about as much faith in quarterback Patrick White as could be expected. Yet even as White enters his third year in the system with that Heisman Trophy hype following his every move, Rodriguez trusts only himself and offensive coordinator Calvin Magee with play calls and the adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

"My mortgage payment is pretty big," Rodriguez said. "I'm not putting it all on a 20-year-old kid who watches cartoons."

Rodriguez wasn't sure White watches cartoons, but his point was clear.

"I know this," Rodriguez said. "Our kids are pretty dedicated and they play hard, but they don't spend as much time watch film as our coaches, so we'll call the plays."

* * *

THE WVU coach continues to praise his true freshmen and tease the potential within the class he said is likely more athletic than any other he's recruited.

"They've been a lot of fun to coach," he said. "They soak everything in and work hard. That's the first part -- being coachable -- and they're all being coachable."

While much has been made of both the true freshmen and the new transfers, not much has been heard from them. The newcomers remain off limits to the media, though they are typically available by now.

"Normally I'd let them talk to you all and it's not that they can't handle themselves," Rodriguez said.

"We have quite a few who have an opportunity to help us, especially on offense, but we're just trying to get them to learn as much as they can while it's all football now."

* * *

ABOUT A or so players are in red or green jerseys, meaning they're either sitting out or are limited in practice. Rodriguez stressed the importance of returning to action, saying the injured aren't part of his thinking as he projects possible lineups.

That looms large as he begins to break the offense and defense into the first and second units.

"None of those guys are in the two-deep right now," he said. "They've got to practice and some of them have to start all over.

When we go ones and twos and they ain't in white or blue, the ain't in the ones or twos. They've got to get in white or blue to even be considered one or two.

"Do I sound like Dr. Seuss?"

Camp notes -- Linebacker Marc Margo, who has mononucleosis and was sent home (Morgantown) last week, is back with the team. He's not practicing, but he was working out and attending meetings ... Rodriguez said the linebackers and cornerbacks have been most consistent throughout summer cam. ... Eddie Davis has been practicing at running back, but also at receiver. Another running back, Ed Collington, has worked at fullback.
(This post was last modified: 08-15-2007 06:30 PM by bitcruncher.)
08-15-2007 06:29 PM
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