FB : Mountain men
QB Pat WhiteBruce Williams didn’t hesitate when asked what makes West Virginia’s spread attack so potent.
‘Pat White,’ the Syracuse senior safety said. ‘It’s always been Pat White the last couple years because he’s a difference maker.’
Indeed, White, the Mountaineers speedy senior quarterback, will be the main focus for the Syracuse defense Saturday. White is perhaps the premier running quarterback in the nation, and he is 356 yards away from becoming the all-time NCAA leader in rushing yards by a quarterback (he currently has 3,934 yards).
The last time Syracuse visited Morgantown, W. Va., White rushed for 247 yards and four touchdowns in the Mountaineers’ 41-17 win.
White’s greatest weapon, of course, is his speed. The senior’s big-play ability consistently makes him the focal point for opposing defenses, thus opening the door for West Virginia’s other playmakers to shine.
‘I don’t know what he runs in the 40 (yard dash) – and I’m very conservative when I talk these times after being in the NFL – but this guy is 4.40 I would suspect every time,’ said SU head coach Greg Robinson. ‘Vince Young was fast, but this guy’s faster.’
White’s rushing prowess hasn’t been on display as much this year. He’s run for more than 100 yards only once and has two rushing touchdowns. White has seen a growth in his passing numbers. He’s completed 75-of-103 tosses this year for 590 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception.
Still, the runner that SU concerns itself with most this weekend will be White.
‘He likes to keep the ball,’ Williams said. ‘He hasn’t done that this year, they’re trying to get him to throw the ball a little bit more. But Pat White is the difference-maker of this game. If we can contain him and slow him down, we can slow this whole team down.’
RB Noel DevineNoel Devine didn’t have to be the man last year. That was the job of Steve Slaton, the Mountaineers’ All-American junior tailback. Devine was used as a change of pace, his speed bottled up and unleashed when the Mountaineers offense needed a jolt.
Then Slaton left for the NFL. Now, the sophomore Devine has to be the workhorse for WVU at tailback.
Devine has had ups and downs in his first five games. He’s rushed for more than 100 yards twice – most recently in a 27-3 win over Marshall. Devine ran for 125 yards on 14 carries in that game, and scored his lone touchdown of the season.
But the thing that makes the 5-foot-8, 173-pound back so dangerous is his explosiveness. Devine is a big play waiting to happen. His superior speed led many to consider the Florida-native a can’t-miss prospect.
Devine’s big-play potential was in full display last year, when he averaged 8.6 yards a carry and ran for six scores. Nine of his 73 carries last year went for 23 yards or more.
The sophomore has shown only glimpses of that big-play potential this season, his longest scamper a 36-yarder against Marshall.
Still, Devine’s swift and shifty style make him a constant threat against an SU rush defense that ranks 106th out of 119 Division I teams.
RB Jock SandersJock Sanders may be listed as a running back, but he does far more than just take handoffs for the Mountaineers’ offense.
Besides spelling Noel Devine now and then, the sophomore has also turned into West Virginia’s most consistent threat through the air. Sanders leads WVU in receptions (24), yards (189) and receiving touchdowns (4).
Just as Devine was the Mountaineers secret offensive weapon last year, Sanders has taken the role this season.
And why not? The two players share plenty of similarities. Both are sophomores from Florida. Both are listed as 5-foot-8. And both mesh perfectly into West Virginia’s spread attack, which values fast players that can be effective in the open field.
Sanders has proven to be a vital part of West Virginia’s attack this year. He’s scored in all three of WVU’s victories, including a 14-yard reception in last week’s 24-17 win over Rutgers.
Most of Sanders work is done out of the slot. Considering Syracuse’s seemingly unwillingness to use a nickel package, Sanders could find himself matched up with a linebacker or safety much of the contest.
If that’s the case, advantage Sanders.
Published on October 9, 2008 at 12:00 pm
