Published: March 16, 2008 11:28 pm         

Devine impressing new RB coach

MORGANTOWN — Chris Beatty, West Virginia’s new running backs coach, is delighted with what he saw of Noel Devine in the first two days of spring football practice.

“He’s as quick as he looked on television,” he said. “So quick and yet he has great patience and things like that. My goal is to just let him run fast and do the things he does so well.”

With Steve Slaton gone a year early for the National Football League draft, Devine is heir apparent to the starting job at tailback. The 5-foot-8, 170-pound sophomore from Fort Myers, Fla., ranked third in rushing with 627 yards and six touchdowns on 73 carries in 12 games last season as a true freshman.

He also caught seven passes for 90 yards and returned 22 kickoffs for 232 yards as Slaton’s backup.

“Hopefully, we’ll experience some of his stuff in the passing game,” Beatty said. “You saw a little bit of that already. We’re going to make sure that in whatever he’s doing he’s comfortable when we give him the ball in space.”

Devine, who was one of the nation’s most heavily recruited tailbacks out of high school, admittedly came in “ready to compete,” and he noted even the younger running backs worked hard the first two days of spring in shorts.

“I’d like to get up to 180 pounds and put on more muscle,” he said. “I played at 175 last year. I’m getting more reps now. So I’m going to try to gain at least five more pounds.”

Asked whether he could carry the football as many as 30 times in a game, Devine replied he could handle that many if it would help the team.

“We’ve got a lot of talent on this team,” he said. “And we’ve got a great coaching staff. Everybody worked hard in the weight room preparing for spring practice.

“We work well together, and on the field we push each other that way. If I’m not putting on weight, at least I’ll be putting on muscle.”

Beatty readily admitted WVU needs to develop some depth behind Devine.

“We’ve got to make sure we get better,” he said. “Jock Sanders can take some stress off him by moving back to the running back spot at times.”

Sanders, a sophomore from St. Petersburg, Fla., who played in all 13 games last year, is projected as the starter at slot receiver in the passing game. He caught 12 passes for 102 yards in 2007 and rushed 16 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

Beatty also thinks Mike Poitier, a 5-11, 170-pound sophomore, is going to be a good running back.

“He should get better and develop this spring,” the young coach said. “He’s going to get a lot of carries. As I say, we need to create some depth.

“There are a lot of opportunities when you lose a Steve Slaton. You’ve got to have some people step in and help out by sharing the load.”

John McCloskey, a 5-8, 170-pound junior, also could be in the tailback mix. And WVU came up with a late signee, 5-10, 200-pound Zach Hulse, who starred at Glendale Community College in Arizona.

He ran for 1,301 yards on 202 rushes and scored eight times last season. His team posted a 9-2 record and ranked No. 7 in national junior-college ranks.