Published: August 31, 2008 11:50 pm         

Stewart: Defense will get better

By Mickey Furfari

For The Register-Herald

MORGANTOWN — “We just were not in cohesion with each other,” coach Bill Stewart said Sunday of West Virginia’s defense after studying game tapes of Saturday’s 48-21 victory over Villanova.

“Yes, I still think the defense has to carry the offense early in the season. We’re not where we need to be neither offensively nor defensively. We’ve got to pick it up and go. We’ll get better this week.”

The Mountaineers’ first-year head mentor thought the defense was inconsistent, though coming up with key — and great — plays by individuals. He thought the entire unit played hard at times, but did not blitz as well as in the past.

Seniors J.T. Thomas and Mortty Ivy were exceptions as they came up with big turnovers and tackled well from linebacking positions.

“I think our athleticism is as good or better,” Stewart continued. “Our defense can attack the football as in the past. I think we just had some inconsistencies and can finish plays better than we did against Villanova.”

Offensively, he liked the way Patrick White & Co. attacked the scheme which Villanova threw up to force passing.

“We told our young people that (the Wildcats) would load the box on us and that we should be ready to throw the ball,” he said.

Stewart doesn’t expect opponents will try to stop West Virginia’s rushing attack all season.

“Patrick White was really on target,” he said. “He had great first reads and very good second and third reads.

“He had a banner day, and I liked the way our receivers went for the ball and I liked the way our mighty mites caught the ball in the backfield. I also thought Noel Devine and Jock Sanders ran hard at times.”

Stewart praised Pat McAfee for his placekicking and punting and he generally was pleased with all phases of the special teams play.

“I thought our offensive line did a tremendous job pass-blocking,” he noted. “What I didn’t like was the way we were blocking on the perimeter. And I didn’t like the dropped balls. But I liked the way we competed.”

The Mountaineers began preparations Sunday evening for next Saturday’s tougher test at East Carolina, which upset Virginia Tech 27-22 at Charlotte, N.C.

“They had a game of games,” Stewart exclaimed. “They outplayed the Virginia Tech Hokies. We had better play hard because (the Pirates) played very well against Tech. Again, we respect all, but fear none.”

NOTES: White’s five touchdown passes are the most ever thrown by a Mountaineer quarterback at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium. Those also tied the second-best performance in school history. ... McAfee’s 52-yard field goal is his career high. He had a 1-yarder against Pitt in 2006. ... J.T. Thomas’ blocked punt was the first by WVU since Thandi Smith got one against Rutgers on Oct. 8, 2005. ... Mortty Ivy’s interception for a touchdown was the eighth by a WVU player since 2001. ... West Virginia is 54-1 since 2000 when scoring 30 or more points in a game.