COLLEGE PARK, Md. — West Virginia’s Big Three just became the Fantastic Four.

Noel Devine, welcome to the national conscience.

The Mountaineer freshman put on a show Thursday night in No. 4 West Virginia’s 31-14 win over Maryland at Byrd Stadium.

Devine’s 136 yards on five carries earned him a ticket to be included with the likes of Heisman Trophy-candidate teammates Steve Slaton and Patrick White and speedy, productive receiver Darius Reynaud.

If he wasn’t there already, he is now.

“He does things good in practice, but he’s one of those guys who’s even better in a game,” WVU coach Rich Rodriguez said. “He’s got a different speed in the game. And nothing flusters him. He’s got great quickness. I think you saw today what we saw on film (during the recruiting process, or, on YouTube, if you’re into that).”

It will be the last time WVU travels to just outside the nation’s capital for the immediate future. But Maryland fans — and an ESPN national TV audience — won’t forget Devine’s introduction to America. Nor will Mountaineer fans.

For all the talk about Slaton and White prior to the game — tabbed the Dynamic Duo in the Baltimore Sun — it was Devine, the true freshman, who stole the show.

“I didn’t picture this, against a good team,” Devine said. “But we’ve got a good team. The linemen did a great job. I give the credit to them.”

It took Devine just three carries to showcase what he can do.

His first run netted 31 yards and featured a skip-step as he momentarily lost balance, recovered and took the ball to the one.

That’s a testament to Devine’s shiftiness and natural ability.

Slaton, who had 137 yards and three touchdowns, scored three plays later.

Devine’s second run was even more impressive as he outgalloped the Maryland defense for a 76-yard gain to the one.

Again, Slaton scored the TD.

That run, in case you’re wondering, tied a 44 year-old school record for a non-scoring run.

That’s a testament to the kid’s speed, though he did admit he took some ribbing from his teammates for getting caught.

“Some of the guys said they thought I was faster than that,” Devine said quietly.

Early in the fourth quarter, he fought through the Maryland defense, and a 15-yard face mask, for an 18-yard gain.

That shows the kid’s toughness.

“People look at his size and think he’s all quickness,” lineman Ryan Stancheck said. “But he’s a tough kid. And the great thing, he’s a good kid, too.”

Ironically, the game came on the same field where another heralded recruit, Jason Gwaltney, made his first and only statement with a two-touchdown game in 2005.

Nobody was talking about the nimbleness of Gwaltney, who came in at the same time Slaton did. He washed out a couple games after the Maryland contest in 2005.

I get the feeling, though, that Devine is going to stick.

The YouTube kid has shown that special quality he had in high school is just as dangerous at the collegiate level. That is, every time he touches the ball, something special can happen.

Ironic, yet not surprising, his two runs late in the game brought his average per carry careening down to just 15.6 per tote.

For three games he has 256 yards and three scores.

Maybe he hasn’t caught up to the high status of Slaton and White just yet. But, true to his form, he is gaining quick.

Want proof? He and Slaton showed up for postgame interviews at the same time.

Normally, Slaton and White dominate the mics and notepads. But it was Devine who commanded an audience around him some five rows deep.

Now that’s respect.

— E-mail:

demorrison@register-herald.com