The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

December 16, 2008

Mountaineers’ Meineke Bowl practices going well

By Mickey Furfari

MORGANTOWN — Coach Bill Stewart said Tuesday that West Virginia University’s football team has been having some good practices for the Meineke Car Care Bowl game against North Carolina Saturday, Dec. 27, at Charlotte, N.C.

“Practices are never as well as you’d like,” he explained. “But they give good effort. I think we need to pay attention to detail even more when we have a break to go home and then reconvene at the bowl site.”

The Mountaineers will have more practice sessions in Charlotte next week before tapering off with a walk-through the day before the game.

They have been forced to work out inside the Caperton Facility Building both Monday and Tuesday this week.

“Our men are working hard and I am proud of that,” Stewart said. “We are going to play a real tough opponent in North Carolina.”

Stewart believes the players are bonding well and will be heading to their homes for an early Christmas with family after Thursday’s practice. They will reassemble in Charlotte early next week.

Of the Tar Heels, the first-year Mountaineer mentor said, “The things they do, whatever the scheme, they are going to give us absolute fits. We are really going to have our hands full. They’ve got it rolling.”

Stewart said UNC will start one of two quarterbacks and he doesn’t know which one. He noted that one is a very, very accurate passer, while the other is smaller and very, very athletic and likes to run.

“The wide receivers are outstanding and the fullback and tailback are outstanding runners,” he continued. “Defensively, they have an All-America end in E.J. Wilson, a great linebacker, two safeties that are very, very active and cornerbacks that are sure tacklers.

“Their special teams are sound and solid.”

He compares UNC’s wideouts and speed to those of Big East champion Cincinnati and its big, strong, strapping players to those at Pitt. The quarterbacks remind Stewart of Mike Teel at Rutgers, the linebacking crew a lot like that at Pitt.

Three Mountaineers have accepted invitations to play in the prestigious Senior Bowl all-star game at Mobile, Ala. in late January. They are quarterback Patrick White, defensive back Ellis Lankster and kicker/punter Pat McAfee.

Stewart said student-athlete grades for the first semester still are being compiled but he hopes that none of his players will be ineligible for the game.

Some of the coaches are out recruiting part of this week.

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