By Dave Morrison
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Robert Sands was seemingly everywhere.
The West Virginia free safety made tackles to the left, to the right, at the line of scrimmage and downfield.
It seemed like the 6-foot-6 Sands was in on every tackle in Friday’s 33-21 loss to Florida State in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.
Which is good. Or is it?
You know the old football axiom, it’s bad when the free safety is making a lot of tackles because the offense is getting to the third level.
It’s not so much true anymore.
“I don’t think I made too many tackles,” Sands said. “We lost the game. They scored too many points, so I didn’t make enough tackles.”
For the record, Sands finished with 11 tackles in the game, nine solos and four assists.
Twice, Sands stopped would-be touchdowns, at least momentarily, with great tackles.
He also had one of his most physical games, with several hard hits on Seminoles, including one where he lost his helmet and suffered a gash on his own lip as a result.
But he never missed a down.
And it all adds up to the maturation of Sands, who started last year as a true freshman.
He went through growing pains, and no interceptions, and some of that carried over to this season, when he began the season not starting.
But when he re-entered the starting lineup, he went off.
He led the team with five interceptions and he had 63 tackles after Friday’s game.
He was asked when it all clicked, a string that saw him have big game after big game.
“When I got my starting spot back,” he said. “I felt like I learned a lot, and my teammates and me, we were playing off each other.”
The sky is certainly the limit for Sands. He is already among the best defensive backs in the Big East.
And he could end up being the best.
“His potential is boundless,” senior linebacker Reed Williams said. “He has all the ability, and if he keeps working hard, he’s going to have a huge career.”
“I have to keep working and I will get better,” Sands said. “I just hate ending the season with a loss. I can’t wait until the first game next season.”
The Mountaineers started just one senior on defense Friday, Williams.
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As it is with every offseason, recruiting will be key to the Mountaineers’ future.
But it’s not only players that coach Bill Stewart will be searching for, but coaches, what with the departure of Doc Holliday to Marshall. Holliday also managed to lure JuJuan Seider away and several more may follow or go to other schools.
How Stewart plays this situation will go a long way into whether the Mountaineers are a Top 25 program or among those in the others receiving votes category.
