MORGANTOWN òòò½ÊÓÆµ” It may feel like spring drills just got underway for the West Virginia University football team, but in fact, things are progressing rapidly.
The Mountaineers are now one-third of the way through their spring practices after holding session No. 5 indoors on Thursday as snow flurried outside.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœI thought we got some work done, though we still have a long ways to go,òòò½ÊÓÆµ òòò½ÊÓÆµU coach Rich Rodriguez said. òòò½ÊÓÆµœLearning the schemes and the terminology and how we play is a little bit of a process.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœPlus, youòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re never in shape during spring ball. Conditioning takes place in the summer and in August camp, so right now weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re not in good enough shape to run things how we want, but theyòòò½ÊÓÆµ™ll get there.òòò½ÊÓÆµ
Rodriguez and his staff are largely teaching and evaluating this spring. òòò½ÊÓÆµ part of that, they want to figure out what òòò½ÊÓÆµU can do well and where it may struggle, so they can accentuate the positives and avoid the negatives once the season begins.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœThatòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s part of our goal in the spring, figuring out what routes the quarterbacks like and what the receivers run the best,òòò½ÊÓÆµ Rodriguez said. òòò½ÊÓÆµœThen, what can we do up front. Thatòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s all a work in progress. We probably wonòòò½ÊÓÆµ™t know that until a few weeks into summer camp in August. Right now, I donòòò½ÊÓÆµ™t have any idea.òòò½ÊÓÆµ
Rodriguez said heòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s generally been pleased with the Mountaineersòòò½ÊÓÆµ™ effort, though they are still learning to practice to his standards.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœThe pace is getting better. The guys have worked hard,òòò½ÊÓÆµ he said. òòò½ÊÓÆµœI think the biggest drawback to our pace so far is more coach-oriented. Even though a lot of these coaches have been together before (as nine of the assistants previously worked for Rodriguez at Jacksonville State), there are new coaches and managers and trainers and everything else who hadnòòò½ÊÓÆµ™t worked together until these five practices, so weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re still working on it.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœWe meet enough. We meet more than Congress, so you would think weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™d fix all our problems,òòò½ÊÓÆµ he quipped. òòò½ÊÓÆµœIòòò½ÊÓÆµ™ll have another staff meeting today to talk about the efficiency of what I call òòò½ÊÓÆµ˜coaching on the run,òòò½ÊÓÆµ™ getting things corrected and such.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœEverything is situational in terms of down-and-distance, and weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re not doing a really good job, staff-wise, of managing that. We have a certain number of plays we want to run from a certain down-and-distance. We have a script we use. The plays may not all be on the script because I will go off-script sometimes, but the down-and-distance is part of the script. To me, weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re not efficient enough in practice. I think our coaches are still adjusting to how I want to do it.òòò½ÊÓÆµ
Being efficient at the pace Rodriguez wants to practice is something that has to be learned by all, from players to coaches to staff members.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœWe run five-minute periods, like most people do,òòò½ÊÓÆµ West Virginiaòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s coach said. òòò½ÊÓÆµœI think most people try to get six, seven or eight plays into a five-minute period, where weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re trying to get in probably 15 or 16. Itòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s a little bit different.òòò½ÊÓÆµ
The Mountaineers will practice three more days next week before taking time off during spring break, which runs from March 15-23. òòò½ÊÓÆµU will then return for six more practice sessions, culminating with the Gold-Blue Spring Showcase on April 5.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.