The excitement is building

By JIM BUTTA


MORGANTOWN - Just nine days from players reporting for summer camp excitement is building around West Virginia University.

It's almost as much as Rich Rodriguez's first season with his alma mater... Almost.
"Yes and no," said senior defensive tackle Ernest Hunter. "Yes, for a lot of reasons. No for one. And, that no is a real strong desire to skip all of that and just put on the pads and start hitting some else."

Hunter and his Mountaineer teammates enter the 2005 season with something to prove.

After capturing a share of the last two Big East titles the gold and blue find themselves picked to finish behind league newcomer Louisville and arch rival Pittsburgh.

"I really don't get into much of that," said sophomore linebacker Marc Magro. "Personally, I think it's disrespectful. But, they are supposed to be the experts."

Losses which include Big East Offensive Player of the Year Rasheed Marshall, all-Big East wide receiver Chris Henry and conference single-game rushing record-holder Kay-Jay Harris have many wondering if this Mountaineer team can score enough points to equal last year's 8-4 record.

Defensively, the loss of Big East Special Teams Player of the Year Adam 'Pacman' Jones as well as starting linemen Ben Lynch and Jason Hardee and linebackers Adam Lehnortt and Scott Gyorko also have fans questioning if 2005 will be more of a rebuilding year than a reloading one.

"I don't think the expectations are as high as last year," explained Magro. "But, they are still high."

Thanks to a change in the NCAA rules allowing incoming freshmen to report during the summer to begin voluntary workouts a number of impact players from this year's recruits are beginning to surface.

"I've only had a chance to work out with a couple of them," said Magro. "But, both of them have been working really hard in the weight room."

Those two are Weir linebacker Zac Cooper and running back Jason Gwaltney.

Gwaltney, who rushed for 2,882 yards and 45 touchdowns as a senior, was particularly drawing the attention of his newest teammates.

"I don't think I can find the words to explain his strength," said Hunter. "Of course, we still have to see what he does when he puts the pads on, but so far his work ethic has been impressive."

The other remaining questions won't be answered until practice opens Aug. 5.

Chief among those revolves around the quarterback position, where a two-way battle in the spring has evolved into a seven-way fight as summer camp prepares to open.

Third-string signal caller Adam Bednarik appears to be rounding into shape after season-ending shoulder surgery last year. But red-shirt freshman Pat White put his stamp on the position after a better-than-expected spring.

Sophomore Dwayne Thompson is also in the picture as is incoming freshmen Jarrett Brown, T.J. Mitchell and Nate Sowers.

The waters got even muddier when former Nitro High School all-stater J.R. House elected to give football one more try after being released by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"The competition will be fierce," said Bednarik. "But, the way I'm looking at it, it can only make each one of us better."

Finding answers to all those questions will be what Rodriguez and his assistants will be attempting to do as quickly as possible once two-a-days get under way. A must with Big East rival Syracuse looming just a month away.