WVU Slide Begins in 2009? Don't Believe It

But when the new Michigan coach lost his top recruit, and to rival Ohio State, that instead turned out to be the portent: The former coach’s Midas touch had been tarnished.

Coach Bill Stewart’s first task was to keep West Virginia’s best high school prospect in years—Parkersburg’s Josh Jenkins—holding to his commitment to attend WVU, which looked wobbly after the former coach left.  Stewart, humble enough to know what he doesn’t know, hired master recruiter Doc Holliday away from Florida, and the two of them locked down Jenkins.

After that, Stewart hired a two-fer: running backs coach Chris Beatty, who immediately opened up the fertile Hampton Roads recruiting grounds, once considered off-limits to anyone but Virginia Tech (both Vicks came from there).  The hire brought immediate results: highly-ranked quarterback Tajh Boyd and wide receiver Logan Heastie.

Stewart got backup running back help in Californian Mark Rodgers, another Devine type, and Terence Kerns, a bruising running back with 4.4 speed.  Kerns was touch-and-go academically, but he credited Coach Stew with holding his hand through the whole process, which persuaded him WVU was the place for him.

Speaking of which, coaches always say the best recruits are current players—White persuaded his little brother, quarterback Coley, whom the Whites say is the most athletic of the family (scary), to come to WVU.

Not everything has worked out for Stewart and his recruiters.  Polynesian pass-rusher Teva Finau, a defensive end who runs with tight end speed, didn’t make grades and will spend another year at a juco.  Cornerback Jerome Swinton, who Stewart hailed as perhaps the best player in this year’s class, also didn’t make the grades.  Smooth move, Jerome.

And everyone knows that not every heralded recruit pans out.  CoughcoughJasonGwaltneycoughcough.

The point is this: The blue-chip pipeline is hardly closed, the former coach didn’t take all the talent with him, and the continued success of the Mountaineer football program this year—a possible Big East title and BCS bowl berth, and perhaps a shot at the national championship—will only keep the talent flowing.

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