Addressing the Needs of the Champs

[vince]

Devine might be a real liability when it comes to blitz pickups though. He doesn't seem to understand protection schemes.

Screw protection. We need a returner who can shoot it up the hole hard and fast. Devine's our man.

[Fritz]

"shoot it up the hole hard and fast."

Gettin' a little naughty there, Vince.

[hawaii50]

I worry about Devine... he's TINY (5'7" 160 lbs).

My pick for a returner would be Randall Cobb (WR/RB/CatQB/KR/PR, Kentucky)

Cobb looks great in those highlights. Haven't seen him at all during the season so I don't know what his knocks are, but from watching his highlights he looks like he has some skills that could benefit us. The things I liked about the highlights are that it wasn't all just deep passes (in fact I don't think there were any highlights of deep catches) and he had a lot of catches over the middle of the field from the slot. If we can add a wes welker like guy with good return skills and speed to stretch the field that would be HUGE.

[vince]

Gettin' a little naughty there, Vince.

Football can be a tough sport. You have to score early and often, but I'm sure a guy with a name like Noel Devine does it with the utmost care and tenderness at the same time.

[RashanGary]

I liked that Randall Cobb clip. Hard to tell what kind of vision he has. I came away feeling better about him as a WR than a KR/PR. Not saying he can't be a really good KR/PR but we didn't see enough to know if he really has vision.

He looked good adjusting to poorly thrown balls, catching well thrown passes and running and for his size he looked good taking contact. My impression watching that, he should be able to play in the NFL.

[vince]

Devine has two kids, but he's had some serious challenges to overcome as a child. Both his parents died of AIDS when he was a kid. He bounced around, growing up mostly on his own.

He hasn't always made good choices, but I don't think Ted would characterize this guy as a bad kid. The size is obviously a concern, but I'd love to see this guy drop to where TT feels good about grabbing him. He's athletic, agile, and extremely strong for his size. From Wikipedia:

Entering his junior season, Devine was coveted for his summer workout results: a power clean of 300 pounds, a 500-pound squat, a bench of 435 lbs., a 38-inch vertical leap, a 10-foot-7 inch broad jump, and a 4.04-second pro agility drill time.

Here's an older article that gives some insight into his background and character.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2009-10-07/devine-speaks-wva-coach-gives-him-ball#ixzz1EePt1tyA

Devine speaks, W.Va. coach gives him the ball
PUBLISHED Wednesday, Oct 7, 2009 at 7:35 pm EDT
Sporting News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia coach Bill Stewart was hopping mad about four first-half fumbles against Colorado and was going to let his players hear about it in the lockerroom.

Running back Noel Devine quickly stepped in with a proposal.

"'Coach, give me the rock,"' Stewart recalled Devine saying. "'Give me the ball. Just keep it calm. Everyone knows we're goofing up."'

Stewart didn't take much time to think about it. The offense was sloppy, except for Devine, who already had 142 yards rushing on just eight carries by halftime. Besides, none of the fumbles were his.

"I said, 'OK, big fella. I'm going to put the ball in your hands when the time's right,"' Stewart said.

Devine got 14 more carries and finished with a career-high 220 yards in the 35-24 win.

More than just the yards, that moment of coming forward left an imprint with Stewart, another example of how Devine has become a leader this season for the Mountaineers.

"That is something a coach cannot manufacturer," Stewart said. "It has to come from within. And I'm glad he's doing it."

Just two years ago, Devine was a second-string freshman whose life already was filled with personal setbacks and changes. He lost his parents to AIDS, witnessed a friend's murder, rejected Deion Sanders' attempts to adopt him and became a father of two before his career at North Fort Myers (Fla.) High turned him into an Internet sensation.

Things have fallen into place nicely since.

Steve Slaton left West Virginia a year early for the NFL after the 2007 season and Devine responded with 1,289 rushing yards a year ago.

Pat White, the top rushing quarterback in college football history, used up his eligibility in 2008. Now Devine is the focal point of the running game. He's the nation's third-leading rusher at 135 yards per game and has scored a career-high six touchdowns.

Devine will get a chance to add to those numbers Saturday when West Virginia (3-1) plays at Syracuse (2-3). He had 188 yards against the Orange last year, including a 92-yard TD run with 4:16 left that sealed a 17-6 win.

"I'd rather my play do the talking than be a vocal leader, but when I need to speak up, I'm going to speak up," Devine said.

It wouldn't have been his role to do that a year ago, but Devine didn't hesitate to get Stewart's attention at halftime against Colorado.

"I was just trying to make something happen for our team the best way I can," Devine said. "It just came naturally, just me being a natural leader. It was just me being myself and speaking when I have to speak."

Devine is the latest in a tradition of undersized backs at West Virginia, although defenders looking to stop the 5-foot-8, 175-pound junior often get plowed under.

Where Devine once was ridiculed for improvising on his runs, he now relies on patience and improved strength - he can benchpress 435 pounds.

His desire is a carryover from practice, where Stewart said Devine wins every team sprint while pushing others to improve, and races screaming to the end zone when he has the ball on individual drills.

"And everyone looks around says 'wow, this guy's on a mission,"' Stewart said. "I'm just the fortunate one that happens to be his head football coach. I don't have to say a word to him."

Of course, Devine's progress doesn't surprise his high school coach, James Iandoli, who last talked to Devine at the start of the season.

"I tell you what, the maturation is just like it was in high school," Iandoli said. "You knew you had this talent, and coming into his junior and senior year in high school, he was so impressive. And you're seeing it again at the college level. It's showing now."