The Sunshine State blessed WVU with 2 very special players in 2007. Noel Devine was already a legend on You Tube and a 5 star talent who was expected to take Morgantown by storm. Jock Sanders was a lesser known talent to the media at large but not so much to the then WVU coaching staff. They realized that Jock was going to be an impact player for years to come. Noel made impact runs throughout that first season’s campaign with huge runs against Maryland and Marshall. Noel saved his best performance from that season for the 2008 version of the Fiesta Bowl where he set the WVU single rush yardage record.
While both would continue to astound WVU faithful for the following 2 years, expectations for the 201o campaign were through the roof. Heisman campaigns were implemented for Noel pre-season. And then 2010 happened, Noel went from Heisman Hopeful to target for every defender he faced. He was not put in a position to succeed like he was in hi inaugural season. He went from being in space to running straight up the gut. Though no one can question his strength, Noel’s diminutive size would suggest that he would be better utilized in space. Jock was used as Noel’s back up in the running back position for most of his early career moving to the slot later on in his Career. Both were utilized in the return game.
Admittedly, I think the slot was a good spot for Jock, I however, think throwing the ball to him in the flat or bubble screen repeatedly with no medium or deep rout mixed in cost him dearly in terms of yardage. Jock caught 10 balls in a game that netted 30 yards, this from a guy that was exceptional after the catch. I have stated in the past that scheme is a much bigger part of a team’s success than athleticism. This is my case in point.
Steve Slaton and Darius Reynaud were the predecessors at their relative positions. Both players are on NFL rosters. I am hopeful that Noel and Jock will too see success at the next level but I have to question whether they both could have or should have found their way onto the draft board. While looking backwards isn’t the focus of this blog, I feel that this is an issue that could be honestly and critically debated. I am hopeful to hear all of your thoughts.
Good luck to both of these athletes in their future endeavors.
Da Geek
7 comments:
This is another example of Stew's poor management practices. Noel and Jock, like numerous other aspects of the offense, were victims of Stewart's terrible coach-hiring practices. While we'd already lost Trickett before, Stew did nothing to ameliorate the brutal offensive protection and blocking that is necessary for success on just about any offensive scheme.
Once upon a time, Noel was going to be a very high draft pick. Now he went undrafted. Will that give pause to potential NFL-bound recruits coming in? The reverberations of bad decisions can last many years.
I disagree with both of you. Noel's and Jock's reputations are well established and their highlights speak for themselves. Noel was limited more by injury than play calling. Jock's numbers were arguably increased because of increase in the number of passes. Either way, both had the opportunity to participate in "senior bowls" as well as the NFL combine. They have been weighed and measured by the powers that be. Now, it's up to them to perform.
If you want to blame Stew for a loss or two that we should have won, then you must also concede the Fiesta Bowl victory, Devine's best game as a mountaineer! (Albeit with Pitt's new fat boy calling the plays)
You can make the argument that the O-line under-performed and hurt the teams performance and both Devine and Sanders statistics. But hype only goes so far in the NFL draft. Maybe it would knock them down a few spots but the truth is there is legitimate concern about their size and ability to play in the NFL. Noel has already shown a fragility in college. Did you see Pat White's last play in the NFL? I thought he was dead. Those boys don't mess around.
If stats were that important to the draft and NFL success, David Sauders and Shawn Foreman would still be playing!!!
That's not to say they can't find a spot on a roster and be productive. But they're going to have to prove themselves on that level. They'll have the opportunity to do so.
As for future recruiting, the point is moot. New system, new coach and new stars will emerge. Players wanting to make it to the next level will know they have the opportunity through WVU.
@Greg I am not sure that I did anything but pose a question? I did suggest that the utilization of the two players could be called to question. I stand by that. As for giving credit for the Fiesta Bowl I think I did just that. But that was not the same regime that coached Noel after that wonderful January date. Jeff Mullen or Coach Stew didn't utilize Noel the same way again. The Gater Bowl against Florida State saw Noel gain countless yards against the Noles in the first half. Then not touch the ball in the second half. Please explain that to me. The same could be said for the play calling against Auburn at their place. When he Noel was getting it going WVU was thumping War Eagle and then it seemed that play-calling crippled our success again. These are merely anecdotal instances but I challenge you to demonstrate to me where Noel was used in a way that he could be successful. As for Jock I stand by what I said above.
Da Geek
I would agree that Jock and Noel's stats probably suffered as a result of playing under Stewart. But the scouts had seen enough of their explosiveness to evaluate them fairly and aside from #'s in their last seasons. I believe that the most heavily weighed factor of a player's draft status is a result of their measurements and workouts at the combine and their individual games stats are a much smaller factor. As slight as it may be, Noel and Jock's size doesn't quite measure up to Slaton and Reynaud's. I think that was the major factor contributing to their draft value.
@Weezie You make a great point regarding relative size of Noel/Steve; Darious/Jock. I guess the point I was trying to make is that scheme can showcase an athlete in a positive or negative way. I stand by my position that simply was not the case for those two last year. I mean a receiver catching 10 passes in a game is impressive unless that equates to 30 yards or less and no TD's. I just think that this year we are going to see players like Stedman Bailey and Geno Smith make NFL draft scouts begin to drool. Case Keenum was a system qb at Houston but he (after lock-out) will get payed NFL money. Holgerson's system should be thanked for the same.
Da Geek
You can't be serious about Stew derailing anything. WVU was going no where before Stew and went no where with him. You are lucky that we gave you the game last year in Huntington. This year you won't have Stew, Devine, Sanders, or whoever else to blame when Marshall beats your ass in Morganhole. God knows, if Suckacuse can do it, we can.
This willbe the second beatdown I've watched the Herd put on that Will Patton looking freak Holgersin. seems to me we took it to a houston offense that everbody was so jazzed about a few years ago. same will happen again. And I'm sure he'll need to get plenty wasted again to forget about it just like last time. Doc and boys have something ready for the pretty boy cowboy punk.U heard it hear first!
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