Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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  • “Mr. Excitement”... West Virginia’s Noel Devine tries to avoid a tackle during the Mountaineers’ season-opening win last season over Liberty. The Mountaineers take on another Big South club, Coastal Carolina, to open Devine’s senior campaign. Contributed photo

    Noel Devine

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September 4, 2010

Devine ready for senior season

The Associated Press Associated Press

MORGANTOWN — Noel Devine stayed in school just for this.

Rather than take a chance on the NFL draft last April, Devine is returning for one final season in which he believes “the sky is the limit.”

Liftoff starts Saturday when No. 25 West Virginia plays FCS school Coastal Carolina.

“It’s my senior year,” Devine said. “I’m just trying to enjoy it all and embrace it. I’m happy with the team we have now and I’m proud of my decision. It’s a destiny.

“It’s laid out already and it’s not like I’m in control.”

Despite rushing for 1,465 yards last season, including a 220-yard effort against Colorado, Devine wasn’t the center of attention even within his own conference, and that might be the case again this year.

All eight Big East teams return their top rushers from 2009, led by Pittsburgh’s Dion Lewis, who ran for 1,799 yards as a freshman. Not far away at Virginia Tech, teammates Ryan Williams and Darren Evans are being touted as perhaps the top running back tandem in the nation.

Devine needs 1,784 yards to overtake Avon Cobourne as West Virginia’s career rushing leader, although that would require an amount of carries atypical of West Virginia’s philosophy of spreading the ball to many weapons.

“As many times as they’ll give it to me,” said Devine, who averaged nearly 19 carries a game last year. “I want to be a key aspect to this team and do all that I can.”

If the diminutive Devine can approach Cobourne’s record, it might end up getting him mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Those suggestions get stopped as quickly as Devine changes directions when he has the ball.

“It’s all talk. I have to prove myself on the field,” Devine said. “It’s an honor to be mentioned, but it’s just going to be up to me to come through with it.”

Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett wishes Devine had taken the money and run to the NFL.

“Our guys have an opportunity to try to slow him down a little bit,” Bennett said. “You’re not going to completely stop him. He is lightning. What he does a great job is hiding behind those big ol’ linemen that they’ve got.”

Devine’s decision to return in January came the same day slot receiver Jock Sanders also announced he’d return for his season season.

It was fitting considering the Florida natives — Devine from Fort Myers, Sanders from St. Petersburg — entered the program together in 2007. Both are fathers and would be the first in their families to earn college degrees.

“We just had that instant vibe,” Sanders said. “We’re just always on the same page because we’re around each other so much.”

Sanders led the team a year ago with 72 catches for 688 yards and needs 55 catches to become the school’s leading receiver.

But he’ll have someone new throwing to him. Sophomore Geno Smith is making his first start after backing up Jarrett Brown last season.

Smith’s arm might get plenty of work Saturday. Coach Bill Stewart warns Coastal Carolina might follow the lead of other teams in the past by clogging the line of scrimmage and denying Devine his running lanes.

“If we can’t get free, if they load the box, it’s going to be a long struggle no matter who you play,” Stewart said.

Coastal Carolina quarterback Zach MacDowall is hoping for a better season after throwing for more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (nine) in 2009.

That chance may have to wait until after Saturday. West Virginia intercepted 17 passes a year ago and returns nine starters on defense.

Coastal Carolina is the second straight Big South team to open a season at West Virginia. Liberty gave the Mountaineers early fits last year before West Virginia pulled away in the second half for a 33-20 win.

Bennett said he might follow up on someone’s suggestion to get some tips on playing West Virginia from Liberty coach Danny Rocco, but that his biggest worry wasn’t his opponent.

“We’re really more concerned about our guys, getting us ready,” he said. “I think in coaching a lot of times, we worry too much about what are the other guys going to do.”

 

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