West Virginia University
By Steve Flinn

West Virginia is not usually known for recruiting the top football classes in the country, but year-after-year, the Mountaineers are probably amongst the best in the country for recruiting solid players who progress to be solid contributors. This year's class has the potential to follow the same mold.

What did the Mountaineers accomplish with this class?

Division One college football games are usually won in the trenches. West Virginia always took that motto to heart by keeping a healthy supply of linemen on both sides of the ball. They will be able to keep their supply well-stocked as about one-third of this year's signees are either offensive or defensive linemen.

Two top examples are John Bradshaw, a 6-5, 295 lb. offensive lineman from Fredericksburg, Va., and Louis Davis, a 6-6, 260 lb. lineman disguised as a tight end from Cerritos Junior College in California.

Geographically, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio have always been rich harvesting grounds, and West Virginia continued that trend this year. Both sides of the line were addressed with the signings of Mike Dent, a defensive lineman from Jeannette, Ben Iannacchione, an offensive lineman from Baldwin, and Doug Slavonic, a defensive lineman from Mt. Lebanon. Mortty Ivy, an athlete from Gateway, is another local product who should find a place in Rich Rodriguez' system. Uniontown's Billy McLee was a late addition to the Western PA contingent.

Although not from Western Pennsylvania, offensive lineman James Figner from Lehigh, and defensive lineman Tyree Suber from Concordville, still hail from Pennsylvania, to give West Virginia seven players from the Keystone State.

The Mountaineers signed almost as many recruits from the Buckeye State as the Keystone State, including Chad Mayse, a linebacker from Mentor, Billy Relford, a defensive back from Massillon, Ryan Stanchek, and offensive lineman from Cincinnati, and Pernell Williams, a fast and powerful running back from Dayton.

What does this group lack?

Linebackers - Ohio's Mayse was the only LB in the class. The Mountaineers only lost Grant Wiley to graduation, but Scott Gyorko and Adam Lehnortt will both be seniors this fall. Defensive lineman Jimmy Dingle is a possibility at linebacker. The 6-4, 230-pound Dingle signed with Florida last year and began to practice before the NCAA declared him not eligible. Dingle will redshirt in 2004 and have three years of eligibility remaining. He has already signed a letter of intent.

Who Will Make An Early Impact?

Home-state product Brandon Barrett, a wide receiver from Martinsburg, has the potential to be the cream of this year's WVU recruiting crop.

Barrett is the most highly touted recruit and will get the chance to replace graduating senior receiver Travis Garvin. Fellow wide-out Darius Reynaud of Louisiana may also get a chance to make an early contribution.

Junior college defensive back Alton McCann from Jones County Community College in Mississippi will be expected to compete immediately for one of two vacant safety spots. Two running backs, speedy Pernell Williams and Cajun product Tyler Benoit, will join a crowded group of backs vying to replace NFL-bound Quincy Wilson.