Team Report: Inside Slant
This could have been an introduction to West Virginia spring ball focusing on how the players are adjusting to a new head coach after Rich Rodriguez left for greener pastures.
It could have been about whether the Mountaineers will try to continue what Rodriguez started.
Instead, this spring is about Rodriguez trying to take his Mountaineers program to even greater heights.
In short, the man stayed. He got his new contract, which in addition to making Rodriguez a wealthier man, also showed West Virginia's administration is as serious about this thing the program. The Mountaineers now look to have their strongest season yet, with people picking them as a top-five team that can make a run at a national championship.
"Hopefully, that's not big news," Rodriguez said of his team's lofty preseason expectations. "It's not big news at Florida, Texas and USC. I almost sense that it's not that big a deal being projected to finish that high. I don't sense it amongst the players."
Rodriguez's point, though, is what it always is: preseason projections are great for the fans and the media, but the team still has to go out and earn it during the season.
This team, which will again be led on offense by the 1-2 attack of Patrick White and Steve Slaton, should be able to do just that. The Mountaineers finished 11-2 last year, ending No. 10 in the country with a win over Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl.
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