BOULDER — Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has said “you need another (defensive) guy” to account for West Virginia senior quarterback Pat White, who ranks fourth on the all-time NCAA major-college list in rushing yards (5,666).
But don’t look for CU’s defense to designate a “spy” to shadow White’s every move Thursday night when the No. 21 Mountaineers come to town.
“We haven’t put in a spy defense, necessarily,” senior safety Ryan Walters said Tuesday. “But our whole front seven (defensive linemen and linebackers) is always going to have an eye on where he is at. He can do amazing things with his feet. And he has a pretty good arm, too.”
The problem with putting a spy on White, CU coaches and players say, is that could mean one fewer defender in position to keep WVU sophomore tailback Noel Devine in their sights. Small (5-feet-8, 173 pounds) but explosive, Devine averaged an amazing 8.6 yards per carry in rushing for 627 yards in 2007 as the backup to Steve Slaton.
“Sure tackles is our focus, and not letting those two create big plays,” Walters said. “They’re two of the best athletes we’ll face all year.”
No huffing and puffing.
West Virginia’s mascot is the Mountaineers, and it is quite hilly on campus and around town. But the official elevation of Morgantown, W.Va., is 960 feet above sea level, compared to 5,345 for Boulder.
No problem, West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said on this week’s Big East coaches teleconference when asked about whether his team might struggle to catch its breath Thursday night.
“I don’t spend much time talking about elevation,” Stewart said. “I got to Colorado Springs (as Air Force defensive line coach) in 1990. I was 38 years of age and ran 20-plus miles a week. Football is, what, 4.2 seconds (per play)? I told our guys to strain for a few seconds, and then they’ll catch their wind.
“If we were playing up at Crested Butte or Breckenridge . . . but we’re not playing at those places. Guys will be taxed a little bit. But you get tired in every football game.”
Footnotes.
Two young cornerbacks returning from injuries, sophomore Jimmy Smith (back bruise) and redshirt freshman Anthony Wright (high ankle sprain), can’t keep from smiling at the thought of making their season debuts Thursday night. “West Virginia has good athletes, but I feel I’m a good athlete, too,” Wright said Tuesday. Said Smith: “What a great game to come back for.” . . . About 1,600 tickets were available for Thursday’s game as of Tuesday.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
