CHIP SHOTS

Forgot to mention

Last week I talked a little bit about West Virginia University football recruiting. About how some members of a potentially very highly regarded recruiting class were wavering from their verbal commitments to WVU. Included in that group were three players who former assistant WVU head coach Doc Holliday had recruited to be Mountaineers. Holliday, now the head man at Marshall, was trying to get the three players to commit to the Thundering Herd.

Last week reports from Huntington suggested that the three players had committed there. Subsequently two of those verbals to Marshall were determined to be shaky at best. All three, none, or any combination of the three could wind up there. The point is the reports that they had flipped on their verbal to WVU was premature, as are many of these verbal commitments out there this time of year.

Also mentioned last week was Barry Brunetti, a quarterback from Memphis with a top three national ranking at his position. Brunetti had been strongly committed to the Mountaineers for almost a year. To the point where he was calling other high school talent gauging their interest in coming to West Virginia with him. Then in recent weeks reports surfaced that he would be taking an official recruiting trip to Mississippi State. Brunetti’s mom was also on record as wanting her son to stay closer to home. A good visit at MSU last weekend had those following WVU’s recruiting nervous that Brunetti would flip.

Those fears were alleviated Monday night when Brunetti announced to a Memphis TV station that he will be signing with West Virginia next Wednesday. Good news indeed for Mountaineers, but remember, nothing is binding until the letter of intent is signed next Wednesday. That Brunetti made this statement Monday would seem to indicate he is finally settled on his choice.

What wasn’t mentioned last week is news which will likely have more impact on next year’s team than any player in the 2010 recruiting class. That would be the return of running back Noel Devine for his senior season. Speculation was that Devine would enter the NFL draft this spring and forego his senior season in Morgantown.

That decision is huge for the Mountaineers. Devine was probably the best home run threat of any running back last season in college football. With improved play along the offensive line expected next year, there is good reason to believe Devine could be in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race next season. That trophy, and getting his degree would seem to be Devine’s reasons to return.

Raising his stock as a NFL prospect seems less likely, at least to my way of seeing it. Devine is already a proven commodity, but one with limitations as a far as playing in the NFL is concerned. It really boils down to size, or in Devine’s case, lack of it. At 5-8, 175, and some say that is being generous, Devine will get the role player tag at the next level. He certainly will have a chance to have an important role to play, but he has already shown what kind of back he is. A very good one. One coming back for the right reasons.

Devine isn’t the only player coming back to WVU who had considered testing the NFL waters. Slot receiver Jock Sanders had talked about entering the NFL draft, but will return for the 2010 season. Sanders looks like a clone of Devine, not quite as explosive, but a valuable asset with his sure hands and big play potential. Sanders and Devine coming back will ease the pain of any last minute defections from the WVU recruiting class.