Saturday, January 12, 2008

Toe Blake: Initial Rant...



Can we please stop saying that Bill Stewart can't recruit. This can't be more wrong. Stewart and the defensive line coach were known as the best recruiters on RR staff. Stewart is responsible for most of the talent on the offense. People are stupid to think that the head coach is out there getting all of these recruits. Dick Rod was too busy trying to make money off high school coaches trying to learn his zone read. Bill Stewart is extremely connected in college football being that he has had many stops over his 30 yr career. And yes he has far more connections than RR ever had.

That being said, the coaching hires are amazing. The defensive staff is a true all-star team. Every coach has been a successful d=coordinator for many years. Every coach said that they came back to be in home and work with Bill Stewart. It's not just that his players will walk through fire for him, but all of his friends and colleagues will too. Plus they are all life-long friends and egos like Dick Rod's will not be a factor.

Dunlap has worked with talent like Freeney and Mario williams and is known for getting the most of out his players and show casing their strengths. Lockwood is known as one of the best recruiters in the country and is very innovative. Beatty said that he plans on creating a pipeline from VA where he coached and knows all of the current H.S. players coming out. WV will now be able to tap into the talent in VA that VT has been living off of for all of their success.

Doc Holliday is a true gift from God. Who would have thought we would have 2 head coaches that everyone wanted. (What's next Bowden will coach quaterbacks?) Combine that with Doc being known as the best recruiter in Florida and WVU is truely rolling.

If the Fiesta Bowl is any indication, I don't think WVU fans will have to puke on bubble screens and Pat White up the middle every other play. Bill Stewart was more diversified than they have been all year. He threw down field. He called runs out of the I formation that went for TD's. Most of all when WVU had a big lead he went for the throat and threw a bomb to Gonzales. Tito scored with tears in his eyes because RR told him to leave because he wasn't any good. WVU did not site on the ball for 3 qtrs and pray they didn't lose like the Sugar Bowl. People forget that Stewart has many years as a O-coordinator and called many plays in the bowl not McGee. With Coach Rod, the O-coodinator is a title only because he checked out of or called all of the plays because of his ego. He also never admitted to making a mistake even after he only ran 3 plays against Pitt. He never gives another team or coach credited when he is totally out coached and his team is not prepared. Under Stewart, assistants will be able to show case skills and will have imput instead of being overrided on all of their calls. I don't think we will see uncontroled temper tantrums from Bill or him peeing down his leg in fear as he tries not to lose against subpar competition.

Congrats to you Bill Stewart you have done nothing but amaze the nation since you have taken the reins and I hope your success continues. I am sure we will not hear much about this great coaching staff or everything that Stewart is putting together on ESPN. They tear down WVU every chance they get. A team that has finished in the top 10 for 3 straight years and beat the Big 12 and SEC champs in BCS games and they get no respect. Coach Dick Rod leaving could be the best thing in the long run and mark the start of WVU's true dominance. What's the worst thing that could happen? Lose 2 games a year and choke in the only 1 or 2 big games WVU plays. Let's go Mountaineers.

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