WVU secondary should be strong

DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER

MORGANTOWN - One must sift through the first waves of players tofind West Virginia University's defensive strength for next season.

The secondary.

That particularly goes for the areas that assistant coach TonyGibson leads on the Mountaineers. He likes the depth and talent atfree safety and at both cornerback spots.

"We're probably as deep (at corner) as we've ever been," saidGibson, entering his fifth season on Coach Rich Rodriguez's staff."With the playing experience, right now, I feel pretty comfortable."

WVU will complete its second week of spring practices over theweekend. The Mountaineers have two weeks remaining with the Gold-Blue intrasquad scrimmage closing the session on April 16.

One of the things the Mountaineers are looking for are defensivelinemen and linebackers after graduation mangled the depth chartsthere.

Gibson said his cornerback starters this spring are senior-to-beAnthony Mims at the field spot and senior Dee McCann at boundary.Mims was a starter last season and, according to Rodriguez, playedhis best game of the 2004 season in the Gator Bowl against FloridaState.

McCann played more in the second half of the season behind Adam"Pac-man" Jones, who left WVU's squad in January to make himselfeligible for the upcoming NFL Draft. McCann is a former junior-college transfer.

"What Alton (McCann's real first name) has to do is settle downand not give up the big play," Gibson said. "He's gambled, taken arisk and they throw it over him. But he seems like he's always aroundthe football."

With Jones gone, WVU has lost the last of its game-changingdefensive personnel from two years ago. In 2003, players such asGrant Wiley, Brian King and Jones had knacks for creating turnovers.

McCann, however, will have to look over his shoulder for sophomoreAntonio Lewis, a former high-school quarterback from Waldorf, Md.Lewis played in eight games last season and blocked one kick. He alsocould take Jones' spots returning punts and kickoffs.

"It will be hard to keep Antonio off the field," Gibson said."He's as big as No. 9 (Jones) was. At this stage of their careers, Isometimes look out there and say, 'We just have to put a No. 9 onhim' because he looks like him a lot of times breaking on the ball,being aggressive, being physical."

Sophomore Larry Williams is backing Mims. The third-team cornersare also familiar names, sophomore Vaughn Rivers and senior ThandiSmith.

Free safety is owned by multi-year starter Jahmile Addae, asenior. His backup is junior Abraham Jones.

WVU is also strong at least at one of its strong safety spots.Senior Mike Lorello, however, is missing the spring because of abroken hand sustained in the Gator Bowl. Sophomore Ridwan Malik is acontender for the other strong safety spot.

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On the other side of the ball, Rodriguez is looking for twoveterans to be productive. That is something he cannot count on sincethe top returning receiver, Brandon Myles, had six 2004 catches.

"We don't have many veterans at wide receiver," Rodriguez said.

A possible glimpse of WVU's receiving future came late in theGator Bowl when 6-foot-5 Rayshawn Bolden caught a 49-yard pass.Bolden's slow development has kept him off the field for longstretches.

"He's a talented guy," Rodriguez said. "I think he's committed tobecoming a better player and better leader. For us to be good atreceiver, we probably have to rely on him and Brandon Myles as big-play guys."

Myles will be a senior next season and Bolden a junior.

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About 300 high school and college coaches are expected to attendWVU's annual clinic today and Saturday at Mountaineer Field.

The Mountaineers will practice both days with an intrasquadscrimmage to be held Saturday.