West Virginia players police each other in time of covid-19
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West Virginia coach Neal Brown has some help while preparing his team for the upcoming season.
Brown said Wednesday some of the veterans are keeping an eye on the younger players, making sure everyone is following the covid-19 protocols and restrictions.
“You’re asking them to make mature decisions, and a lot of these guys aren’t to that point in their life,” Brown said. “So, you’re trying to coach them.
“You really try to get the veterans to help them understand why it’s so important.”
Brown said he stresses the importance of staying away from large groups of people outside the football facility: “Every single day,” he said.
But he has help.
“They do police themselves. We have a large number of guys who want to play, and if there are people on our football team who are interfering, then they are (getting reported),” he said.
“Is it going to be 100 percent? No. Are we going to have some issues? Absolutely. That’s dealing with this age group. Every sport that’s going to play is going to deal with those types of issues.”
On the field, the quarterback derby continues between Austin Kendall and Jarret Doege.
“Both started slow (Wednesday), but recovered and made some nice plays,” Brown said. “We have to do a better of starting fast.”
He added that a third quarterback, Garrett Green, brings “a different level of energy. It’s contagious.”
Brown said two transfers – offensive lineman Ja’Quay Hubbard and wide receiver Zack Dobson — are practicing while a third, linebacker Tony Fields, is going through the covid-19 quarantining process before joining workouts.
Hubbard, a four-star prospect from Sharpsville, appeared in two games at Virginia last year as a freshman and will have four years of eligibility.
“He’s a guy that’s long, and I like the way he practices,” Brown said. “He’s hungry, so I’m looking forward to seeing how he grows.”
Dobson, 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, may help as a slot receiver and returner. He caught 31 passes for 413 yards and seven touchdowns last season at Middle Tennessee State. He has two seasons of eligibility left at WVU.
“I think he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands,” Brown said. “There are some things he’s got to get better at. One of my mentors in the coaching profession is Tony Franklin, who is the offensive coordinator there at Middle Tennessee State, and he didn’t want him to leave.
“But once (Dobson) made that decision, he really believed in the kid and thought he was special. Those type of guys who are dynamic with the ball in their hands, we were limited with what we have in our program, and we felt like offensively and in the return game he can add something for us.”
Fields was a Freshman All-American linebacker at Arizona in 2017, and he was second on the team with 94 tackles last season. In 37 games, he totaled 17 tackles for a loss.
Brown said split-squad work continued Wednesday morning, with both units missing several players because of an intestinal virus unrelated to covid-19. Practices will become more physical next week as a ramp-up to the opener Sept. 12 against Eastern Kentucky, he said.
“Basically what we are doing is going Monday, Tuesday and Friday doing a lot of group and individual work, and Wednesday is mostly a team situational type practice. We’re still not tackling to the ground.
“Then on Saturday, we’re going into the stadium and making it as game-like as we possibly can.”
He indicated it will be a full-squad workout.
Brown pointed to freshman cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. for three consecutive days of solid work against sophomore wide receiver Sam James.
“For a true freshman, I think he’s holding his own,” Brown said. “I love how he competes.”