Published: December 23, 2007 10:40 pm      

Magro: Oklahoma best WVU has met

MORGANTOWN — There’s hardly any doubt in West Virginia linebacker Marc Magro’s mind that Oklahoma clearly is the best team he will have played against this football year.

“The Sooners have great talent at all positions,” the 6-3, 240-pound senior from Morgantown said. “So we’re going to have to cover all aspects of the game.

“We’ll need to play an all-around defense to try to contain them.”

The Mountaineers, 10-2 ranked No. 9 in the BCS standings, will go against Oklahoma, No. 3 and 11-2, in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008 at Glendale, Ariz.

Magro, among others, will tell you that it has been somewhat difficult trying to get ready for this tremendous challenge.

As one of four co-captains, he has had to be a leader in seeing that teammates handle the tremendous distractions created by Rich Rodriguez’s departure as head coach on Dec. 16.

Rodriguez was officially announced as Michigan’s new head coach the following morning.

“For the most part, we’ve tried to stay focused on what each of us has to do,” Magro said. “You have to focus on the game or you will have no chance at all.

“You really can’t worry about coaching decisions and things of that nature. So it will help you to focus on the business at hand.”

Magro, who has played all three linebacker positions, finished the regular season third in tackles with a total of 79.

He also tied with defensive end Johnny Dingle for the lead in quarterback sacks with eight, and forced two fumbles while recovering one.

For his four-year career, Magro compiled 184 tackles, including 20 for lost yardage. He also logged 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and seven pass break-ups.

Magro praised the performance of Bill Stewart as interim head coach.

“Practices were a little shorter and crisper,” he said of preparations in Morgantown. “Guys were flying around making plays.

“He also let us go a day earlier than scheduled for Christmas break. That gave those who had to travel far more leeway.

“Coach Stewart has done a great job. He’s handling things a little different way, but he’s getting the job done.”