Published: April 12, 2008 01:29 am      

Stewart pleased after Mountaineers forced inside

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University’s football squad was forced to practice in the Caperton Indoor Facility on Friday because of thunder and lightning, but coach Bill Stewart admittedly was pleased with the workout.

“We brought them inside because of the storm to get some things done, and we had a heck of a workout,” he said after the highly spirited session. “I was very pleased. We didn’t want any wet balls. We’ll get that in the fall.”

The Mountaineers gave the coaches what they wanted: A big, big move-the-chains pass skill skirmish which Stewart rated as “really sharp.” There were some great plays on both sides of the football.

“Patrick White was very sharp today,” he said. “And we made some nice long catches. The pass rush also was good.”

Stewart also thought a two-minute drill worked out well, with the defense flying around. While he didn’t think a third-and-three part of the spot scrimmage was real good, he said the results of third-and-six were great.

But the defense dominated the third-and-eight exercise.

“They just wore out the offense on that one,” the Mountaineer mentor said.

He is pleased that No. 2 quarterback Jarrett Brown is catching up on the new offensive schemes after returning from his stint with the WVU men’s basketball team. Brown did have a couple mental lapses and failed to get some players up front lined up properly.

But Stewart said, “By and large, he is really picking up pretty quick (on things he missed earlier).”

He continues to be impressed by the performances of sophomores Jock Sanders and Brandon Hogan, who will have key roles in the offense this year. Both are wide receivers who also are involved in the running game.

“Sanders made some big plays today and Hogan made three or four nice catches,” Stewart noted. “But (Hogan) fumbled a couple times when he got hit.”

Cornerback Kent Richardson caught the head coach’s eye again, as did linebackers J.T. Thomas and Mortty Ivy and free safety Quinton Andrews.

“It was great to see (defensive tackle) Scooter Berry out there flying around and doing a good job,” Stewart noted. “Very, very good. And Will Johnson made some nice plays in the fullback/H-back/TE hybrid position.”

A couple of long passes down a sideline were good for touchdowns.

The second officiated scrimmage is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. or there about on Saturday to complete the next-to-last week of spring practice.