This just in: WVU special teams among nation's best

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Sports/...2006101027

October 11, 2006
Mitch Vingle

IN REGARD TO chatter over the No. 5 West Virginia Mountaineers, the special teams have been like one of the most popular TV shows.

Lost.

There's been talk about WVU's position in the polls. Talk about the wondrous spread offense running game. Talk about the schedule. Talk about defensive problems and, after last week, penalties.

Lost among that talk, though, has been the Mountaineers' special teams play.

In sum, it's been excellent.

Beamer Ball? Forget it. The latest is Billy Ball, as in WVU special teams (and quarterbacks) coach Bill Stewart. The guy who caught a lot of flack awhile back.

"I'm sorry about 1996," Stewart said Tuesday. "But I'm tired of hearing about it. This is 2006. We have a different team."

One that's excelling in many different areas. And all one has to do is check the latest NCAA statistics to see of what I write.

Check this out.

In punt return yardage defense, West Virginia is No. 2 nationally, allowing (are you ready for this?) an average of 1.43 yards per return.

The Mountaineers are No. 3 in net punting. Scott Kozlowski has averaged 42.46 yards on 13 punts. He and his teammates have given up but 10 return yards. That means a punt is worth a net average of 41.42 to WVU coach Rich Rodriguez.

"We've been pretty good," Stewart said. "The coverage has been excellent. The protection has been excellent."

"We changed our schemes some. We've been rolling [out the punter for rugby kicks]. We've been going for the coffin corner."

"And those rollers give teams fits. The ball bounces and rolls. [Opponents] are scared to try and pick it up. Against Mississippi State we had two punts for minus-5 yards."

And while teams gun for the fifth-ranked Mountaineers, they might want to watch for the team