On strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis leaving WVU:
Mike Barwis did a tremendous job. We just hired Mike Joseph. Tremendous young man. He was here first, went to Notre Dame [and now is back]. This guy has just gelled greatly with these young people. The style is a little different, but young people are resilient. They were resilient in that bowl game. They put aside their personal feelings -- you had to.
Mike Barwis, who we miss, my friend, [is] gone. I hate that, but it opens a new chapter. That's how we've looked at this whole thing. We have a great man in Mike Joseph. This summer is crucial. It is their time to bond. You pray. You do the best you can.
On his high-profile staff:
I never go in the defensive room, first and foremost. I've been an offensive guy my whole life. I was on the defensive staff under Fisher DeBerry for four years at Air Force. Let me say this: Army never crossed the goal line under Bill Stewart. I'm proud of that. But I never go in that defensive room.
…
[Defensive coordinator] Jeff Casteel is the best kept secret in the country.
[Note: Stewart told me a story about a journalist hyping Casteel and how he's doing everything he can to keep Casteel's prowess on defensive coaching a secret.]
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Offensively, we've got Doc Holliday. The best recruiter in the country. Put it down, William Stewart.
How I am keeping these guys? I went to every coal miner, every mill worker, every construction worker, every laborer, every God-fearing West-by-God-Virginian. I said go out by the outhouses, dig up the coffee cans and give me money. They did. They went into their burlap sacks and coffee cans and I was able to hire the best coaching staff in the country.
On the challenge to replace Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt:
Oh God. We don't have that plan mastered yet. How do you replace 35 [also listed the other seniors]. I don't know how you replace them. I know you can try to substitute. We have a guy named Will Johnson. He's better than that Owen coming out of the backfield. Can he block? No, he's 215. But he's an athlete.
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We will run a little more option to replace Owen. You have to do some smoke and mirrors. We have 2 great quarterbacks in Patrick White and Jarrett Brown. We'll be OK.
To replace Steve, we've got Noel Devine [and a few young backs]. Devine had 73 carries last season. I told my coaches he'll have that in the first three games. … We've got too much talent.
On the changes we can expect with Bill Stewart running the program:
Everyone is different. We don't change for change. Offensively we will still be the same. We're going to add motion. I'm a big motion and movement guy. We're going to use a little of what Virginia Tech did with Michael Vick. I'm not a stealer, but I'm a borrower.
I truly work for the team, the university and the people of West-by-God-Virginia. If I ever become bigger than those three things, I gotta go.
The only thing difference about me is: I let the coaches coach. I coach the in meetings, not on the field. I'm not an innovator; I'm not real, real smart. I know what the good Lord blessed me with. It's not a whole lot of smarts, but he has blessed me with leadership.
On what needs shoring up for the coming season:
Depth. I'm worried about our secondary. All good football teams have tremendous offensive lines because they can control the football, and I'm an offensive line coach. I will always have a great one, and we have one.
All good defenses have good linebackers. We have good linebackers and a great scheme. Now, you can get by with youngsters in the secondary, but we have an untested secondary. And we don't have a stable of backs. The barn's not full. We have Noel Devine and a couple of young freshman coming in.
But, we have the best quarterback in the nation. We have the best winner in the nation. He oozes winning. And behind him we have Jarrett Brown. Don't be surprised to see them in the backfield at the same time.
[Note: Stewart and I talked about White's 193 carries last year and how he needs to bring that down, but he still wants the two quarterbacks on the field simultaneously, at times]
On West Virginia's chances of winning the 2009 national title:
If the Good Lord's willin' and we can stay healthy. And we take care of our Big East Conference schedule. We've got a tremendous schedule. But all things are possible. That's the great thing about college football, we can get on a great run.
That's why you gotta watch as a coach how much emphasis you put on each game. We start at Villanova; hey, Appy State beat Michigan … we've got a heck of a schedule.
Can we get 'em all? Yeah. Can we lose 'em all? Yeah. That's the great thing.
We have just as much right as anyone else to go for the big one. We've got to stay healthy. We've got to have great chemistry... We've got to have the ball bounce our way.
Comments (3)
Adam...Stellar interview!
Thanks for sharing it!
Question for you though, Is Bill Stewart like any other college coach you've ever heard of? I think the man has a style that's not only unique, but radically different than anything I've ever seen before. It's certainly a radical change from Rich Rodriguez's style.
Not being able to compare coach "Stew" to anyone else makes it tough to predict his success this year and in the future.
Now that you've talked to him. What's your opinion? Will he be able to get that team to a BCS game or even Title game this year? Is he going to be able to keep that coaching staff together?
Did he come off genuine to you? reading much of his phrases in print, well, he comes across sometimes as "false modesty" - is he genuine?
On a side note, I heard that he's opened the door for North Babylons own Jason Gwaltney to return to the team as a walk-on. He's said there will be a zero tolerance policy where Jason is concerned and Jason will be held to a higher standard than others.
Personally, I'd like to see Jason make it back. If he's willing to do the work.
Thanks again Adam. Great work!
Adam...Stellar interview!
Thanks for sharing it!
Question for you though, Is Bill Stewart like any other college coach you've ever heard of? I think the man has a style that's not only unique, but radically different than anything I've ever seen before. It's certainly a radical change from Rich Rodriguez's style.
Not being able to compare coach "Stew" to anyone else makes it tough to predict his success this year and in the future.
Now that you've talked to him. What's your opinion? Will he be able to get that team to a BCS game or even Title game this year? Is he going to be able to keep that coaching staff together?
Did he come off genuine to you? reading much of his phrases in print, well, he comes across sometimes as "false modesty" - is he genuine?
On a side note, I heard that he's opened the door for North Babylons own Jason Gwaltney to return to the team as a walk-on. He's said there will be a zero tolerance policy where Jason is concerned and Jason will be held to a higher standard than others.
Personally, I'd like to see Jason make it back. If he's willing to do the work.
Thanks again Adam. Great work!
BNG -- Coach Stewart and I talked about Frank Beamer when it came up that I am a Hokie. I actually think Frank and Bill are much alike, Bill being more candid with his responses.
I came away impressed and actually realized today I had a voicemail from him last week that made me laugh. Good guy.
Do I think he can take WVU to a BCS game or MNC title? I think WVU should win the BEC this year, so that qualifies it for a BCS game, but the MNC game could be tough. Like he said, depth is a concern. So the 'Eers will need their fair share of balls bouncing their way. I think he'll be able to keep the coaching staff together for at least 3 years, which is important, because the coming 3 years are some of the most important in WVU football history. If they keep recruiting guys like Tajh Boyd and Logan Hestie, any coach would love to stay around and develop that kind of talent.
I do think Coach Stewart is genuine, and what you read as false modesty, I heard as him being a character. And a character can be modest. Just my opinion.
I, too, would like to see JG back at the D-1 level. Too much talent. If he keeps his nose clean, he could serve WVU in a big way. A big, durable, talented back like Gwaltney is the perfect two-punch to Noel Devine.
Glad you enjoyed.