Galloway with plenty of options for fourth receiver

Too many players and not enough positions.

That's the way wide receivers coach Lonnie Galloway sees his depth chart entering the 2010 season. Full of playmakers, the third-year coach said his talent level has surely increased since his first season with the Mountaineers and so have his decisions on who to play.

"Right now, there's a group of guys out there fighting for one spot," he said. "They all want the ball, and that's one thing we talk about. The point that I try to tell them is ‘be in the right place at the right time;' because you never know when the ball is coming. If the ball comes your way, make a play; and don't complain if you don't get it."

That open spot is the No. 4 receiver position. Senior Brad Starks will anchor the receiver core as the Mountaineers' No. 1 outside receiver while sophomore Tavon Austin will play opposite of him. Jock Sanders, who fell six catches shy of breaking the school's single season reception record in 2009, will start in the slot.

But the fourth man when WVU goes into a four receiver set still remains to be decided. In WVU's final scrimmage of the preseason Saturday, the team rarely went into a four-receiver set and used tailback Noel Devine in such cases.

"Jock, Tavon, Noel and Bradley all need to touch the ball," Galloway said.

In the running to become the fourth receiver is redshirt freshman Stedman Bailey, redshirt sophomore J.D. Woods and true freshman Ivan McCartney.

Woods was the early favorite to take the spot entering camp, according to Galloway, but the team elected to go with Bailey to fill in for an injured Starks in Saturday's scrimmage.

"If he doesn't start, it's his fault," Galloway said of Woods. "It's going to be a big, big fall for him. If he succeeds, he has a chance."

It may be Bailey and McCartney who have been the camp's most pleasant surprises, however. The pair were both teammates at Miramar High School in Miramar, Fla., where their quarterback was current WVU starting signal caller Geno Smith.

The two were one of five
receivers to earn Division I scholarships on the team and are favorites of WVU head coach Bill Stewart for their abilities to make the tough catches look easy.

Bailey caught 68 passes for 1,163 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior and has made prolific growths in the offseason, specifically with his increased knowledge of the playbook.

"Stedman is going to be a big surprise, not to me, but to the league," Galloway said. "He's done a lot of things and made a lot of plays. He can say, more than anyone on this team, that he knows what Geno is thinking. It's such a good chemistry that he has."

McCartney, meanwhile, comes to WVU as a U.S. Army All-American after ending with 37 catches for 747 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. Adjusting from high school to Division I football isn't as easy as it looks, according to Galloway.

"The worst thing about being a highly rated freshman is that what you did was in high school," Galloway said. "Now, you come in. There's new plays. It's faster.

"He's a hard worker. He wants to play, and I'm going to give him every chance to play."

The receiving corps will also get some help from two tight ends – junior Tyler Urban and senior Will Johnson – along with redshirt freshman Chris Snook.

"They're coming along really well," said tight ends coach Dave McMichael. "Tyler Urban has had a good camp, and Will Johnson is doing well. We're going to bring Chris Snook along."

WVU ranked 90th in the country in pass offense last season, averaging 191 pass yards per game. The mark was the worst in the Big East Conference.