The problem is certainly not a lack of effort. New WVU
wide receivers coach Butch Jones is definitely giving it his
all, and guys like Travis McClintic, Joe Hunter and Dorrell Jalloh are probably performing well above what their
natural abilities should allow them to do.
Jones just does not have that born athlete who can go
up and make a play that defies the laws of physics. There is no Chris Henry, Shawn Foreman, David Saunders or
Reggie Rembert there to take the pressure off of the other
wideouts.
Throughout the early spring, Jones simply tried to get
the most out of what he had, but it quickly became obvious
that he needed something more if the Mountaineers had
any hopes for balance in their offense. West Virginia head
coach Rich Rodriguez searched for answers, and when he
noticed seven talented players busting their tails for two
cornerback spots, a light bulb came on.
Among that group was a 5-9, 170-pound Pittsburgh
native who had tremendous speed, great hands and had
even caught 15 passes as a senior at Perry Academy. The
answer to a once perplexing question
suddenly seemed obvious.
With two weeks left in the spring,
Rodriguez went to the young defensive
back with the proposal, and Vaughn Rivers
did not even take time to think twice about
the offer before accepting his new role.
“There was no hesitation at all,” said
Rivers. “Coach Rod and (defensive back)
Coach (Tony) Gibson came to me, and I
was willing to do whatever was best for the
team. I really welcomed the opportunity,
because I wanted to get the ball in my
hands. I felt like I could do some things for
us to help make up for our lack of depth at
receiver. They put me in with the (first
team), and that let me know that they were
really counting on me, and I had to step up.
“We have a lot of bodies at defensive
back, but there are a lot of people banged
up at receiver,” Rivers continued. “I think
they lacked a little leadership there, and
that is what I wanted to step in and give
them.”
The move was complete, but the work
was just beginning. Sure, Rivers had caught
a few balls at the prep level but stepping
into a Division I-A football program is a little
different. It did not take long for Rivers to
find that out.
“The hardest thing has been learning
our offense, because it is complicated,”
said the 20-year-old sophomore sport
management major. “The routes have been
hard, and the blocking has been something
new. I played receiver in high school, so it
is kind of the same thing, but the
fundamentals are so much more at this
level. I am trying to get those down right
now.”
The first thing that caught his eye was
the difference in running routes. Being a
receiver in the Big East Conference means
a little more than scrambling around the
backyard with your hand held into the air
trying to get open and let your quarterback
see you.
“At this level, there is so much emphasis
on the route running,” Rivers explained,
shaking his head in near disbelief. “You
have to be so precise. In high school if you
have quick feet and are athletic, you can
get away with a lot. But at this level, everyone
is just as quick as you, so you have to run
your routes perfect.”
Up next - part two of our interview with Rivers, including more of his thoughts on other aspects of the position and his view of his progress to date.
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