Round of Reubens

Heathergate is slowly winding down now that the panel of investigators have submitted their findings to WVU Provost Gerald Lang. Interesting is the difference in the articles from the Gazette and Daily Mail (same AP article) and the Post Gazette. The WV newspapers focus on the panel and a very loose wrap-up of the questions surrounding this case with a conclusion that Bresch was 10-credits short of her degree and insists she was told by Paul Speaker that work experience would count for the final semester. On the other hand the PPG goes into much more depth in review and also briefs the reader on the next issue which is FERPA.

The newspaper's review of university records found that after the decision was made, WVU officials added 22 credits to Ms. Bresch's transcript, nearly half of the 48 credits the degree required. The changes included adding six courses, with grades, that previously were not on her record and changing two course "incompletes" to letter grades. The newspaper found the changes were made without documents showing she had registered, paid or done the work for the classes.

Since the Dec. 21 story, WVU officials have offered various, often contradictory, explanations of how they made the decision -- including acknowledgements by Mr. Lang and business school Dean R. Stephen Sears that they lacked the records to show Ms. Bresch completed the degree

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is used to prohibit student records from being publicly released without student and family permission. However, the PPG fires the first salvo here:

"The main issue here is for the faculty to be satisfied that nothing inappropriate occurred," said Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Nassirian said WVU would not violate Ms. Bresch's FERPA rights by turning the entire report over to the faculty senate.

"They certainly have a direct educational interest and every right to review the case without consent," he said.

OS took a bunch of pictures at the Spring Game and if he ever gets off the farm again for a few minutes may even get them up somewhere. It appeared to be a big day for WVU recruiting on Saturday as four more recruits made pledges with WVU.

No less than four committed over the weekend - fullback-linebacker, Chris Snook, linebacker Branko Busick, wide receiver Deon Long and defensive end Dominik Davenport.

Snook, a 6-foot-3, 223-pounder from Highland High School in Medina, Ohio, picked West Virginia over Wake Forest and a handful of other offers that included Cincinnati and a bunch of Mid-American Conference schools. A sprinter on his school's track team, Snook will probably get his first look at the fullback-tight end hybrid.

Long is a 5-11, 176-pounder from Dunbar High School in Washington who had offers from Michigan State and Duke. Davenport is a 6-1, 245-pounder from Phoebus High School in Virginia, which is where WVU quarterback commitment Tajh Boyd plays. Davenport had offers from Maryland and Virginia. And Busick is a 6-1, 220-pound linebacker from across the Ohio River at Steubenville, Ohio.

More on Branko Busick here who is a longtime friend of current Mountaineer Zac Cooper. More on Chris Snook here:

While most schools looked at the 6-foot-3, 228-pound 17-year-old with a 375-pound bench press and drooled at the thought of a speed rushing linebacker, Mountaineers offensive coordinator Jim Mullen saw the second coming of graduated fullback Owen Schmitt.

Deon Long excerpt is here:

Deon Long, WR, Dunbar High (Baltimore), 6-0/180/4.50: Long has the quintessential receiver's mentality. "(The camp) is going good for me because nobody can check me," he confidently uttered during one of the breaks. "People were saying I couldn't get off of the jam, and I'm proving that I can against the best." Long showed deceptive speed, good hands and a desire to be physical. Michigan State was the first to offer him and is firmly entrenched in his top five.

The biggest catch, both in repuation and size, of the weekend was "Baby D" Dominik Davenport.

Dominik Davenport, the Daily Press Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-State pick as a junior, committed to the Mountaineers during an unofficial visit last weekend.

Davenport is on the same team as WVU pledge Tajh Boyd and friends with Logan Heastie. Both attended the Spring Game and brought friends and family with them. The family was nice, but the friends that also play football are better. One has already committed and more came along for a look at WVU. Out of the 6 early pledges 3 are from the Chesapeake/Hampton area VT has owned (3 of the top 4 according to Rivals), 2 are from Ohio, and one from DC. So over half are from areas that are not traditionally WVU strongholds which bodes well for the new staff in recruiting.