WVU 2008 recruiting finalized

Yesterday WVU officials announced the final additions to the 2008 class when center/guard Benji Kemoeatu and tailback Mark Rodgers signed with the Mountaineers. On Benji:

Kemoeatu, 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, hails from Kahuku, Hawaii, where he was an all-state pick. He played both guard and center and was a two-time first-team all-state selection. Kemoeatu was rated the No. 2 football prospect in Hawaii and was ranked among the top 12 offensive guards in the nation after helping Kahuku win two state championships. His two brothers played in the NFL: Maake with the Carolina Panthers and Chris with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And on Rodgers:

As a senior at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, Calif., in 2006, Rodgers ran for 2,319 yards and 19 touchdowns in 11 games. That season he began with just 107 combined yards in the first two games and then averaged 245.7 yards over the final nine games. Rodgers was named All-Los Angeles County League Player of the Year, region co-player of the year and was an all-state selection. As a junior in 2005, Rodgers ran for 2,400 yards and scored 31 touchdowns. He reportedly ran a 10.57 100-meter dash as a senior in high school, placing fourth in the California state meet.

He also once reportedly jumped over the Golden Gate Bridge and knocked down a building by punching it. All reports are believed to have come from the Rodgers household.

In addition to the recruits, which brings the current number to 28 so either some aren't going to make it in academically or be grey shirted as 25 is the max, Devon Lyons (brother of Wes) is transferring to WVU from Ohio State for his senior year. Because he won a "hardship" case, moving closer to home due to family circumstances (his father is sick), Devon will be eligible this coming year.

The current, and probably final, rankings for WVU recruiting for the year are 42 for Rivals and 36 for Scout. WVU went very hard for defense this year especially the defensive line. Yet late the Mountaineers still secured two big-time linemen in Jenkins and Kemoeatu (along with two other linemen signings of Josh Bassler from Maryland and Joey Madsen from Ohio) and three running backs (Kerns, JUCO Zach Hulce, and Rodgers) including two late to give depth. The signings do not doom the chances of Ed Collington ever seeing the field again, but make it less likely he will be reinstated.

Finally, last year there was talk of having both PW and Jarrett Brown on the field at the same time. It was another possibility lost in the bubble-screen/run Pat White up the middle-apolloza of the offense late in the year. The two-QB package talk has been rekindled this year. Of course that all goes away if the experimentation with bubble screens turns into an addiction. Damn you bubble screens.