Bilal Marshall Talks Return to WVU, Importance of Devin Carter, Role for Gallagher + More

Coming back to WVU

"Quite honestly, it's like I never left. It's literally been about eleven months and it really feels like not much has changed since then. It was awesome when Coach Brown called me. It was kind of surreal because he called me and I was kind of like, uh, what's going on here, coach? We had a good conversation about some things that he was thinking about doing. He brought me in here. I interviewed for the job and he called me right after Christmas and said, 'Hey, it's yours. I need you here on this day. Let's go.'"

Having a WR room last year at VMI

"It was very critical that I was able to do that because now it's all on you, what happens in that room. There's nobody else that's responsible for that room other than you. Luckily, I've had a great mentor in Gerad Parker and Neal Brown to show me the way. I know exactly what Neal wants. I know exactly what he's looking for. And he knows what I bring to the table. He knows what I'm teaching and he trusts me to be able to go out there and do it."

Familiarity with receivers on the roster

"I recruited Jeremiah Aaron and Cortez Braham before I left, so they knew exactly who I was before I came back. Preston Fox, Graeson Malashevich, C.J. Cole, all those guys have been there since I've been here. Obviously, we've got a couple young guys that are here now and Rodney Gallagher will be here in the fall. He knows exactly who I am. I was part of the recruiting process before I left with him as well. And Traylon Ray will be here and we've got a great relationship already being that we're both from the state of Florida, so we just kind of hit it off really quickly. Devin Carter got here and ingratiated himself really well with the players, they all hang out with each other all the time. He's been very vocal. He's going to be a leader this fall."

Importance of having Devin Carter

"It is crucial to have a four-year starter. He knows what big-time football looks like and he's able to lead by example and also pull guys along. Now, if you didn't have somebody in that role then you'd have to build that person and create it. It does help that he just naturally does it and people just naturally gravitate towards him."

Being an inexperienced coach given the opportunity to lead an inexperienced room

"I take it as a compliment, but I also take it as a great respect. Because Coach Brown didn't have to give me this opportunity and he did and that tells me that he trusts me. So every morning that I wake up, I make sure I know I'm here to make him right in every facet. I know what this responsibility means and I know what this role means to him."

Teach Davis Mallinger

"We teach him everything because we're going to give him every opportunity in the fall to show that he can or can't do it. I believe that he will be able to do it. He comes in my office and learns extra. He wants to learn it. And when we have little walkthroughs, we put him out there. He's done a good job and has been very detailed with that, so I'm excited to see him in the fall."

Rodney Gallagher's role

"Ultimately, everybody's role is going to be determined by what they do in the fall. The best guys will play ultimately. But he's a guy that's going to be twitchy. He's got ball skills and he's going to know how to get open. At the end of the day, how fast can he pick up the playbook? That's what's going to determine can he play or not and it's my job to make sure that he can."

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