Quick Hits: WRs Being Pushed, O-Line Depth Building, Marchiol Improving + More

WVU head coach Neal Brown provides an update on spring practice.

Thoughts on receivers

“There’s some pressure on that group. We probably outperformed expectations in that room last year, especially the young guys that played - the Traylon Ray’s, the Rodney Gallagher’s. Preston (Fox) playing for the first time, Hudson (Clement) playing. Probably surprised some people, but that element’s gone now. When expectations are low and you do better, eh. Have you really accomplished anything? And so now, those guys have proven they’re capable of playing at this level, now what does the next step look like? Can we win because of them? We’ve done a lot of passing situations this spring because we have to get better throwing the ball. The quarterbacks have to be more accurate. Our running backs and our o-line have to protect better. We have to do a better job of getting open and making plays after the catch.”

Depth on the o-line

“Johnny Williams is going to be a factor for us. We need to get him where he’s ready to play in fall camp and we think he will be. Sully Weidman and Mo Hamilton are both getting a bunch of reps and it’s time for them. They’ve been in the program and it’s time. They’ve got to be able to perform. Landen Livingston is getting a bunch of reps at center and so is Cooper Young. Landen, I’ve been pleased with him. He’s a guy that would probably be if not the most improved player on offense, he’s in that discussion. Xavier Bausley and Nick Krahe are the other two and we feel like both of those guys are going to be ready to play.”

Nicco Marchiol improving

“I think it starts with his preparation which sounds really simple. But he’s matured as a football player, so when he turns on the video he knows what to watch. He knows how to prepare and he’s done a really good job of asking for the script so he can be prepared going into each practice. I think from a fundamental standpoint, he’s much more compact right now. His confidence has risen because he’s got a lot of repetitions but the game has slowed down a lot. Pre-snap he has a better understanding of what defenses are trying to do to him. I talked about Landen Livingston, but Nicco is right up there with the most improved player on offense.”

Most improved defensive players

“I’ll give you a guy who I think is preparing to be an all-league player is Eddie V(esterinen). He’s been really difficult to block. Sean Martin, he’s got great length and size and now it’s starting to click, how to use his length and I think he’s starting to show that he can maybe be a dominant player at times and as the year goes be a guy that we’ll talk about not just about being an NFL player, but that could potentially be an early round pick.”