WVU's Devine ready for senior year

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/03/2010 -

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -Noel Devine stayed in school just for this.

Rather than take a chance on the NFL draft last April, Devine is returning for one final season in which he believes ``the sky is the limit.''

Liftoff starts Saturday when No. 25 West Virginia plays FCS school Coastal Carolina.

``It's my senior year,'' Devine said. ``I'm just trying to enjoy it all and embrace it. I'm happy with the team we have now and I'm proud of my decision. It's a destiny. It's laid out already and it's not like I'm in control.''

Despite rushing for 1,465 yards last season, including a 220-yard effort against Colorado, Devine wasn't the center of attention even within his own conference, and that might be the case again this year.

All eight Big East teams return their top rushers from 2009, led by Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis, who ran for 1,799 yards as a freshman. Not far away at Virginia Tech, teammates Ryan Williams and Darren Evans are being touted as perhaps the top running back tandem in the nation.

Devine needs 1,784 yards to overtake Avon Cobourne as West Virginia's career rushing leader, although that would require an amount of carries atypical of West Virginia's philosophy of spreading the ball to many weapons.

``As many times as they'll give it to me,'' said Devine, who averaged nearly 19 carries a game last year. ``I want to be a key aspect to this team and do all that I can.''

If the diminutive Devine can approach Cobourne's record, it might end up getting him mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Those suggestions get stopped as quickly as Devine changes directions when he has the ball.

``It's all talk. I have to prove myself on the field,'' Devine said. ``It's an honor to be mentioned, but it's just going to be up to me to come through with it.''

Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett wishes Devine had taken the money and run to the NFL.

``Our guys have an opportunity to try to slow him down a little bit,'' Bennett said. ``You're not going to completely stop him. He is lightning. What he does a great job is hiding behind those big ol' linemen that they've got.''

Devine's decision to return in January came the same day slot receiver Jock Sanders also announced he'd return for his season season.

It was fitting considering the Florida natives - Devine from Fort Myers, Sanders from St. Petersburg - entered the program together in 2007. Both are fathers and would be the first in their families to earn college degrees.

``We just had that instant vibe,'' Sanders said. ``We're just always on the same page because we're around each other so much.''

Sanders led the team a year ago with 72 catches for 688 yards and needs 55 catches to become the school's leading receiver.

But he'll have someone new throwing to him. Sophomore Geno Smith is making his first start after backing up Jarrett Brown last season.

Smith's arm might get plenty of work Saturday. Coach Bill Stewart warns Coastal Carolina might follow the lead of other teams in the past by clogging the line of scrimmage and denying Devine his running lanes.

``If we can't get free, if they load the box, it's going to be a long struggle no matter who you play,'' Stewart said.

Coastal Carolina quarterback Zach MacDowall is hoping for a better season after throwing for more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (nine) in 2009.

That chance may have to wait until after Saturday. West Virginia intercepted 17 passes a year ago and returns nine starters on defense.

Coastal Carolina is the second straight Big South team to open a season at West Virginia. Liberty gave the Mountaineers early fits last year before West Virginia pulled away in the second half for a 33-20 win.

Bennett said he might follow up on someone's suggestion to get some tips on playing West Virginia from Liberty coach Danny Rocco, but that his biggest worry wasn't his opponent.

``We're really more concerned about our guys, getting us ready,'' he said. ``I think in coaching a lot of times, we worry too much about what are the other guys going to do.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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