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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COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING

NCAA Football Betting

Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)

"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."

Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins

There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.

Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins

Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.

USC Trojans - 10.5 wins

A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.

Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.

"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."

Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1

The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1

If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.

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