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By MSNsportsNET.com
April 6, 2010

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University football coach Bill Stewart and selected player quotes from Tuesday’s spring practice.

Coach Stewart

Opening Statements
First and foremost¸ our football program here at West Virginia University would like to express our deepest sympathy to the families of the miners in southern West Virginia that were a part of that disaster. While we had our practice here today, and it was an important practice, it is nothing like what happened to those great people down there. We just want to express our sincere sympathy and our thoughts are with them. This is a game of football but that game of life is more important.

Today’s practice was fast and they looked like they were enthused. There are all kinds of ingredients in every recipe. Our recipe today was pride, passion and discipline. You can’t have anything without those ingredients. But the main ingredient is still lacking. We are way behind and that is leadership. We need leadership in the worst way. We need seniors to step forward. They are doing a pretty good job, there is just not many of them. You don’t have to be a senior to lead.

Our chemistry is good. Our leadership is good. They are all good, but nothing near great. You just take our men’s and women’s basketball teams and you will see what chemistry and leadership can do. I am not real pleased with that at all.

On goals for spring camp
Chemistry and leadership are first and foremost on both sides of the ball. Offensively, we need to become a consistent and more efficient offense, particularly in the latter half of the season once opponents get six or seven game films on us.

I thought we did a pretty good job with Cincinnati, Pitt and Rutgers, but I was very displeased with the second-half of the bowl game. We need to finish.

Defensively, we need to disguise more.

On Geno Smith
He looked pretty good to me today. If he is in the spring game – he won’t be hit.

On the day overall
I thought Coley White threw the ball better than I had anticipated which was good. I thought Geno threw a couple good balls. Catching the ball caught my eye too. I have said it all spring, Will Johnson has been a nice force and we need to get the ball to him.

Tavon Austin caught some nice passes and Noel Devine was pretty good.

Chris Neild

I try to help out and explain things to the younger guys. Now that spring is here coach (Bill) Kirelawich will take control of that, but in the off season when we are just lifting, I will take the guys aside and if they want to do extra work I am more than happy to do it with them.

The past two months we have been trying to get in extra work after our normal work outs. They all seem like they want to learn more about their positions because it is such an odd out front that we run. So I try to be a leader.

Geno Smith

I have been working out extra hard this offseason. It was kind of a set-back with my foot but I still have to keep going.

It was a sharp pain. I immediately thought it was a sprain. A lot of doubt went through my mind, but the next day I got back on my grind and started working again and I am here now.

I want to do as much in spring practice as they want me to do. I will do what my team needs me to do and much as the trainers say I can do. I just want to get bigger and stronger and be a better leader this spring.

Noel Devine
You have to make the most of everyday. Everyday counts and I mean off the field too and in life period. You know it is coming soon and you just have to embrace it and enjoy it and then take care of business. I am not a fan of getting hit, but I can take a hit.

I just want to get better than last year. It is going to take my coach staying on me, my teammates pushing me and me wanting to get better.