Foundation in Place, WVSU Football Ready to Move Forward

 Jon Anderson, Head Football Coach
West Virginia State University
 

INSTITUTE, West Virginia  -- Though the weather may be turning cold and the skies gray the future looks bright for the West Virginia State football program.

 

"We laid our foundation of minimum expectations for playing hard with great effort and technique," WVSU Head Coach Jon Anderson said. "We improved throughout the season with our basic offense and defense and the big thing is we gained in football IQ."

 

Traditionally building or rebuilding any athletic program requires certain cornerstones be in place after a season ends for a good, strong, foundation to be in place.

 

First of all the team should be playing its best ball at the end of the season.

 

The Yellow Jackets certainly were as the final game against Glenville State was their best outing of the year.  They gained 365 total yards, 121 more than the Pioneers, and were poised to score the game winning touchdown when time expired. Perhaps even more important, the players were upbeat and determined.

         

Also, a team should have several underclassmen in the lineup gaining valuable experience.

A total of 14 starters in that final game were either freshmen or sophomores. Another four were juniors. Many made significant contributions.

"We had some individuals who proved themselves as play makers," Anderson said, "and we did a whole lot of growing up."

 

Though the Yellow Jackets will still be young next season there will also be plenty of experienced players around. "This group has bought into the process," Anderson said. "I'm very proud of the progress this team made from that standpoint."

 

It is also very important for there to be some areas of strength for the program to build around. The Jackets certainly had those. Even though there was only one senior in the mix the WVSU defensive backfield was among the best in the country all season. The Yellow Jackets finished tied for 10^th in the nation with 19 pass interceptions. Sophomore Romell Haley  and senior Dom Matthews tied for ninth nationally with six each.

 

Placekicker Josh Reuber was named the Mountain East Conference Special Teams Player of the Week in the final week. The freshman converted 13 of 16 field goal attempts and ranked 10^th in the country in field goals per game.

 

Finally, there should be improvements in facilities in the works. A new, $2.1 million, facilities building is scheduled to be open at Dickerson Stadium by the 2014 season with a new weight room, locker room, and coaches' offices. A new training room was completed this year and a new dormitory is under construction and scheduled to be open by fall of 2014, also.

 

So after finishing the 2013 season on a positive note, giving plenty of young players valuable experience, fielding a nationally ranked defensive unit, and with facility improvements on the way the foundation for success has been laid.

 

So what is next?

 

Recruiting is up first.  "We need to go out and recruit our region and find good high school players who want to help us build this tradition," Anderson said. "We have a lot of exciting things going on."

 

He and his staff are already on the road attending games, observing players, and talking to coaches.

 

Then comes offseason conditioning and spring practice.  "I'm very excited to work with the group of young kids in our program that will be going through their first offseason," Anderson said.

 

Though he points out "there is no quick fix" Anderson is happy with the course the WVSU football program is on. "The coaching staff is very committed to staying the course and sticking to our plan," he said. "That is teaching the guys not only the X's and O's but to become a championship football team."

 

The National Letter of Intent signing period for football begins on February 5.

 

The Yellow Jackets open the 2014 season at home against Lock Haven on September 6.

COURTESY WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION