Nov 6, 2004 3 min read

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel has some advice for his players who try to tackle 240-pound Temple quarterback Walter Washington. “Be careful,” Casteel said.

A year ago, Washington ran roughshod over the Mountaineers, who have no reason to believe he can’t do it again when Temple (1-7, 0-3 Big East) visits No. 15 West Virginia (7-1, 3-0) on today.

Washington leads the conference in rushing touchdowns and averages 200 yards passing per game.

“That’s what makes him unique is his ability to present problems as a thrower, and he’s going to be maybe the most physical running back we’ve seen all year,” Casteel said.

Washington ran for 117 yards and four scores last year in a 45-28 loss to the Mountaineers.

He hasn’t slowed down in 2004. Washington ranks seventh overall in the Big East – and first among quarterbacks – with 514 yards rushing, nine ahead of his West Virginia counterpart, Rasheed Marshall.

“We didn’t tackle him last year. He fell over us a few times, but we didn’t tackle him,” said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. “Even our linebackers aren’t as big as he is, so you’ve got to get multiple people to the quarterback and kind of gang tackle him.”

Either Washington or Marshall will probably break the conference single-season QB rushing record of 666 yards set by Marshall in 2002. Marshall set the career mark earlier this season.

Marshall may have to do more running today because he’ll be without his primary receiving target. Chris Henry was benched for at least the first half after drawing two unsportsmanlike penalties and an automatic ejection against Rutgers.

Henry has 39 catches this season, leads the Big East with 10 touchdowns and is second to Rutgers’ Tres Moses with 647 yards receiving.

The next closest receivers for the Mountaineers are Miquelle Henderson with 11 catches, Eddie Jackson with 148 yards and Brandon Myles with two TDs.

“It’s all about opportunities,” Henderson said. “There’s plenty of guys at wide receiver who can do the same thing but like myself hasn’t gotten that opportunity to do it.”

Temple coach Bobby Wallace knows if Henry sits out, it may only be one less bullet in the chamber.

“If he does not play, it takes away maybe the threat of throwing it up deep, but they have other good receivers, also,” Wallace said.

The Mountaineers have received some criticism for failing to maintain big leads. They twice let Rutgers come back from large deficits before holding on for a 35-30 win. A third-quarter lead evaporated against Maryland before West Virginia won in overtime, and the defense gave up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to Connecticut to make an otherwise blowout respectable.

“Whenever we have a team down, we’ve got to keep them down and put them away,” Marshall said.

While Rodriguez has defended his team’s lackluster wins almost on a weekly basis, Wallace wishes he had that problem.

“Well, they’re winning, so that’s one thing. And that’s the main thing,” Wallace said. “Sometimes I sit here and say we played really well and played hard, but we didn’t win. Winning’s not easy at this level. Every week that you play and win a football game, I think it’s quite an accomplishment.”

Temple will make a rare visit to West Virginia in back-to-back seasons, a byproduct of Connecticut’s entry into the league this season. The Mountaineers clinched a share of the Big East title last year against the Owls.