WVU’s Slayton eager to face team that rejected him
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – Steve Slaton wanted to play for Ralph Friedgen. Maryland wanted him, too, but eventually withdrew a scholarship offer. Slaton gets his chance to show the Terrapins what they’re missing Thursday night when Maryland (2-0) visits No. 5 West Virginia (2-0).
“I ended up where I belonged, and that’s what’s important,” Slaton said.
The sophomore has emerged as one of the nation’s top running backs. Last year, he piled up 1,128 yards despite not starting until midseason. This year, he ranks fifth nationally with a 154-yard average, slightly ahead of Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson.
Friedgen, Maryland’s sixth-year coach, continues to kick himself because his policy is to recruit players – regardless of position – who are good students and possess blazing speed.
“There are only so many running backs you can take,” Friedgen said. “Obviously, we have four pretty good running backs. You need to have somebody that can block for them. For every guy I take, that’s one less lineman, and we’re short on the lineman count right now.
“That was the only reason.”
Slaton, who verbally committed to Maryland when he was high school senior in Levittown, Pa., shrugs at the Terps’ decision.
“It shows recruiting is nothing but a business,” he said. “I think it gives me a little more motivation.”
West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez doesn’t care about how Maryland failed to snare Slaton.
“We liked him from the first time we saw him,” Rodriguez said. “We always thought we had a chance to get him.”
Now Maryland’s defense must get Slaton, and tackling him has proven difficult.
He already has a 200-yard game against Marshall in the season opener. Last week he ran for 105 yards and two scores despite carrying only eight times against Division I-AA Eastern Washington.
While Slaton is looking for his first career carry against Maryland, last year’s 31-19 win over the Terps was a springboard for several West Virginia teammates.
It was the first start at center for converted guard Dan Mozes, who tossed two snaps over the head of quarterback Adam Bednarik early in the game.
“I was kind of lost,” Mozes said.
Rodriguez stuck with Mozes, who anchored a line that helped the Mountaineers become the nation’s fourth-best rushing attack.
Part of that was fullback Owen Schmitt, a walk-on transfer who led the Mountaineers with 80 yards on six carries in last year’s game against the Terps.
“I think that game showed that if we worked hard enough and tried hard enough that we could turn this year into something special,” Schmitt said.
Then there was Pat White, who led three fourth-quarter touchdown drives after replacing the injured Bednarik. White remained Bednarik’s backup for four more games, started the final five and set several school and Big East records for rushing by a quarterback.
“He played very well last year. I remember wondering why he didn’t start in the first place,” Maryland cornerback Josh Wilson said. “I didn’t tell him that, but I thought it.”
“I don’t hope he has a great game,” Friedgen said of Slaton. “But I hope he has a great career and comes out early” in the NFL draft.
Maryland was outgained 321-274 in a 24-10 over Middle Tennessee last week.
Quarterback Sam Hollenbach will be looking to give the Terps their first road win over a Top 5 opponent since 1950. He was poised against West Virginia last year, going 29-of-50 for 291 yards with two fourth-quarter TD passes. But his top four receivers from 2005 are gone.