August 21, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – So just what type of run excites West Virginia University sophomore tailback Steve Slaton the most? Is it using his great speed to blow past a defender like he did in last year’s Nokia Sugar Bowl? Is it faking someone right out of their shoes like he did against Louisville? Or is it running over a DB and then carrying the pile an extra 10 yards like he did against Virginia Tech?
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| Seve Slaton ran for 1,128 yards and scored 17 TDs as a freshman, but defenses can't concentrate solely on him because of the great talents of quarterback Patrick White and fullback Owen Schmitt. All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo | |
“All of them excite me,” he says. “I try to put all of those together.”
Now that would be a one heck of a run coming from one heck of a runner.
Last year, Slaton catapulted into the national consciousness with an electrifying performance against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl by racking up a record 204 yards against the Bulldogs’ nationally ranked defense. The Levittown, Pa., resident ran for more than 1,000 yards during a freshman campaign that really didn’t get started until the fifth game of the season.
And despite being slight of build last year, his weight dropping down to 178 pounds by season’s end, he showed the durability of a much bigger back by carrying the football 31 times in an overtime win against Louisville and 34 times in a home victory against Pitt. Like all good backs, Slaton believes he gets stronger with each carry.
“I feel every time I get the ball it’s like an energy boost,” he said. “I feel I can run just as strong in the fourth quarter as I did on my first run.”
In order to be productive for a full 12-game schedule, Slaton spent this summer bulking up. He says he now weighs 195 pounds and expects to comfortably maintain that weight throughout the season.
“I think physically I feel stronger and I feel a little bit faster too. Hopefully everything I’ve learned now will help me in the season,” Slaton said.
The coaching staff spent last spring and this fall reinforcing the notion that Slaton make just one move and then go. Dancing at the line of scrimmage eliminates Slaton’s best attribute: his game-breaking speed.
“The coaches have told me east-west is not going to get you touchdowns so I’ve really tried to work on just giving the one move and then going,” he said.
Another important thing Slaton has learned is that his great success last year wasn’t simply the result of his fantastic individual ability. There were others involved. Part of the reason Slaton was so effective was because of the rapid development of both quarterback Patrick White and fullback Owen Schmitt, giving West Virginia a three-headed monster in the backfield.
Even the best backs in college football can’t do it all by themselves. Oklahoma’s terrific Adrian Peterson saw his production cut in half last year after rushing for nearly 2,000 yards as a freshman. An inexperienced offensive line and a new quarterback were the primary reasons.
Slaton has three experienced blockers back including one of the nation’s best centers in senior Dan Mozes, and the threat of White pulling the ball out of Slaton’s belly and running for a 50-yard touchdown will continue to keep defenses honest.
West Virginia’s frequently copied zone running play out of the spread formation has its roots in the triple-option of 30 years ago. White’s blinding speed and his great instincts at quarterback is where it all starts.
Slaton explains.
“The defense is waiting for him to hand me the ball and he can pull it out and as soon as he pulls it out he’s darting off to the backside,” Slaton said. “You’ve got to keep your eyes open. You can’t make a mistake and try and follow me when he has the ball.”
Last year South Florida found out the hard way, keying on Slaton and allowing White to be one-on-one with a linebacker on the backside. White ran for 177 yards and scored on long touchdown runs of 65 and 77 yards.
And when defenses choose to key on Slaton and spy White on the backside with an extra defender, then there is powerful 250-pound Owen Schmitt to contend with. One guy isn’t going to bring Schmitt down at the line of scrimmage and the junior has enough speed to out-run linebackers. Schmitt actually had the longest run from scrimmage of any WVU running back last year (54 yards) against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
The concept’s brilliance is really in its simplicity.
“If one of us gets tired we can take a break and the other one gets the ball,” Slaton said. “It seems like someone new is getting the ball all the time and they really don’t know what to do.”
Of course, the key component to having another successful season in 2006 is for all three to remain healthy. In the case of Slaton it is even more imperative because of West Virginia's reliance on the running game and a lack of experienced depth behind him. Only Jason Colson, who doubles as a slot receiver, has game experience at tailback behind Slaton.
“I’m always conscious of staying healthy,” Slaton said.
Slaton admitted that by the end of the season he was beginning to notice how teams were defending him instead of just using his instincts, adding yet another element to an already effective arsenal.
“You notice things and the coaches up in the press box tell you things, too. You learn to watch,” he said.
He is also learning to teach, offering suggestions to West Virginia’s younger running backs Ed Collington, Jetavious Best and Eddie Davis.
“Hopefully now that I know more about the offense and know more about blitzes and defenses it will help out more,” he said.
As for those 30 carry games, Slaton says he’s ready for them.
“I’m a young guy so my body can take that now,” he said.
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