Every dog has his day

Seahawks fullback Leonard Weaver will likely be lost to free agency (though they will attempt to keep him). Did he go to WVU? No. Should you care? Yes. Guess who his backup is?

UPDATE (3/21/09): If you haven't figured it out already, that dog is Owen Schmitt. And it appears he will indeed have his day.

Isdaner and Ivy at the Combine

Neither Greg Isdaner nor Mortty Ivy helped themselves at the combine.

Isdaner might be regretting coming out of college a year early. He ran a 40 in 5.36 seconds and had 24 reps benching 225lbs, both things he could have worked on by using up his eligibility. In addition, he had the smallest hands and reach out of all the outside guards. Still a big guy, though, at 325lbs.

Ivy wasn't looking too hot either. He had a slow 4.9 in the 40 and only 18 reps on the bench press at 225lbs.

Scout.com believes Ivy dropped from the 18th OLB in the draft to the 22nd. Isdaner is thought to have dropped from 7th in the draft to 11th.

They still have pro-day though.

White at the Combine

It appears that Pat White's stock as a quarterback has risen over the past few months. If his performance and the Senior Bowl didn't do it, it was the combine that did. Looking around at other blogs and articles, a list of potential homes for White might include San Francisco, Miami, or Atlanta as well as other teams intent on running the wildcat offense. He likes that the wildcat improves his chances but didn't refuse other positions at the combine, so it may be difficult to make a good pick at where he'll go.

Some Stats (rank is among QBs):

40 Yard Dash: 4.55 seconds (1st)
Vertical Jump: 35" (1st)
Broad Jump: 9'9" (2nd)
3 Cone Drill: 7.06 (6th)
20 yard Shuttle: 4.42 (6th)

Most importantly, his passing was impressive.





Mortty Ivy and Greg Isdaner were also invited to the combine and I'll have an update on them when information is available.

Alexander Proves Game

Alexander provides energy boost
By Charles F. Gardner
The Journal Sentinel, Posted: Feb. 23, 2009

Rookie forward Joe Alexander has experienced a bumpy ride in his rookie season with the Milwaukee Bucks.

He has watched from the bench while second-round pick Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has played extensively and at times in a starting role.

But the 6-foot-8 Alexander took advantage of a chance for some additional playing time Sunday, and he helped the Bucks grab a 120-117 victory over the Denver Nuggets at the Bradley Center.

Alexander played 10 consecutive minutes in the second quarter and brought some needed energy to the Bucks' equation.

He finished with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting, two rebounds and one blocked shot in 15 minutes.

"I thought he did a nice job," coach Scott Skiles said. "I thought he changed the energy a little bit when he came in the game in the first half. Unfortunately, he's in a position where he doesn't have a vault of minutes he can rely on.

"He plays, and then he doesn't play for a while, and so it's hard for him to build on anything. I understand that. He's in a tough spot."

Alexander had played just 15 minutes in the first three games since the National Basketball Association all-star break. He did not play in the Bucks' victory over Detroit on Tuesday, and had four points in 6 minutes against Chicago the next night.

He played 9 minutes but failed to score in the Bucks' loss to Cleveland on Friday.

Against Denver, Alexander could match up against the lanky Chris Andersen and forward Linas Kleiza in a high-powered offensive game.

"After he (Skiles) took me out the first time, he put me back in," Alexander said. "That means he liked what I did initially. That's all I'm concerned about, really, that I'm doing what they want me to do."

Alexander was the eighth overall pick in the 2008 draft but he missed much of training camp with an injury and didn't find a spot in the regular rotation.
. . .
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/bucks/40069227.html

2004 Undrafted Players

Lance Frazier: As an undrafted free agent in 2004, Frazier was initially picked up be the Baltimore Ravens but was quickly waived before the beginning of the season. The Cowboys picked him up and gave him playing time.

During the 2004 season, Frazier played on both defense and special teams. On special teams he returned punts 24 times and had a 9.9 yardd return average. He also fumbled twice, both in a loss to the Eagles, garnering the ire of then head coach Bill Parcels. On defense, he had 34 solo tackles and 2 interceptions.

In 2005, the Cowboys released Frazier shortly after he sprained his ankle. Other than a short 2006 training camp stint with the Seahawks, he has not returned to the NFL.

After being cut from the Cowboys in 2005, Frazier began his AFL career. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Storm, however I can't find anything on his production there. In 2006 he was traded to the New Orleans Voodoo, an expansion team at the time, but was put onto the exempt roster because he was offered a contract in the CFL. As far as his AFL status is concerned, his contract was traded to the Philadelphia Soul but he is still on their exempt roster.

In 2006, when the AFL's Voodoo exempted Frazier, he began his CFL career. He was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders where he has spent the past three years. He only played one game in 2006, possibly because of his Seahawk's training camp stint. In 2007 and 2008 he appeared to progress. In 2008, he led the team with 5 interceptions. In 2009, the Roughriders resigned him before he entered free agency.

First Ring for an Alum

CORRECTION (3/3/09): The wording is a little confusing on this. It means that this was Ryan Mundy's first Super Bowl ring, not the first Mountaineer to receive a Super Bowl ring. That title (as far as I can tell at the moment) goes to Jeff Hostetler. Hostetler was drafted to the Giants in 1984 (I'm not that far back yet). In 1991 he started for an injured Phil Simms in Super Bowl XXV and passed for 222 yards and 1 touchdown in a win over the Buffalo Bills. So, despite the story/post below, Jeff Hostetler won the first ring for an alum.

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Ryan Mundy Will Get a Super Bowl Ring
By Scott Grayson

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are still basking in the glory of their big win over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl 43.

It was the sixth Super Bowl title for that franchise, but the first for a former Mountaineer.

Former Mountaineer defensive back Ryan Mundy was at the Backyard Brawl on Monday night. He was a sixth round draft pick last year by the Steelers.
. . .
http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=51874&catid=3

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In addition, Mundy was resigned to the practice squad.

2005 Undrafted Players

An updated version of this blog post is available at WVUPros.com

Kay Jay Harris: Harris, a running back, was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and spent his first season on the practice squad.

Nick Saban, the Miami head coach, had high expectations for Harris's second season, saying, "We were really pleased with him last year in preseason. We were pleased with him all year on the practice squad. We really never had an opportunity to move him up...We're kind of anxious to see how he responds through camp and through this exhibition season." He was never given the chance to prove himself in Miami, Harris spent the first month of the season on the practice squad before he was waived.

Two months into the season, Harris was picked up by the Rams. Harris found some playing time in his partial season with St. Louis. His stats show nothing impressive: 3 rushes for 9 yards; 4 kick returns for 76 yards; and 1 reception for ten yards. Harris was released before the beginning of the 2007 season.

During the 2007 season, Harris was considered by the Panthers but was ultimately signed by the Giants practice squad just before their Super Bowl win. He practiced with the Giants during the offseason and was optimistic about his odds. However, before the begining of the 2008 season, he was released and not resigned by another team.

Schmitt Looks Ahead, Behind

WCHS, Radio 58

Former West Virginia University fullback Owen Schmitt returned to the Mountain State on Thursday to mingle with fans.
. . .
"He (Schmidt) said if I could get paid, I swear to you he said I'd play the rest of my career at West Virginia University if they paid college players," Tony said.

The moment that captured Owen's love for the school and the state is captured forever on YouTube where he gave an emotional account of what it meant to play for WVU at the end of the Fiesta Bowl his senior. He says his current teammates on the Seattle Seahawks still ride him a little about that.

"It was a special moment. It came from the heart after the game. I still get a lot of slack for it in the locker room," Owen says.
. . .
The 6'2” Schmitt has seen action on the Seattle's offense and special teams playing in every game except the opener. He's hoping this next season will be his year to start.

"The GM (of Seattle) I was talking to him. Tim Ruskell, he told me just come in shape and fight for that starting job. Come in knowing that you're fighting for the starting," Schmitt said.

In next few weeks, Owen Schmitt will begin intensive training before he returns to Seattle for spring training camp.
. . .
http://www.58wchs.com/includes/news_items/3/news_items_more.php?id=5029§ion_id=3