Nobody at West Virginia ever thought they'd ever see a Mountaineer freshman running back carry the football better than Steve Slaton did in 2005. Then along came Noel Devine.

While his numbers as a rookie weren't as great as Slaton's, Devine made a big impact last year, averaging 8.6 yards per carry in a backup role.

With Slaton gone to the NFL, Devine will get the majority of the carries alongside quarterback Pat White in West Virginia's season opener Saturday against Villanova.

It's only a matter of time before Devine finds out whether his five foot eight frame can take the extra pounding. Devine averaged only six carries per game last year and he believes his workload could more than triple.