Bill Stewart promoted to West Virginia football coach

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Bill Stewart didn't need an actual job interview. His performance in the 2 1/2 weeks since Rich Rodriguez resigned, punctuated by West Virginia's resounding victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, was enough.

Now he's the coach of the Mountaineers, a promotion for a man who calls himself a "West Virginian all my life."

"I had the longest job interview in America," Stewart joked Thursday, hours after the 48-28 victory over the Sooners and before the team boarded a flight home.

The 55-year-old coach agreed to a five-year contract worth $800,000 a year, plus incentives. The base salary totals $4 million, the same amount West Virginia is seeking in a buyout of the seven-year contract, worth almost $2 million a year, that Rodriguez signed in August.

Stewart was appointed interim coach when Rodriguez left Dec. 16 to coach Michigan. West Virginia formed a search committee that, according to athletic director Ed Pastilong, interviewed "a large number of candidates." Central Michigan coach Butch Jones, a West Virginia native, was considered a leading contender.

But the committee had its eyes on Stewart all along.

"In reality, he was being interviewed every day," said Pastilong, who has known Stewart for nearly four decades. "I heard somebody say that last night he had the ultimate interview. But he always was one of our most serious candidates."

Gov. Joe Manchin was among the enthusiastic group of boosters who attended the announcement at the Scottsdale resort where the Mountaineers had stayed.

"I couldn't be more happy," Manchin said. "I've watched this team come together and this gentleman right here, Billy Stewart, bring it together. He's the glue. There's not a mother or father watching today that wouldn't be proud to have their son play for this man."

Pastilong called Stewart to his room in the wee hours Thursday to offer him the job. Stewart has not signed a contract but agreed to terms with a handshake.

"I don't have a lot of experience in these negotiations and things. That's my agent right down there," he said, pointing to his wife, Karen.

Stewart had the backing of the team, including Pat White. The quarterback began stumping for Stewart on the field after running for 150 yards and throwing for 176 and two touchdowns in the victory over the No. 3 Sooners.

"He deserves it," White said. "A great man. A great coach. All the players respect him and all the players love him. You couldn't ask for a better man to lead us to victory today."

Stewart said he wanted the entire staff to return, although some are expected to join Rodriguez in Michigan. Tony Gibson, secondary coach and recruiting coordinator, was the only assistant who has resigned so far, Pastilong said.

WVU president Mike Garrison said Stewart, as a native West Virginian, fully appreciates the school.

"At this university, loyalty and trust are important," Garrison said. "We know we now have a coach who truly values the opportunity to work as the head football coach at West Virginia University."

Stewart earned $139,000 this year in his position that also included coaching tight ends and fullbacks and being the special teams coordinator. He came to West Virginia as quarterbacks coach in January 2000 after two seasons as offensive coordinator in the Canadian Football League.

Don Nehlen, the retired Mountaineers coach who hired Stewart, was glad his former assistant had landed the job.

"He's just such a good person and the kids love him," Nehlen said. "It's such a good fit with the program."

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin got his first coaching job when Stewart hired him as an assistant at VMI. Tomlin was elated to see Stewart get the West Virginia job.

"Bill Stewart!" Tomlin said at the Steelers' practice when told of the hiring. "That's the best news of the day!"

A message left for Rodriguez early Thursday was not immediately returned.

Stewart was head coach at VMI from 1994-96, compiling an 8-25 record. He also had stints as an assistant at Salem College, North Carolina, Marshall, William & Mary, Navy, Arizona State and Air Force.

Stewart acknowledged he had mellowed since his difficult years at VMI.

"I'm a little more settled in. I'm a little more laid back and I'm a little more wise," he said. "It's called maturity. I'll be as demanding, but I found out there's other ways to get the results."

Bruising fullback Owen Schmitt makes breakout play in final college game

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Owen Schmitt rumbled down the field like a dump truck at full throttle -- bound for the end zone on the breakout play of West Virginia's 48-28 victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

It was a fitting end to the college career of a player interim coach Bill Stewart called "the heart and soul of our football team."

The 57-yard run for West Virginia's first touchdown Wednesday night was the longest of Schmitt's career. Two other long ones also came in bowl games -- 54 yards in the 2007 Sugar Bowl, 52 yards in the 2006 Gator Bowl.

"He's the best," Mountaineers running back Steve Slaton said. "He proved it on the field. He did the walk."

As usual, though, Schmitt's real work was done on behalf of others.

His lead block of Darien Williams cleared the way for Noel Devine's 17-yard touchdown run that put West Virginia ahead 27-15.

Then Schmitt lined up in the slot and threw a key block on Pat White's 42-yard run to set up the next West Virginia score.

"It's meant a lot," a choked-up Schmitt said on the field after the game, "the fact they gave me a chance to play on this team. I've taken full advantage. I thank everyone in the Mountaineer organization -- our fans, we're family. I can't say enough about them."

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound fullback with a smoothed-down mohawk haircut wrapped up his rise from walk-on to one of the toughest, hardest-hitting players in college football.

The team's postseason media guide lists him with 10 career broken face masks (his own). He is a workout wonder in the weight room, where he can squat 625 pounds and bench press 365.

Schmitt served as a bruising sidekick to the Mountaineers' sleek, speedy Devine, White and Slaton. They run past defenders, Schmitt runs over them or delivers a bone-crunching block.

The Mountaineers were plodding along with a 6-3 lead when Schmitt burst through the line into the open field en route to the team's first touchdown with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first half.

"I was just glad I didn't get caught from behind," he said.

West Virginia gave back 7,500 tickets because it couldn't sell them, costing the school $1 million. But the loud, yellow-clad minority in University of Phoenix stadium rose to its feet to cheer arguably the most popular player of the Rich Rodriguez era.

"A lot of pride, baby," Schmitt said as the team celebrated on the field and the fans stood and cheered long after the game. "All these people coming this far to see us when they could have stayed in front of their television. I have tremendous respect for all these people who are here right now."

Of course, Rodriguez wasn't in the building. The coach who had decided to accept Schmitt as a walk-on transfer from NCAA Division III Wisconsin-River Falls three seasons ago resigned Dec. 16 to take the Michigan job. The school sued Rodriguez for $4 million.

Schmitt, an honor student, did not criticize his coach's departure.

"You've got to do what you've got to do sometimes," Schmitt said at the time. "He did all he could for us. As far as I know he did a lot of great things for this university."

Giving Schmitt a chance was one of them.