At Perry Academy (Pa.), Eric Wicks epitomized versatility. Wicks contributed on both sides of the ball and had a special teams stint as well. Wicks returned four punts for touchdowns, caught 22 receptions for 643 yards and scored 16 receiving touchdowns.

And that doesn’t even include his defensive contributions.

On defense, Wicks snatched up 22 interceptions in one season, which earned him first-team all-state honors. In Wicks’ senior year, the team finished the season with a 13-1 record. The Commodores successfully defended their Pittsburgh city league championship title and maintained their dominance as champs for three time seasons.

But his dream of playing Division I college football would be a tough road to travel for Wicks, now a senior starting safety for No. 7 West Virginia.

The teams interested in recruiting Wicks were all Division II teams, with the exception of Towson. Even local Pittsburgh passed on taking a shot on the academically questionable player.

West Virginia, however, was willing to take a gamble on Wicks, only a partial qualifier academically. Wicks knew he had been given an opportunity to play on one of the elite teams in the country and appreciated the commitment West Virginia showed to him, he said.

After arriving at West Virginia in 2003, he did not get the opportunity to play until 2004. His first football season, he merited a backup role and contributed 14 tackles. Despite earning playing time, Wicks’ academic troubles followed, but he refused to take the same path he did in high school.

‘When I came here, I had some problems getting things done,’ Wicks said. ‘But I got a lot people to help me, like mentors and tutors. I learned how to work hard. I think they may have been the greatest accomplishment in my life.’

In 2005, when Wicks finally got to start, he showed off his playmaking abilities at Syracuse in a tight game. With West Virginia struggling offensively and down 7-0, Wicks made a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The seven points not only knotted the score but also was the first Mountaineer touchdown of the season and the last touchdown of the game. West Virginia would go on to win the game, 15-7, after the defense again added points with a safety.

‘He’s one of the guys that can make a big play defensively and kind of turn the game around,’ WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said. ‘He’s been close this year a couple times, he was in the Rutgers game. We’re waiting for that big, big play that’s going to help turn the momentum that he’s capable of doing.’

Though Wicks appeared to be making progress on the field and academically, he was plagued by indigestion problems. Heartburn caused him to occasionally vomit, something that he claims is not a result of anxiety.

As Wicks struggled to keep his stomach in check, the Mountaineers couldn’t control opposing wide receivers. Although the West Virginia defense led the Big East in rush defense last season, the team was abysmal at defending the pass. West Virginia finished the season ranked 109th in the nation in pass defense. In the last five games of the 2006 season, opponents were averaging nearly 310 passing yards per game.

Wicks has helped to turn those grisly statistics around and catapult West Virginia’s pass defense back toward respectability. The defense has put the rival passing games on lockdown, now ranking fifth in the nation. Eight games into the season, the Mountaineer defense has looked like a completely different unit.

‘We realized the mistakes we made last year,’ Wicks said. ‘Taking things for granted, for one. A lot of guys went out there and just played football instead of just going to play football the way we love it. I think this year we are back to playing the game the way we love it. We know what we are shooting for and everyone is going for it.’

‘They aren’t going to give up big plays,’ Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe said. ‘They are playing extremely well right now. It’s a storyline that gets lost because their offense gets so much notoriety. But there defense is dang good.’

Wicks’ vision comes from experience. The starting safety has seen action in every single game of his Mountaineer career since his sophomore year, whether for one play or all sixty minutes. Wicks may not lead the team in statistics, but he brings a knack for timely playmaking.

In his final season as a Mountaineer, Wicks has already completed his academic requirements. In the summer of 2007, he earned his degree in athletic coaching education. Wicks said he wants to prove to those who passed on him that if he could do it, anyone can. His degree is also going to be something he wants to use in the future.

‘My goal in my career, I plan to go on and try to play in the NFL,’ Wicks said. ‘Hopefully that works out and I’ll do that. If not, I plan to go on and coach high school or maybe in another league.’

Game of the Week

Rutgers at Connecticut Saturday, 7:15 p.m., ESPNU

Despite the intriguing match up of South Florida and Cincinnati, Connecticut’s attempt to defend its perfect 3-0 conference record at home against Rutgers makes that Huskies one team that is clearly defying expectations. The Huskies currently stand alone at the top of the Big East after being picked to finish seventh at start of the season.

The 22-15 victory over then-No. 11 USF marked the first time in team history the Huskies have ever beaten a ranked opponent. With the win, Connecticut also gained its first ever top 25 ranking – moving to No. 16 in the nation. UConn running back Andre Dixon was the catalyst for the Huskies as he ran for a career-high 167 yards against South Florida.

The last thing Rutgers wants to run into is another high-powered running back. The Scarlet Knights are coming off 31-3 hammering by West Virginia that was led by three Steve Slaton touchdowns and a rush defense ranked 58th in the nation. Rutgers has lost three of its last five games, with two of those coming against fellow conference rivals.

Around the Conference

In Saturday’s game against Rutgers, West Virginia running back Steve Slaton found the end zone three times and recorded his 50th career touchdown. Slaton later added another score, which placed his 51 touchdowns as the active Division I career leader. His career average of 9.9 points per game also leads the nation. … The Big East started the season as a conference with powerful offenses but is proving it can play defense as well. Connecticut is ranked second in the nation in turnover margin at +1.5. This makes the Huskies one of four Big East teams that crack the top 10 in that category. West Virginia ranks third in the nation while USF and Cincinnati are tied for ninth place. … Rutgers junior running back Ray Rice’s 4,055 career rushing yards places him in second place in Big East history. The top spot is held by West Virginia’s Avon Cobourne who amassed 5,039 yards (1999-2002).

Published on October 30, 2007 at 12:00 pm