Despite consecutive victories and a 1-0 Big East start, West Virginia coach Bill Stewart yesterday talked about his Mountaineers "stumbling a bit ... out of the blocks."

He attributed the Mountaineers' 3-2 start, which included a two-game losing streak before this abbreviated winning one, to youth and inexperience. Stewart mentioned other stumbling Big East programs having to plug voids left by departed players and having to "reinvent guys."

"That's the same thing with us right now," Stewart said as he prepared for Syracuse (1-4, 0-1 Big East) at noon Saturday in Mountaineer Field. "We don't have Owen Schmitt and Steve Slaton. We have some talent. We have some skill. We just have to let it mature and develop."

Tailback Noel Devine failed to collect a third consecutive 100-yard game in West Virginia's 24-17 victory against Rutgers. Devine had 55 yards on 19 carries, his longest going 9 yards, but the coach saw on film three long runs the sophomore came close to breaking. Stewart ascribed the results to "being nicked up" and a Tuesday practice the player mostly missed due to classwork.

"That just kills you," Stewart said. "If you don't practice, I don't care who you are, you don't play well. Noel just has to get in the flow. We're going to find ways to get the ball to him."

The new coach added that Devine and the ground game are vital to the Mountaineers, whom he wants to make a ball-control team and save his young defense that starts six sophomores and one freshman, the same way as do several league rivals. He pointed to the 10-minute difference in time of possession for West Virginia over Rutgers and said: "I will pray we can do that every week. That's what Pitt's been doing. Look at UConn, my god their running game ..."

As for two WPIAL products who became key contributors last weekend, Stewart said:

• Junior receiver Wes Lyons of Woodland Hills, with a career-high four catches -- "That a big old target. He's blocking well. He's giving us a lot."

• Freshman Tyler Urban of Norwin, whose inaugural collegiate catch also marked West Virginia's first touchdown reception by a tight end in 37 games -- "We haven't had a tight end in this offense too awful much lately. He's going to be a household name in West Virginia in two years. He's not there yet. He's got a long way to go. He's working hard. Just the right kind of guy we want in our program."