Stewart in town to court Jenkins

PHS star nearing decision on school

By DAVE POE, Sports Editor
PARKERSBURG — Like every other community, Parkersburg loves a parade.

But never in the history of this community, incorporated in 1810, has there been a parade like the one taking place this week at the Parkersburg High School football office.

On Monday, new West Virginia University head football coach Bill Stewart and even newer recruiting coordinator John ‘Doc’ Holliday were at PHS to meet with all-America lineman

Josh Jenkins. After spending some time with Jenkins, members of the PHS coaching and the media, the WVU coaches met with Jenkins and his family at their home, trying to convince the 6-foot-5, 305-pound star to continue his football career in Morgantown next fall.

While Stewart and Holliday were the grand marshals of this parade, it’s going to continue for three more days as some of the other top football programs in America make their respective pitches for Jenkins’ services.

Today, University of Michigan recruiting coordinator Tony Gibson — who not long ago was recruiting Jenkins on behalf of WVU —will visit the Big Red football complex.

On Wednesday, University of Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt —whose Panthers upset West Virginia in the regular season finale and knocked the Mountaineers out of the National Championship game, will be in Parkersburg seeking the services of Jenkins —who is scheduled to make his official visit to the Pittsburgh campus this weekend.

Finally, on Thursday, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel will be back in Parkersburg, taking his final shot at Jenkins.

Other than saying he’s getting close to a decision — he has little choice with national letter-of-intent day set for Feb. 7 — Jenkins continues to explore his options, which he has been doing for more than a year.

Jenkins said he would go where he feels most comfortable and where he best fits in, regardless of the distance between that school and Parkersburg.

Stewart, who is barred by NCAA recruiting rules from discussing specific recruits, said that he and his staff —which remains a work in progress — only will be recruiting those athletes they believe will fit in at West Virginia.

“We’re not going to be recruiting characters,’’ Stewart said. “We’re going to be recruiting people of good character. I don’t know if we’ll sign 10 or 15 or 25, but I can assure you everyone we sign will be of good character.’’

Stewart held his first team meeting with members of the 2008 Mountaineers on Sunday night. After introducing the new members of his staff, he then asked the team members a question that he had planted the night of West Virginia’s glorious Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma, the game that caused WVU officials to drop the word interim from Stewart’s title as interim head coach.

Following the Fiesta Bowl, Stewart issued a challenge to every member of the team. He asked them during their winter break to take the time to smell the roses.

“I asked them to go back home and visit someone who had influenced their life, someone who had helped them along the way,’’ he said.

At Sunday’s meeting, Stewart got to ask his followup question: “Did you take time to stop and smell the roses?’’

He was pleased when many hands shot into the air.

Bill Stewart came to Parkersburg on Monday to sell Jenkins on West Virginia University.

It was the start of a weeklong parade of major college football programs coming to town.

A parade that likely won’t end until Jenkins announces the winner for his services.

Contact Dave Poe at dpoe@newsandsentinel.com