Ya Gotta Love This Guy

West Virginia senior Wes Ours puts the full into fullback. He's 6'1" and weighs 290 pounds. To tackle him, says defensive end Duke Pettijohn of Syracuse, which edged the Mountaineers 31-27 last Saturday, "you just grab him low, hold on and wait for the cavalry."

Ours was recruited as a fullback after rushing for 1,423 yards as a senior at Westmar High in Rawlings, Md., in 1995. He saw limited action during his freshman year. As a sophomore he started three games at fullback but also played on the offensive line, and last season injuries to other players forced him to fill in on both the offensive and defensive lines. Before this year he persuaded coach Don Nehlen to use him exclusively at fullback.

Ours, an overpowering blocker, doesn't have the speed or durability to carry the ball often, but every time he gets his hands on it, he leaves an indelible impression on opposing tacklers. He has rushed 17 times for 56 yards and two touchdowns and has caught seven passes for 82 yards. On Saturday, Nehlen announced that he would retire after this, his 30th season. Why not? When you've seen a 290-pound fullback, you've seen it all.