WVU Strength Staff Working Players Hard - WVU Football, WVU Basketball, News - Mountaineer Sports

Every college football program in the nation is working hard to prepare for the 2012 season. Coaches are out recruiting. NCAA rules forbid them from working with the  players until training camp begins. So it is up to the strength and conditioning staff to get the team ready for the new season.

Every year the media gets to talk to the West Virginia University players throughout the summer and every year the players discuss how much harder the workouts are than the year before.

"The workouts are harder than they used to be," said Offensive Lineman Quinton Spain.

"Our conditioning has stepped up a lot," said Linebacker Tyler Anderson. "I feel like we are going through a lot more than people were expecting."

"It's harder now," said Inside Receiver Dante Campbell. "They keep pushing us and pushing us."

Is it harder, or do the players forget how hard offseason workouts are?

Without question, the first day appears to be the hardest on the players. No matter how hard they try, they are never truly prepared for how rigorous day one is on them.

"I have one flight of stairs to walk up to my apartment and it took me about five minutes to get up those steps after the first couple of days," Offensive Lineman Pat Eger chuckled. "Tyler Anderson, my roommate, was two steps behind me."

"You always see guys on that first day sitting in the locker rooms in their chairs for long periods of time just trying to gather themselves," Defensive Lineman Will Clarke stated. "That just shows how hard the strength staff is working to get us right."

While the players probably do not enjoy the hard workouts, many realize it is necessary. Some players will realize just how necessary the work is during games this fall. Others, typically the older players, already understand how much better they are going through it now.

"It's hard, but you have to look at it as a positive," Clarke said. "It's helping you get better. In situations, you will appreciate the times you were about to throw up, but in game situations you will be prepared."

"They do a great job," Linebacker Jared Barber said. "I can already tell in three weeks that my body is getting a lot faster and a lot stronger. It's definitely a lot harder, but it is awfully good. We might complain about it, but it is getting us ready for the fall."

Those who put the most into the workouts will get the most benefit out of them in the fall. The coaching staff needs only a portion of the first practice to see which players worked hard in the offseason and which ones did not.

Summer strength and conditioning workouts will continue for about another six weeks before the start of fall camp.