If you check the official WVU football website, you'll see Joe Wickline's title as Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Fullbacks-Tight Ends).
"Oh, I'm just an overpaid [graduate assistant], I guess," he said with a laugh. "I'm just hoping they don't figure it out before long."
Figuring out WVU's offense, of course, isn't easy either. It's why Dana Holgorsen (simply Head Coach) was hired in the first place. And now Wickline is on board to help after career stops at Florida, Ole Miss, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas, among others.
"I'm pretty much a hands-on guy in different categories," he tried to explain. "I would say tight ends are guys I'm directly responsible for. And H-backs. I'd say the fullbacks are in and out, but mostly with Coach [Ja'Juan] Seider."
And then there's his work with the offensive tackles. Holgorsen initially said Wickline was brought in to help Ron Crook (Assistant Coach, Offensive Line) shore up pass protection, remember?
So let's just say he's a multi-tasker. And one of the tasks, it appears, is making WVU's tight ends more of a threat. Interestingly, this is the first name that leapt to Wickline's mind.
"I've got [Trevon] Wesco," said the OC. "He just got in here from Lackawanna. He's a very talented football player. We are so glad we have him."
Wesco is listed at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds. He was a former football and basketball player at Musselman High before hitting the junior college circuit. He reportedly received offers from Central Florida, Akron, Buffalo and Monmouth, but also interest from Arizona, Pitt and Penn State before accepting WVU's offer. (A walk-on offer was made in 2014.)
What's interesting about Wesco, a redshirt sophomore, is he played wide receiver before morphing into a tight end.
"You have to fill in for Cody [Clay], so he's filling a need," Wickline said. "He's doing a nice job in regard to lifting and running and academics. He comes around the facility and he's getting quicker. I'm hearing good things about his running. We look forward to getting him in August, putting some pads on him and seeing what he can do. But I like what I see from him."
The other tight end - remember, Jon Lewis is back at defensive end - is 6-4, 247-pound redshirt freshman Stone Wolfley.
"Wolfley is doing a nice job," Wickline said. "He's getting better. He got better in the spring, from the first day of spring to the end."
As mentioned, fullbacks Elijah Wellman and Michael Ferns work more with Seider. But Wickline had some interesting things to say about WVU's tackles.
"I've got Marcell [Lazard] and Yodny [Cajuste] and Colton McKivitz," Wickline said. "Those guys are doing a nice job. We're also trying to develop some guys. Rob Dowdy plays tackle and guard. He may play some guard because he's a flexible player. He can play inside and outside.
"Then you have some tackles coming up. You have the [Josh] Sills freshman who, they say, is doing a nice job in the weight room. He's running well. But, again, he's a freshman and you have the deer-in-the-headlights look. ... But they are all good kids. They are all driven. I can tell that. I'm not just saying that. They are good kids and they work hard."
Note the groupings. Apparently, Wickline is comfortable with Lazard, Cajuste and McKivitz with Dowdy also in the mix. Also, note the classifications. Although Lazard is a junior, Cajuste is but a sophomore, McKivitz is a redshirt freshman and Sills is a true freshman.
That bodes well for West Virginia's future. And the leader of the youth seems to be Cajuste, who started the first six games last season before injury and inconsistency hit.
"I wasn't here, but he had a [left] knee sprain," Wickline said. "I think he's talented. I'm not going to say anything that's not obvious to the eye. I think he has great bend. He runs well for a big, tall kid.
"He's tall; he's smart; he's quiet. He adjusts well on his feet. It's not like he gets out of balance. He knows how to pick them up and put them down. He knows how to adjust going full speed. He has nice hands and long arms. He keeps a good balance with his weight and has a lot of power."
That's what you call a complete player rundown. And what of Cajuste's future?
"To say where he's at, I'd say the shortcoming is he needs more strength - core strength in the hips, core strength in the lower body, strength in shoulders," Wickline said. "And the power - he's young. He's played a lot of basketball. He didn't play a lot of football, so his development is just now coming around.
"The good news is he has a big upside. The good news is from this point he has a long way to travel. I think he's going to be a fine player in the Big 12. We'll see what happens beyond that."
Interesting thoughts, they are, from an interesting coach.
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.
