Morgantown mornings still start early for Noel Devine. But, these days, 6 a.m. workouts are replaced with 7:30 a.m. anatomy classes. No more playbooks, so textbooks now can occupy all of his study time.
One of the greatest student-athletes in West Virginia University history is now back on campus as a 28-year-old student, finishing course work for his bachelor's degree.
"It's still kind of surreal for me," Devine said. "I'm used to being an athlete, going to classes and then practices. Now I'm just going to class and studying on my downtime. I'm just trying to prepare myself and put myself in the best position.
"It's just a matter of getting it done," he said. "Whatever is necessary, whatever I've got to do to get it done, I'll do. I know where I've come from and where I've been, so I'm just happy to be in a position to be able to finish."
Devine was a mega-star in high school in Southwest Florida, an area that produced talent like Deion Sanders, Edgerrin James and Jevon Kearse. His YouTube highlight videos, showing him scampering, sliding and sprinting past defenders as both a North Fort Myers and WVU running back are the stuff of legend. His top six videos each have at least 315,000 views.
He finished his WVU tenure third in team history with 4,315 rushing yards, one of just four Mountaineers to eclipse the 4,000-yard mark for a career. His 98 receptions are the most for a running back in team history.
He didn't, however, find that same success as a professional football player. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie free agent, then left training camp days later, still reeling from the murder of a close friend. He played two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes and one with the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League.
He worked several jobs back in Fort Myers after that, then realized the best way to clear a path for his future would be to earn a college degree. Thus, he returned to Morgantown, taking the energy he used to put into football and focusing it on his studies.
"It means a lot to me," he said. "Ball didn't work out the way I planned. This is all I've got. This degree is something no one can ever take from me. I'm just trying to pave that way for my kids."
"Dad" is Devine's favorite role these days. He was the guest speaker Thursday night at the Kanawha Valley WVU Fan Club at Harding's Restaurant in Mink Shoals. When someone would ask about his kids, his face beamed. He'd tell them all about his five children - Desirae, Andre, Destyni, Noel and Noah - ranging in age from 11 years to 7 months.
He'd pick up his phone and show videos of Desirae smacking a softball deep into the outfield and Destyni winning a footrace in the yard. His Facebook feed has photos of him holding a sign for a garage sale to benefit Desirae's softball team, along with photos of Andre on the pitcher's mound.
The kids are back in Florida while Devine finishes his degree. When they call to tell him they miss him, it tugs at his heart. But he knows that short time away will pay off in the end. Devine lost both of his parents by the time he was 11, and it is critically important to him that he's there for his children.
"The time that's spent, no money can buy the quality time that's spent with your kids," he said. "It's so amazing."
Devine is completing work for a regents bachelor of arts degree that consists of three minors - athletic coaching, athletic training and business. He'd love to be a coach. He's also interested in being a trainer. Former WVU strength coach Mike Barwis, owner of Barwis Methods and subject of the Discovery docu-series "American Muscle," is one of Devine's inspirations.
No matter what he does, Devine wants to become a mentor for young people, paying forward the help his mentors gave him.
"There are teenagers, young athletes, who are getting shot and killed," Devine said. "In the wrong place, wrong time. If I could just be there and show them the little things they don't know about life, things I've been able to learn through football, I'd love to give back."
He's doing a little of that now. Devine works out in the WVU facilities with former teammate Stedman Bailey. Every once in a while, he'll hear someone say, "Yo, that's Noel Devine," and maybe mention one of those legendary highlight reels. Devine admits that makes him feel good. He also said it feels good to be there for those current Mountaineers, to offer whatever advice they seek.
"I really did grow a lot here," Devine said. "It meant a lot for me to show the same love and support for the younger guys coming up in the program, to just be there if they have any questions. They can ask me about anything - life, football, anything. And I think it's important for them to see me here, finishing."
That finish is merely the conclusion of one part of Devine's life. With a college degree in hand, his future can open up like so many of those holes on the football field. Then Devine can sprint through like he used to, blazing a path to the end zone.
Contact Derek Redd at 304-348-1712 or derek.redd@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @derekredd.