Steve Ayers already knew the type of speed he was inheriting in new West Virginia commitment Tyrell Russell when he took the head coach job at Beechcroft this past season.
That’s because Ayers served as the track coach at Walnut Ridge and Russell is a four-year letterman.
“You can’t coach speed. That’s just one thing you just can’t coach. The way he puts his foot in the ground and explodes. And the way he shows a different gear, we just knew we had something special,” Ayers said.
Russell is a versatile athlete who can play multiple positions ranging from running back, wide receiver, kick returner and on the defensive side of the ball. And while he is likely to end up on defense with the Mountaineers, Ayers believes that over his 28 years Russell fits high on his list.
“He’s just an all-around football player,” he said.
But Ayers believes that Russell still has plenty of room to grow on the field as he adjusts from splitting his time between track and football and focuses solely on the latter. The head coach expects him to add some good weight to his frame and become even more intriguing as a prospect.
“Once he fills out with his speed it can be really, really scary,” he said.
The one area that he wants to see him continue to grow is handling the physicality of the college game because it is different from what he has experienced to date. But he has the toolkit to do just that.
“Once he figures that out he’ll be fine. Speed wise he can run with anybody in my eyes,” he said.
But while the physical attributes are there, Ayers has perhaps been just as impressed with how Russell has carried himself in terms of his character. The senior has embraced a leadership role on his team and has made a strong impression with how he goes about his business.
That especially showed itself in moments of adversity as Russell bought into the new leadership and the message that they were trying to pass onto the team.
The decision to commit to West Virginia didn’t necessarily surprise Ayers once Russell elected to take the visit and he is excited that he will have the chance to showcase what he can do at the highest level in Morgantown.
“He’s a kid with great character, great grades and will have an opportunity to shine at the next level. He has it. He is a kid with a good head on his shoulders and honestly I think they got a steal,” he said.
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