INSTITUTE -- After three coaches in four years of high school, Jeremiah McCourt hasn't had much of a problem learning Martinsburg coach David Walker's offense.
In fact, it's been pretty much a snap, the Buckhannon-Upshur lineman says.
"It's pretty much your basic offense," the 6-foot-2, 270-pound McCourt said. "Some I-back, some single-back with three wide receivers and sometimes four wide receivers.
"For us on the line, a lot of pulls and traps. So it should be a lot of fun."
McCourt is scheduled to play offensive tackle Saturday for the North squad in the annual North-South All-Star Football Classic at Charleston's Laidley Field.
McCourt, who signed to play his college football at Fairmont State last month, is glad he'll be lining up on the offensive side of scrimmage.
"That's where they want me to play at Fairmont, so this is a great opportunity for me to go against some of the best defensive linemen in the state," he said. "The South has a lot of guys who are going to Marshall, so this is a big challenge."
McCourt considered walking on at Marshall, but a coaching change swayed his decision.
"The day Rusty Elliott was named coach at Fairmont, my high school coach said that's where I should go," McCourt said. "Marshall showed some interest and I considered West Virginia Wesleyan, too.
"But after I heard Elliott was going to Fairmont, I called them and said that's where I want to go."
This week, he's interested in proving to himself he can play at the next level.
"The South has a bunch of big, strong guys and some of them were recruited by Division I schools," McCourt, who hopes to someday coach the sport, said. "This will be a great challenge for myself and my teammates.
"But the North has pretty much owned the South the past few years and we don't want to be the ones to mess that up."
Sports writer Greg Talkington can be reached at 626-1444 or by e-mail at gtalkington@exponent-telegram.com
