Burney adds West Virginia offer

Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) running back Roshard Burney found out that West Virginia was offering him yesterday. The news was unexpected.

"I was real shocked when I found out I got it," Burney said.

What led to the 5-foot-11, 205-pound back landing the offer was his 12 carry, 190 yards and two touchdown performance in his team's season-opening 53-0 victory over Palm Beach Lakes (Fla.).

"It was the running backs coach, Coach (Robert) Gillespie that told me," Burney said of the offer. "He had come to see me during the spring, but during the spring we weren't really that good up-front and I didn't have a good spring game. He told me not to worry and that he was still going to be there to see me when the season rolled around. We played on Friday and Monday Coach Davis (at Palm Beach Gardens) sent out the first game we played, and I had done pretty well. Then they called me, told me they saw the film and that I was like a whole different player. At the end of the conversation, he told me he just wanted me to know that they were offering me a scholarship to West Virginia University."

Burney said that Gillespie and the Mountaineers are interested in him as he is a different back than they currently have on their roster.

"He was telling me that I am a big back and that is what they are looking for because they have little scat backs but they are really looking for a solid running back that can run between the tackles," Burney said.

At this time, Burney is trying to schedule his first official visit for the weekend of October 8th.

"I am supposed to be going to Illinois during our bye week which is in October, but West Virginia is trying to beat Illinois to the punch by getting me on campus on that weekend," Burney said. "I will probably go to Illinois first because they have been in the picture the longest and shown me the most love."

The Illini and Mountaineers are not the only schools in the picture with Burney.

"I am also looking a lot at Purdue, Cincinnati, and Rutgers," Burney said. "There are other schools as well. I haven't eliminated anybody. It is just that those ones that I mentioned are the ones hitting me up the most."

With regards to a timeline for a decision, Burney said he is in no rush.

"I will probably use all five visits, just to be safe," Burney said.

Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) squares off against Boca Raton (Fla.) West Boca Raton this week.