MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Two and a half months after raising the Sugar Bowl trophy in triumph and their national ranking to an all-time high No. 5, the Mountaineers are having arm trouble. To be precise, they're having trouble with one arm: the right one of former starting quarterback Adam Bednarik.

Bednarik, who missed spring drills a year ago after rotator cuff surgery in November 2004, returned from spring break last week complaining of pain in that same throwing shoulder. West Virginia opened spring drills last night at Mountaineer Field without Bednarik, who finished the 11-1 season as Pat White's backup. Coach Rich Rodriguez said yesterday Bednarik might require further surgery that would prohibit him from playing this season.

"We don't know what Adam's situation is going to be just yet," Rodriguez said of this redshirt sophomore, who went through winter weightlifting and conditioning without trouble. "He may need additional surgery, and that's a concern. Surgery would be six or seven months [of rehabilitation], which effectively would put him out for the season."

Bednarik, of Bethlehem, completed 73 percent of his passes for 532 yards in seven starts before a sprained right foot caused White to replace him -- for good. With teams expected to crowd the line of scrimmage next fall in an attempt to bottle up the running of White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt and Co., Bednarik provided the possibility of a passing threat off the bench if the starter couldn't produce.

He also provided experience, what with the No. 2 quarterback duties, at least for the spring, falling to a competition among previously unplayed freshmen Nate Sowers of Martinsburg, W.Va., Jarrett Brown of West Palm Beach, Fla., and T.J. Mitchell of Virginia Beach, Va.

"If Adam's out, we want to see who can grab the quarterback position," Rodriguez said.

On a Mountaineers squad with 14 full-time starters, 18 additional part-time starters and 49 lettermen returning, such openings aren't commonplace. There are only two real vacancies on offense, where all-Big East tackle Garin Justice and fellow tackle Travis Garrett used up their eligibility, along with a half-dozen spots on defense. Coaches must find replacements for all-conference players at nose guard (Earnest Hunter) and safety (Jahmile Addae and Mike Lorello), and for cornerbacks Dee McCann and Anthony Mims and linebacker Jay Noechel. Yet the defense played two deep throughout the season, leaving experienced hands at all those positions.

Quarterback certainly didn't seem to be a problem area, yet Rodriguez -- after the Bednarik quandary -- still doesn't show much fret. For one thing, he expects White to improve, particularly in understanding disguised defenses and taking charge of the offense.

"Pat can be a lot better than what he is as a total player," Rodriguez said. "So can Steve Slaton. So can [all-conference center] Dan Mozes. That's our job, to get them better. People are going to play us harder now. Not like they laid down before. But I think it was a little bit of a surprise at times, they didn't know how fast Pat White was or Steve Slaton. They'll know now.

"My biggest mantra has been 'stay hungry.' Try to improve all the time. It doesn't matter what season you've had in the past. This 2006 season is upon us now, and we're 0-0.

"A play you made in the Sugar Bowl or against Louisville or Pitt, it's not going to give you a first down against Marshall [Sept. 2]. So we have to start all over in that regard."

Game 2, anyone?

The Mountaineers' schedule for Sept. 9 reads: Buffalo. But they're paying no attention to it.

Apparently, the Bulls have contracted 14 games for next season, even though only 12 are permissible by NCAA rule ... and the team lists only three on its Web site, including an unspecified away date with West Virginia. Mid-American Conference officials, who have yet to announce their members' 2006 football schedule, have promised West Virginia administrators that they will see to it that West Virginia's Sept. 9 date will be filled, likely by a MAC member not named Buffalo. Or Marshall.

Quick hits

Former starting halfback Pernell Williams, at his request, will try out at cornerback this spring. Rodriguez added that Blackhawk freshman receiver Jeremy Bruce and sophomore starting receiver Darius Reynaud also will work part of the spring at halfback. ... The Gold-Blue spring game at 12:30 p.m. April 15 is scheduled to be shown on tape delay on ESPNU. The team will practice each Monday, Wednesday and Friday plus scrimmage every Saturday until then, weather permitting.