CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Reed Williams walked onto the practice field at Charlotte Country Day School early Wednesday afternoon and approached one of the media types hanging around the edge of the field.

"I heard somebody wanted to talk to a has-been,'' he said.

Well, he may have lost his ability to play, but his sense of humor is still intact.

The former is coming around, too. After sitting out all but two early-season games after surgery on both shoulders during the offseason, West Virginia's middle linebacker is back in a helmet these days, if not actually practicing with the team then at least pretending to.

Williams won't play in Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina, of course, but he looks as if he could. He practiced lightly with the team last week in Morgantown and is doing the same this week.

"I just thought it would be a good idea to knock some of the rust off,'' Williams said Wednesday. "I was sitting on the couch with [roommate Pat McAfee] a couple of weeks ago and said, 'You know, I want to start practicing.'''

The limited practice time Williams is getting isn't going to affect the redshirt season he is taking. He still has a year's eligibility remaining and is expected to be close to 100 percent by the time spring drills begin in March.

"He's way ahead of target, way ahead of what they scheduled,'' West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said. "And now he's out there bumping a little bit.''

Speaking of McAfee, remember the hits he took as a punter in the South Florida game on Dec. 6?

McAfee certainly does.

"On the first one I hyperextended my knee,'' McAfee said. "I'm surprised it didn't break my leg.''

McAfee still feels the pain, but said it shouldn't affect his kicking duties. In addition to punting, McAfee also handles kickoffs and field goals.

His field goal work during practice Wednesday was just fine. In fact, he kicked about six perfect field goals in a row during an early practice period, ranging from 26 to 46 yards. And even on his two 46-yarders he barely missed hitting the cameraman who was taping the workout from a platform a few yards behind the goal posts and several feet above the top of the uprights.

And yes, he was aiming for the guy.

"Kickoffs and field goals aren't a problem. But I can't get full extension with my leg on punts,'' McAfee said. "I'm OK, though.''

West Virginia's coaches apparently got some good news on the recruiting front. Sources indicate that defensive end Tevita Finau's official letter of intent arrived this week.

Finau signed with the Mountaineers last February but didn't graduate from his junior college. So he played another year of junior college football in Phoenix and could have signed anywhere. His letter of intent - junior college players could sign beginning last week - now locks him back with the Mountaineers.

Finau, though, still has to pass one more course in order to get his junior college degree and be eligible to enroll at WVU. West Virginia is hoping he can do that in time to enroll for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 12. Students can enroll up until Jan. 16.

If he does make it in time, he would be eligible to go through spring drills. And he's not likely to be the only incoming recruiting getting a jump. Highly regarded wide receiver Logan Heastie is expected to graduate from high school on Jan. 10 and enroll for the spring semester.

BRIEFLY: With no official activities on the calendar, West Virginia's coaches, players and any family in town were to have a Christmas Eve dinner Wednesday night. Christmas Day's itinerary includes an afternoon practice and a trip to an arcade. ... On the good-health front, fullback Will Johnson is practicing well for the first time since suffering a bad quad bruise early in the season. "That's the old Will Johnson there,'' Stewart said.

Reach Dave Hickman at 348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.