Kyle’s Korner …

Former WVU All-American lineman Mike Compton has been hired as the offensive line coach at Fairmont State College.

Compton, who played 12 years in the NFL, has two Super Bowl rings from the time he played with the New England Patriots. He also played for the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars. He was on the starting offensive line the year Barry Sanders had his record breaking season.

Compton grew up in nearby Richlands, Virginia.

After retirement, he returned to southwest Virginia where he was an assistant coach at Tazewell High School in Tazewell, Va. during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. In 2008, he was named head football coach at Patrick Henry High School in Glade Springs, Virginia.

In 2011, Compton began his collegiate football coaching career as offensive line coach for Bluefield College.

… It looks like Boone County native and Van High School graduate Tony Gibson may be returning to WVU as an assistant coach.

Former East Carolina defensive coordinator and NFL veteran Brian Mitchell, and Gibson, who was an assistant at Arizona under Rich Rodriguez this past season, will join the staff. Their hiring is part of the offseason coaching movements at WVU, which included the dismissals of Daron Roberts and Steve Dunlap.

Gibson went to Glenville State and was on the WVU staff from 2001-07 as the defensive backs coach. He was eventually named as the recruiting coordinator.

He left WVU in 2007 to follow Rodriguez to Michigan and was there from 2008-10 as an assistant head coach. He rejoined Rodriguez this past season at the University of Arizona as the safeties coach and defensive special team’s coordinator.

… Former West Virginia University baseball star Jedd Gyorko has a chance to make it to the Major Leagues this spring. Gyorko is one of 21 non-roster invitees to join the San Diego Padres in spring training. Gyorko was a second round draft pick by the Padres in 2010.

… Alex Louthan, named as an All-Madden kicker/punter after his performance in the Bradenton, Fla. mini-camp last summer, committed to join the Mountaineers as a preferred walk-on last weekend. He has a chance to step right in and become the punter and place kicker for WVU this year. Both of WVU’s kickers finished their eligibility this season.

(Kyle Lovern is the sports editor for the Williamson Daily News. Comments or story ideas can be sent to klovern@williamsondailynews.com or klovern@civtasmedia.com)