MORGANTOWN - There's something to be said for redemption.

The U.S. men's basketball team earned the nickname ''The Redeem Team'' during its gold-medal run at the Summer Olympics in China and now WVU senior placekicker Pat McAfee can add his name to the list after his career-best 52-yard field goal in the Mountaineers' 48-21 season-opening victory against Villanova.

''Coach Stew and Coach Mullen have a lot of faith in me,'' said McAfee, who connected on 13 of 18 field goals in 2007. ''The old staff wouldn't have given me a chance.''

With time running out in the first half and WVU possessing the ball with 70 seconds remaining on the clock, it appeared as if the Mountaineers and their first-year coach Bill Stewart might settle for their 21-7 lead on the Wildcats.

But, no.

A 15-yard quarterback draw by Patrick White on a 3rd-and-10 from the WVU 24 ignited a 9-play, 40-yard drive that culminated in McAfee coming onto the artificial surface at Mountaineer Field to attempt a 47-yard field goal.

However, a 5-yard delay of game penalty just before the senior's boot pushed the ball back to the Villanova 36 and appeared as if it ended McAfee's chances of a season-opening field goal before the halftime.

''I heard it (the whistle) go off, but I just thought I was hearing whistles in my head,'' explained the Plum, Pa.-native. ''I really thought we got it off in time.''

But, this is a different season - and a different coaching staff.

Instead of White striding back out onto the turf for one final kneel down to run off the final seconds, Stewart motioned for his kicking team to stay on the field.

''Patrick (McAfee) has been kicking very well this summer and we felt like he had the leg to make it from there,'' Stewart said. ''The first one looked good so it gave us confidence that the second one would be just as good.''

McAfee, who has made good on 39 of 55 attempts during his tenure in Morgantown, didn't let his new coach down, drilling the ball between the uprights as the horn sounded.

It proved to be just what the doctor ordered for the Mountaineers' veteran place kicker, who missed a pair of chip shots in WVU's 13-9 upset loss to arch rival Pittsburgh to end the 2007 regular season.

''I don't think I'll ever forget them (misses), but (last Saturday's) kick will go a long way in helping,'' added McAfee, who also averaged 42.5 yards on a pair of punts in the contest.

It's also the kind of medicine that will give the Mountaineers some relief should a drive stall in the opponents' territory and they need a field goal in a close game.