Move over Cameron Crazies. Take a hike Florida Seminoles. The Mountaineer Maniacs, West Virginia Universitys student boosters organizationnow entering its second yearis ready to rally.

And so is Head Coach Don Nehlen and his team captains, who are scheduled to spring from their hideaway the evening before the home opener against Boston College to attend festivities kicking off an exciting Big East football season.

Its all part of the Welcome to Touchdown City pep rally beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, on the Mountainlair Plaza. The annual event is being sponsored by The Dominion Post, Mountaineer Maniacs and Student Administration.

The Mountaineer Marching Band, cheerleaders and Mountaineer mascot will get things off to a rowdy start with music and cheers.

The Maniacs will be handing out the official symbol of the group”Rowdy Rags”while supplies last, and the Post will have plenty of Touchdown City bumper stickers on hand.

Coach Nehlen and his players, along with student leaders and others will make brief remarks.

“Its going to be amazing,”said Casey Quinlan of St. Albans, WV, Maniac president.”This is the first year the coach and players have been with us, so were quite excited. And we have over 500 students signed up as Maniacs already this semester, so the group is pumped.”

Quinlan said the group, organized last fall, wanted a name that stood out and describedin a fun wayhow much pride students have in WVUs athletic teams and school.

“WVU students have great seats some right on the 50-yard line and we are proud of that and very aware of the image we want to portray,”said Quinlan, a broadcast journalism major.

“We are right on the front linesoften featured on national televisionand we want to be seen by our team and others as representing our school in a spirited, enthusiastic and unified way,”he noted.

Membership in the organization is only $20, and one of the clubs major perks is guaranteed season tickets in the first several rows of sections 205 and 206 (45-50 yard line of the 2nd tier).

Other features of club membership include reduce-priced bus trips to away games; t-shirts, hats and bumper stickers; and pre-game activities at the student tailgating area known as”The Pit.”

In case of rain, the Sept. 1 pep rally will be moved to the Lair Ballrooms. The Maniacs booth opens at 6:30 p.m. for memberships and free t-shirts.

For more information or to join, contact Quinlan at 296-3562.