West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin has big goals this season. He is not being cocky, just realistic.

Austin has pored over the stats. He knows Dana Holgorsen has had receivers with 100-plus catches in each of his stops. Justin Blackmon at Oklahoma State. James Cleveland at Houston. Michael Crabtree at Texas Tech. Austin led the Mountaineers with 58 receptions last season and is hoping for more in 2011.

But he is not just optimistic for himself. Austin has high hopes for the receiving corps in general with Holgorsen in charge.

"I think we can have two or three of us in the 1,000-yard receiver mark," Austin said in a phone interview Wednesday. "All of us can catch the ball and make things happen after the catch."

Expectations are high outside of West Virginia as well. Austin and quarterback Geno Smith are on the Pony Express Award watch list, which will go to the top two- or three-player tandem in the nation. Austin also is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list, an award he says he hopes to win.

So what is he working on this summer to get better? There are a few areas that Austin has focused on -- strength and footwork. Austin has had a renewed dedication in the weight room because of a change in mindset. Last year, Austin hated lifting weights. Seeing 300 pounds on the bar just made him think he could never do it.

But now, everything is different.

"I'm a weight room fan now," Austin said. "We train so we don't look at the bar. You just go ahead and do it. Last year, it was hard because at first I was thinking it was hurting me, but the strength staff knows what they're doing. The bottom line is there's no way you can go around lifting. So I had to get my mind right, and I got stronger with my mindset."

Austin has improved dramatically. Last year, he benched about 225. This year, he is up to 315. He has put on more muscle and wants to be a solid 178 pounds when camp begins next month. As for his footwork, he has been working on ladder drills, which help with his quickness. He also worked on his route running.

Though the Mountaineers have a new offense, Austin says he feels completely comfortable. He goes into fall practice feeling at ease with reading defenses. And he knows exactly what he needs to do to be the next in the long line of receivers who have thrived under Holgorsen.

"I know what I've got to do, and I know what Coach Holgorsen expects out of me," Austin said. "I'm comfortable in the offense now. If everybody does their part, we should be all right and come out on top."