When the 2010 football schedule was released, the toughest opponent on the Virginia Tech’s calendar was the Boise State Broncos.
One of the more interesting matchups for Monday’s game will be between the Tech’s offensive line and the Boise’s defensive line, which returns four All-Western Athletic Conference team members. The group includes defensive end Ryan Winterswyk who led the team with nine sacks in 2009.
This game may in fact be the biggest test for the Hokies’ offensive line all season and will be crucial to the team’s success on the national stage.
The line’s biggest responsibility will be to contain the Broncos defense long enough so the “big three,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running backs Darren Evans and Ryan Williams can move down the field.
“We let that three-headed monster go. With Tyrod, Ru (Williams) and Darren just let them get loose,” said Jaymes Brooks, a junior offensive guard. “Consider it block, pass, run, block, hold holes, whatever. Just let them get loose.”
With the loss of Ed Wang and Sergio Render to the NFL, both second-team All-ACC honorees last season, the players know there is a huge void to fill.
“They’re two good players we had in place but we have some guys that stepped up,” said Blake DeChristopher, a junior. “Lanier and Becton are fighting for that left tackle spot right now.”
Throughout the preseason the biggest position battles have been for the final spots for offensive tackle and offensive guard, respectively. Redshirt sophomore Nick Becton and redshirt junior Andrew Lanier, have been competing for the starting job at offensive tackle.
Becton was projected to start coming out of spring practice, but he suffered a turf toe injury Aug. 8 that kept him out of practice for two weeks.
Becton is still feeling the effects of the injury, which allowed Lanier to begin taking snaps in practice with the first-team offense.
“(Becton’s) not quite ready,” said Curt Newsome, the offensive line coach. “He needs some time. He’s got to play through the pain right now. We want to get him back because there’s still a couple questions (with his health).”
Newsome expects the duo to rotate series during the Boise State game because of Becton’s injury. Although after Saturday’s scrimmage, Lanier appears to have earned the starting role.
Redshirt freshman David Wang, Ed Wang’s younger brother, and redshirt sophomore Vinston Painter are both competing for the starter’s job at offensive guard.
The final determination on the starter will be made this week in practice by the coaching staff.
“David’s playing more physical and that’s what we needed him to do,” Newsome said. “Vinston’s been a little better in protection here lately and that was one of his weaknesses. They are getting closer.”
Both Wang and Painter had major injuries in the past year. Wang had a shoulder injury last fall that kept him out of action all season.
Painter suffered a knee injury in the spring causing him to miss all of the spring practice.
But Newsome feels Painter is finally living up to the potential the coaching staff saw in him during his high school years.
“We’ve been waiting for him to get over the hump,” Newsome said. “It’s just been a slow process. I think these last two years here Vinston Painter is going to be daggone glad he chose to come to Virginia Tech.”
Even though the line is more inexperienced this season, the players have great chemistry. According to Brooks and DeChristopher, their chemistry is better now then it was at the beginning of last season.
“We’re all good friends. We all get along so that helps especially with the offensive line. You’ve got to be a tight knit group, so that really helps,” DeChristopher said.
Newsome likes the mentality the group seems to have as a whole and hopes that with the chemistry they are displaying success will come on the field.
“I really like the group,” Newsome said. “We got hard workers, tough guys in there. We’ve got guys who can move around and move their feet. We’ve gotten more athletic up there. It’s a group who likes each other. It’s fun to go in that meeting room and see them. I like where we’ve started this year. We got some smart guys, too, who can do a few more things (than last year’s).”
With the close-knit group, the players and coaches are just hoping for a successful season.
“You know last year we had too many sacks so we want to cut that down this year,” DeChristopher said. “We want to be a physical group so when people get on the field they’ll be like, ‘wow they’re
physical’.”