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inside.hokiesports.com
21
52
Austin Cannon
(6-2, 302, Fr.)
57
Wyatt Teller
(6-5, 308, r-Jr.)
58
Colt Pettit
(6-3, 298, r-So.)
61
Kyle Chung
(6-3, 290, r-Jr.)
62
D’Andre Plantin
(6-5, 295, r-Fr.)
63
Daniel Bailey
(6-3, 301, r-Fr.)
64
Eric Gallo
(6-2, 295, Jr.)
65
Matt Christ
(6-3, 274, r-Fr.)
66
Billy Ray Mitchell
(6-4, 285, r-So.)
67
Parker Osterloh
(6-8, 326, r-Jr.)
68
Connor Kish
(6-2, 280, r-Fr.)
69
Yosuah Nijman
(6-7, 300, So.)
70
Kevin Kish
(6-2, 286, r-Fr.)
71
Jonathan McLaughlin
(6-5, 294, Sr.)
72
Augie Conte
(6-6, 305, r-Sr.)
74
Braxton Pfaff
(6-5, 293, r-So.)
75
Zachariah Hoyt
(6-5, 285, Fr.)
77
Demetri Moore
(6-6, 303, Jr.)
79
Tyrell Smith
(6-3, 295, r-Fr.)
AUGUST, 2016
(In numerical order)
VIRGINIA TECH
OFFENSIVE LINE
“I have no clue,” McLaughlin said when
asked if he was a right tackle or left tackle.
“When people ask me what position I play, I
always say, ‘Tackle.’ You never know if you’re
going to be on the right or left side. It just
depends on whatever Coach Vice thinks is good
for the team.”
The biggest transition for the offensive line,
though, hasn’t been to Vice’s coaching style.
The unit spent the majority of its spring getting
used to the tempo in which the offensive staff
wants to play. That tempo includes running a
play and then sprinting to the line of scrimmage
to run the next play as quickly as possible—and
doing it over and over again.
For 300-pound linemen not used to
doing such things, this was tough. Summer
conditioning, however, has them prepared for
the fall.
“At first, it [thepace]was tough,”McLaughlin
said. “I didn’t know what to expect. At first,
they said, ‘Tempo,’ but I didn’t know what that
meant. Then you realize, ‘OK, this is fast. This
is what they mean.’
“It wasn’t too hard to adjust to. We’re
working on stuff now that will get us ready for
that during the season. All the conditioning
we’ve been doing with Coach [Ben] Hilgart
[Tech’s associate AD for football] and his staff
… all that is tempo-oriented. When we get to
the season, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
The bigger concerns for Tech’s offensive
line center on finding that right tackle and
developing depth, particularly at the center
position. Parker Osterloh worked a lot at
right tackle this spring and could be the one
to emerge there. Yosuah Nijman played in 12
games last season as a true freshman, though
he missed most of the spring with an injury.
Demetri Moore and D’Andre Plantin also
are options.
At center, Kyle Chung missed most of
spring practice with a knee injury. Vice worked
redshirt freshman Tyrell Smith at center, along
with freshman Austin Cannon. Teller and
Conte even got a few reps.
Plantin, Smith and Cannon have not played
in a college game. Other backups such as Billy
Ray Mitchell, Colt Pettit and Braxton Pfaff
possess very little experience.
“We are definitely young with that second
team,” McLaughlin admitted. “But I have
confidence in all those guys to step in and play
if one of the starters gets injured. That happens.
It’s part of football, but I have confidence
in those guys. The older guys need to bring
them along.”
Experience and improved depth hopefully
leads to a better rushing attack and better pass
protection. Travon McMillian emerged as a
quality tailback last fall, but the Hokies ranked
81st nationally in rushing offense (159.2 ypg).
They also allowed 34 sacks.
But Tech has been in much worse shape
up front in the past. Led by McLaughlin and
Conte, several guys within this group possess
experience and the ability to play multiple
positions.
Those two things usually make for a better
offensive line—and a better offensive line
usually makes for a better offense. Tech fans
are hoping that’s the case in 2016.