Quite a Force
December 22, 2004 06:03 PM | General
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| Gyorko |
Newton’s Second Law can be simply described as force equals mass times acceleration.
Call it a base principle in physics, a building block of kinetics.
More importantly, call it the common denominator that connects Scott Gyorko’s two worlds of student and athlete. A senior mechanical engineering major from Morgantown, Gyorko knows all about Newton’s Laws in the classroom. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be a member of WVU’s Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll or a BIG EAST Academic All Star.
And as studious as the University High product is, Newton’s Second Law plays more of an impact for the 6-0, 225-pound senior on the football field than it does in the classroom.
“The faster you are and the bigger you are, the harder you’re going to hit,” Gyorko simply says.
He can attest to that first-hand. When he came to WVU he weighed 195 pounds. Now, he’s a chiseled 220. He’s improved his quickness to become an in-the-flesh version of the physics’ rule - quite a force.
In fact, he paid so much attention to getting bigger and stronger that WVU’s strength and conditioning coaches took notice, awarding him the 2004 Iron Mountaineer Award as the top performer in the winter workout program.
“My dad always said you have to work hard for everything you get.” Gyorko says. “I’ve been trying to do that and get into the weight room as much as I can. I know I can’t dog it. I have to be in shape. It’s more of a mental thing with me that I have to go out there and do it because I have to. If I don’t I’ll be paying for it later.”
Gyorko has done nothing but work hard to attain his current status as one of the team’s defensive leaders. In 2001 he was a walk-on on Rich Rodriguez’ first Mountaineer team and became one of just a handful of true freshmen to earn a varsity letter based on his stellar special teams contributions.
Now he’s a key cog in WVU’s defensive machine.
“It all started going back to high school, going around and visiting different colleges,” Gyorko says of wanting to play for the Mountaineers. “There was only one that stood out. There was only one that I ever really wanted to go to. I chose here and walked on.”
A week before the first game in 2001, Gyorko earned a berth on the Mountaineer special teams. He hasn’t looked back since.
“Of course I couldn’t turn that down,” Gyorko says recalling the moment. “It was a chance to get out on the field. Some people don’t even get a chance to do that. I took it.”
He then graciously accepted a scholarship in 2002 and kept working hard, motivated by his family, friends and playing for his hometown Mountaineers.
“It’s awesome,” Gyorko says of playing in Morgantown. “Everywhere you go people come around and say ‘Good game Scottie.’ Everyone knows who you are. It’s a good feeling.”
Last year he finished third on the team in tackles with 114 and has amassed 166 in three seasons. His best performance came at Boston College last year where he tallied a team-best 16 tackles, including two for a loss, and knocked down the Eagles’ final pass attempt in the end zone on the game’s final play preserving WVU’s 35-28 victory.
But that wasn’t his best moment wearing the Old Gold and Blue. That came when the Mountaineers concluded the regular season at home last year.
“After the Temple game when we knew we were BIG EAST co-champions,” Gyorko recalls as his finest hour on a football field. “That is something to be very proud of. Not too many teams out there can sport a ring that says BIG EAST champions on it.”
At the season’s conclusion the Mountaineer coaching staff awarded Gyorko with the Coaches’ Contribution Award, solidifying his reputation as a total team player who will do whatever it takes to help his team.
His coaches don’t have to motivate him. For Gyorko that comes from within.
“It’s Division I football,” he says emphatically. “If you’re not motivated to play at this level you would have dropped out by now. You just go out there and win.”
Always inspired to play hard by his family and friends, Gyorko wants to put a successful close to his already prosperous Mountaineer career with another great season.
“I want to win all the regular season games and the bowl game,” he says. “I’m on track to get my degree in the spring. I want to get that first and foremost because I can always fall back on that. Hopefully I’ll do well this season and maybe get invited to the (NFL) combine.”
Regardless of his career after Mountaineer football one thing is for sure: no one will soon forget Newton’s Second Law when it comes to Scott Gyorko.
Phil Caskey is the assistant sports information director in the WVU sports communications office.
