Three's Company
April 07, 2006 01:42 PM | General
April 7, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – With the majority of the offensive skill players on the West Virginia University football team returning next fall, the fiercest battle for starting spots this spring is being waged in the trenches, where Jake Figner, Damien Crissey and John Bradshaw are vying for the two tackle spots left vacant by the graduation of Garin Justice and Travis Garrett.
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| Sophomore Jake Figner
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
Head coach Rich Rodriquez notes that while all three have developed, he concedes that they need to continue to make strides between now and the Sept. 2 opener against Marshall.
“I think Jake Figner has had a pretty solid spring and Damien Crissey has done some good things at the other tackle. But we don’t know who are going to be the starters. We’ve still got to get some more confidence in them,” Rodriquez said.
Of the three, Bradshaw probably had the most press clippings coming out of high school, earning first team all-state honors at Stafford High School in Fredericksburg, Va., and ranking among the top 20 prep prospects in Virginia. Figner, also an all-state selection in Pennsylvania, came from a much smaller high school program at Northwestern Lehigh in New Tripoli, Pa. Crissey has done it the hard way, first attending Edinboro for a year before walking on at WVU in 2003.
Figner assessed his progress at the conclusion of the first half of spring drills: “I think I’m getting a lot more comfortable out there taking reps with the first team. I don’t have the size or the strength right now that Garin did but I have to try to make up for that with speed and good technique,” Figner said.
When competing for a starting spot as an inexperienced player, the learning curve can often be very steep, especially for those players not used to the intensity of playing every day with the first unit.
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| Sophomore John Bradshaw
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
Crissey noticed immediately that taking reps with the first unit was a whole different dynamic than toiling further down the depth chart.
“It is totally different being up there with the number one line. It’s a great feeling being up there with Moses and Sheffey and those guys. It is far more intense than with the second unit,” Crissey said.
Luckily for this trio, Justice has been present at spring drills watching the tackles take reps, answering their questions and correcting them when they make mistakes. He has helped to ease the transition to the first unit for the inexperienced players.
“Every time I have a question, I can look over at him and it seems like he always has a quick answer for me. It’s helpful to get another set of eyes on you. Garin can pick up on mistakes that I don’t catch myself making,” Bradshaw said.
Figner also recognizes that Justice’s presence has been a huge asset toward his spring development.
“Garin is helping me out a lot. He is a really good player but he is also a great teacher. This is really like an extension of the season for me with him helping me and watching me take reps,” Figner said.
Figner recognizes the immense challenge of stepping in and being part of an offensive line that produced an impressive 3,269 rushing yards in 2005. He believes that his teammates on the line continue to raise the bar for the standard of play.
“It’s a big challenge because Sheffey, Moses and Stanchek -- the guys that played a lot last year -- they set a really high standard for me to live up to,” Figner said.
Bradshaw says that like Crissey, his focus and intensity has been on a different level when taking reps with the first unit.
“I’m really trying to concentrate hard every day on getting faster in the run and pass blocking and not making technical mistakes. With those three veterans out there playing beside you, you don’t want to be the guy that makes the mistake,” Bradshaw said.
With two starting spots up for grabs, players have to be careful not to heap additional pressure on themselves to seize this rare opportunity. That is not a concern for Figner.
“I don’t even think of it as being an open spot because Coach (Rick) Trickett is going to make you earn it either way. It’s not so much an open spot for me as it is trying to show the coaches I can handle it and trying to earn the spot every day,” Figner said.
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| Senior Damien Crissey
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
For Crissey, however, there is pressure. The senior walk-on from Manns Choice, Pa., realizes that this is his last shot to contribute at WVU.
“There is some pressure for sure. I really have to make the most of this opportunity. I definitely want to hold the tackle spot down and prove to everyone, especially Coach Trickett, that I can play here,” Crissey said.
Crissey admits that he has drawn inspiration from being a walk-on in the Mountaineer program. He’s seen first-hand what players like Owen Schmitt and Jeff Noechel have been able to accomplish as walk-ons, and he knows the opportunity is always there to prove one’s self.
“Being a walk-on, you always have a chip on your shoulder to prove that you belong and that you can play with these caliber of athletes in the Big East,” Crissey said.
With just under four months left until the season opener, Figner recognizes that both he and his competitors at tackle have a ways to go to get to the level Justice and Garrett played at last year.
“We all have a lot of work to do. We’ve just been coming to work everyday, trying to get better everyday,” Figner said.
