Photos by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Jefferson Forest graduate Ben Brandt is making his debut on the VMI offensive line today.

VMI offensive lineman Ben Brandt participates in a drill Wednesday as VMI prepares for its opening game of the 2008 season with Saint Francis (Pa.). Brandt had been a defensive player for the Keydets.

LEXINGTON -- When Ben Brandt has crossed the line in the past, it has been to cause mayhem.

Playing defense is what Brandt has always done. It is what his dad and his two older brothers did before him. Disrupting offenses is as much a part of him as his broad shoulders and dry humor.

So when new VMI football coach Sparky Woods called Brandt into his office this spring after six practices to suggest the 6-2, 260-pound defensive lineman from Forest become a -- gulp -- offensive lineman, the shock shivered the core of the Brandt DNA.

"I have never played offense. Never even wanted to. Never even thought about it," Brandt said, months later, even after he said he has gotten used to the idea.

Never? Not even with his brothers in the back yard? How could they all play defense? Who did they tackle?

"We'd get the neighbor kids to come over," Brandt said. "We didn't have a lot of friends, needless to say."

Woods did not know that when he asked Brandt, a redshirt sophomore, to make the move. He only knew that he had two problems -- one of addition and another of subtraction -- that successfully moving Brandt from defensive end to left tackle would solve.

On the plus side, the offensive line needed help.

"We really needed him. ... He's really physical, he's strong, but more physical," Woods said. "It is a physical offense, he's strong, physical and aggressive and really smart. He was able to pick it up, I went from worrying very much to feeling pretty good."

On the minus side, the defense was switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4, meaning one defensive lineman was going to have to either move or sit out.

"With Ben's size and strength, and Ben's mentality, it's hard not to have him on the O-line," said senior defensive end Andy Viola.

Woods knew Brandt was reluctant to make the change, and talked with Brandt and his father and his brother, Ryan, who had been a defensive lineman at Richmond.

"If he would have said 'no,' I would have said 'OK'" Woods said.

Of course, that would have left Woods still trying to solve those twin problems. And Brandt did not say "no." It just took him a long time to say "yes."

"It took a while coming around. At first I was very, very upset," Brandt said. "But my brothers said it's more about the team than it is about you. You've got to put you ego aside. ... That's what VMI does, it humbles you up."

Brandt said he believes that this year's linemen, Viola, Damiso Alexander and Josh Vine are "as good as I was." Knowing that the defensive line would be in good hands helped Brandt make his decision. It helped, too, that he may someday return to defense.

Having never played even a Pee Wee down of offensive football, Brandt's concerns weren't merely selfish. He truly did not have a clue what he was getting into.

Ultimately, Brandt said he prayed about it and then decided to put his faith in his new coach.

"I really trust Coach Woods and his staff," Brandt said. "I knew he wouldn't put me in a position to fail."

At first, Brandt said, making the switch was "overwhelming."

"Knowing all the plays and how to run the plays against different types of defenses, knowing who to block and who not to block," Brandt said.

That last part, not blocking someone, was a real sticking point.

"It took me a while to understand that sometimes you're supposed to let someone go, if you block them it messes things up," Brandt said. "I'm good at hitting people. Sometimes I don't hit the right people."

With left guard George Handler offering on-site tutoring, running back Howard Abegesah said Brandt "looks so impressive.

"He looks like he belonged the whole time."

Timmy Maypray, VMI's all-purpose back, called it "a great move for us."

"He's not just a very strong guy, he's extremely motivated. ... Even if he goes the wrong way, he goes the wrong way hitting somebody real hard."

It is that exuberance, the hard-hitting aggressiveness, that Woods likes most about Brandt.

"He is one of my favorite guys," Woods said.

The triple-option looks on paper like a finesse offense, designed to dodge the box. But Woods said it is really a power offense, or at least it could be, if it's played that way. And that may be where a lineman who likes to hit people could make an impact.

"I try to carry as much of the aggressive attitude from the defense side as I can," said Brandt.

Still, when Brandt lines up today in VMI's season opener against Saint Francis (Pa.), it will his first ever start from offensive side of the line of scrimmage. It will be the first time he is hoping not to cause mayhem there.

"I kind of feel like a freshman again," Brandt said. "I hope I don't let anybody down.

"I hope I don't get anybody killed."