Virginia Tech asks rookie lineman Teller to switch from defense to offense

BLACKSBURG — Jeff Grimes first got a glimpse of lineman Wyatt Teller when he was an assistant at Auburn.

The now-Virginia Tech offensive line coach remembered seeing him on tape and immediately loving his size, length and athletic ability.

“I think he’s a kid, based on what I saw at that time, had all the tools,” Grimes said.

“My film, coach said, was one of the best offensive tackle films he saw,” Teller said.

As fate would have it, Grimes will get his opportunity to coach Teller, an athletic, long-armed 6-foot-5, 282-pound true freshman with a mean streak who recently decided to make the switch from defensive tackle to give the Hokies some much-needed help at offensive tackle.

“He’s got some things you can’t teach,” Grimes said.

Switching sides didn’t take as much prying as you’d think. Teller was one of Bud Foster’s prized defensive recruits in the 2013 class, a four-star signee from Liberty High School in Bealeton. But a redshirt season was in store for Teller at defensive tackle.

“He wanted to do that,” Foster said of the switch. “Which just shows his wanting to put the team first. I think that says a big thing about him.

“I told him, ‘You go over there, we’ll get you back — hopefully.’”

Grimes and Teller had toyed with the idea. In down time at practice, Teller would show him some pass sets, standing in at left tackle.

“I was like, ‘All you’ve got to do is say the word,’” Grimes said. “He’s as guilty as I am on that.”

The move came after Tech had some setbacks on the line. Mark Shuman, a fourth-year junior who worked at both tackle spots and left guard, needed knee surgery that will keep him out 4-6 weeks. That left the projected starters at tackle as junior Laurence Gibson and freshman Jonathan McLaughlin, without much behind them.

Enter Teller, who was a mauler in high school who got some offers to play offensive line in college if he wanted to (Oregon and South Carolina were two who said he’d have his choice). Now that he’s played there for less than a week, he realizes it’s a whole different world technique-wise.

“Offensive tackle in high school didn’t help me out at all for this,” Teller said. “Nothing. Everything is different. My kicksteps aren’t close to where they need to be. My stance is horrible. Everything is critiqued. It was kind of like defense, you’re hitting them. Now I’m the one getting hit.”

Teller has started on the left side, which matches him up against defensive ends J.R. Collins or Dadi Nicolas in practice. They haven’t gone easy on him, but they haven’t pulled out all the stops either.

“They know that I’m new at it,” Teller said. “They know that I’m not the best offensive tackle. So they’re not grabbing me by the throat or hitting me in the face or anything like that. That comes next week. They’re going through my shoulder. They’re helping me go through my stuff.”

He knows if he plays against Alabama, the Crimson Tide won’t be that polite.

“No, no, no,” he said. “They’re going to hit me in the face.”

Whether he plays this year remains to be seen. Foster said Teller is a good prospect but is probably “still a year away” on either side of the ball. Teller knows he has a ways to go to be trusted in a game this year.

“Time will tell,” Grimes said. “It’s too early to say.”

Teller said the coaches have told him that he could move back to the defensive line next year if he wants to, especially with a large signing class of offensive linemen coming in to bolster the ranks.

“But if everything works out and I’m good at it, I’m going to stay,” Teller said. “If we need help on the d-line, I’ll move there. Wherever coach needs me.”

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