Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

The job of Virginia Tech fullback Kenny Jefferson is to spring Ryan Williams free with his blocking, especially near the goal line.

ATLANTA -- Playing fullback at Virginia Tech may be the dirtiest position in major college football.

A job of glory? Forget that. A task filled with major grunt work? You betcha.

Don't believe it, just ask Kenny Jefferson.

"Well, I knew the deal when I came here," Jefferson said. "I knew I wouldn't be getting the ball much. I mean I wouldn't have been opposed to that, but such is the life of a fullback."

Especially so at Tech, which gives the football to its fullback like once every blue moon.

Jefferson's career college career statistics are three carries for four yards, five pass receptions for 28 yards, and no touchdowns in 39 games.

A far cry from the guy who averaged nearly 11 yards a carry at DeMatha in Hyattsville, Md., where he was rated the nation's No. 9 fullback by rivals.com his senior year.

"I've grown used to it," said Jefferson, who plays almost exclusively in short-yardage and goal-line situations. "I figured it out early and I just assume my role. I just do what I'm supposed to do."

And that's all about being a human battering ram for the featured tailbacks. Like for Darren Evans a year ago, Jefferson has served as the lead blocking mule near the goal line this season for Ryan Williams.

"Man, I love Kenny and all that guy does for me," said Williams, who set Tech and ACC records for rushing yards (1,538 yards) and 19 rushing TDs this season. "I would give anything to give him one of my touchdowns, I swear."

Offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring did his best to get Jefferson in the end zone in Tech's 36-9 rout at Maryland on Nov. 14. With the Hokies leading 7-0 late in the first quarter, Jefferson was wide open in the right flat in a second-and-goal situation at Maryland's 3-yard line, but quarterback Tyrod Taylor's pass was thrown a little behind him. Jefferson got his hands on the ball, but couldn't reel in it.

"It was a little low and behind me, and Ty apologized for it," Jefferson said. "But I put it on myself. That hurt a little bit, but I got over it."

Stinespring conceded he desperately wanted to get No. 42 his first six in college.

"I would have been nice to get Kenny in the end zone," Stinespring said. "That was the shot and you would have really liked for that to work out for him."

Don't feel sorry for Jefferson, however. The articulate 5-foot-10, 240-pounder knows he has performed a thankless task to the highest level.

"We fullbacks do a lot of hard work, and we have to get in there and stick our nose where most people wouldn't want to go," Jefferson said. "I look at this way: Ryan's success is my success. If I'm able to get him in the end zone, then I've done my job well."

Running backs coach Billy Hite, an old DeMatha guy himself, said he's going to miss Jefferson next year.

"I still go back when we saw Kenny on high school film, when Frank [Beamer, head coach] said he was the best blocking fullback he had ever seen," Hite said. "He's had a great career here; he just didn't get a lot of touches. Ask those tailbacks, they'll tell you how much they appreciate the job he's done."

Stinespring said it's tough to find a guy who knows on every snap he's going to collide with a defender.

"You're going in there at 100 miles per hour and you either going to reject somebody or get rejected," Stinespring said.

Well, all the hard knocks will be over for Jefferson following Thursday night at the Georgia Dome. Next on the agenda is law school

"My parents wanted me to be either an engineer, a doctor or a lawyer," Jefferson said. "I was leaning toward the doctor at first, but I don't really like blood."

So he's going the lawyer route, where he hopes to pave his own way to success in life.

"I think I want to go into corporate law and help out with mergers and acquisitions," Jefferson said.

Sounds like a guy ready to take the ball and run.