JUSTIN COOK The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech players stretch in practice Thursday as the 10th-ranked Hokies prepare for Monday night's game with third-ranked Boise State.

Photos by MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer watches his Hokies.

Photos by MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Tailback Ryan Williams will key a potent Tech offense.

MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech defensive back Kyle Fuller (17) is one of two true freshman on the Hokies' 70-man travel roster who are expected to see action against Boise State on Monday.

BLACKSBURG -- As far as opening acts go, Andrew Lanier couldn't have vaulted onto a bigger stage.

Lanier, who has been a backup in his first three years at Virginia Tech, will make his first college start when 10th-ranked Virginia Tech faces No. 3 Boise State on Monday night at FedEx Field.

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Lanier, who played in nine games as a backup last season, will be the Hokies' starting left tackle, offensive line coach Curt Newsome confirmed Thursday. Lanier replaces projected No. 1 left tackle Nick Becton, who is just starting to return to form after sustaining a hyperextended big right toe on Aug. 8.

''Lanier will start and I think Becton will play,'' Newsome said. ''If Becton comes out and competes today, he should be ready for about the third or fourth series of the game.''

Lanier, a redshirt junior from Moore, S.C., is a converted tight end who finally has added enough weight to his frame to play in the O-line. Now, he says it's just a case of him settling his nerves the next few days before he makes his starting debut in front of a crowd of approximately 80,000 fans and a national television audience.

''Everyone has been asking me this, and I've been having some butterflies about it ever since Newsome told me that I would be the starting guy out there,'' Lanier said. "So I'm just trying to mentally get myself prepared for it. I think after the first few plays, the first few contacts, I think I'll be ready.''

Talk about a sudden turnaround. When preseason camp opened Aug. 6, Lanier figured he would be Becton's caddy this season. That all changed two days later when Becton went down with an injury. Lanier has since been taking a crash course and trying to learn on the fly.

''Coming into the camp, I didn't feel prepared at all,'' the bearded Lanier said. "In this camp, I got a lot of work in and I think I'm game-ready right now.

"A lot of one-on-one times with some guys like Jimmy Martin out here helping,'' said Lanier, referring to the Hokies' ex-left offensive tackle who is now a Tech graduate assistant. ''Plus, Coach Newsome has given me some tips, and I think all of these things have really helped me with my [pass-blocking] skills. One of my main struggles was pass protection, and I think I've gotten a lot better at that. Footwork, hand placement, some of the basic things that I never really got down after moving from tight end.''

Lanier will be the primary blind-side protector for star quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

"It's been a real good confidence booster to work with the ones [first-team line] and know you're out there with them,'' Lanier noted. "It gives you confidence playing, watching film, just about anything you're doing. It's being one of those five guys out there, being one of the five starters on the O-line. It really gets you going.'

Newsome said he's been impressed how quickly Lanier has been able to fast-forward his game.

''Andrew has gotten better ... mainly with his feet and has got a little more punch with his hands,'' Newsome said. "He understands the game a little more, he can play faster because of it, I think he's playing more physical. I think he's ready.''

Oh, brother

Kyle Fuller says playing as a freshman for the Hokies is ''perfect.''

Now, the 18-year-old cornerback has a perfect vision about how he'd like to begin his Tech career.

''I'm on the kickoff team,'' Fuller said. "It would be great to make the game's first tackle. Yeah, that's my plan.''

Fuller and defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins are the only two freshman on the 70-player travel roster who are expected to see action against Boise State. Fuller, who also is part of Tech's punt-block team, perhaps could see some action at boundary corner should starter Rashad Carmichael have a problem.

''I've been working this whole offseason trying to prepare not to redshirt,'' Fuller said. "That was my goal coming in, so I'm very excited to have a chance to play in this big game on Monday.''

The 6-foot, 178-pound Baltimore, Md., native is the third of three Fuller brothers to play at Tech. Vinnie Fuller played at Tech from 2001-04 and is entering his sixth season for the NFL's Tennessee Titans. Middle brother Corey transferred to Tech this summer from Kansas, where he ran track for two years. The junior walk-on is trying to work his way up the ladder in Tech's deep wide-receiving corps.

''I used to love coming to this place and watching Vinnie play,'' Kyle said. "I talk to him a lot now. I can get on the phone and he can answer almost all of my questions. When I came into camp, my head was spinning because I had so much coming at me, and he really helped me out.''

A fourth Fuller brother could be heading to Blacksburg down the road. Kendall, a sophomore at Good Counsel High in Maryland, already has been offered a scholarship by Tech.

''Vinnie said Kendall is going to be the best of all of us,'' Kyle said. "But they always say the youngest is the best, but I don't think so.''

Just funnin'

After Andre Smith's 95-yard touchdown reception in last Saturday's final preseason scrimmage, offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring was asked if he had ever had a tight end catch a touchdown of such distance.

''Shoot, I don't think I've ever had a tight end who could run 95 yards!'' said Stinespring, laughing. "If they did, they would have had to stop at the 50-yard line for a drink of water and a couple sandwiches.''

Smith, a senior starter this season, has caught two TD passes -- a 3-yarder in 2007 and a 4-yarder -- in his college career.

When asked Thursday if he was gassed after the 95-yarder, Smith grinned and said, ''Absolutely. I'm not used to running that far.'

'Rock' reunion

While Kyle Fuller said his parents' home is about 25 minutes from Landover, Md., starting cornerback Rashad "Rock'' Carmichael went to Gwynn Park High in Clinton, Md., which is even closer to FedEx Field. From the sound of Carmichael, he will have the largest cheering section in the FedEx seats.

''Everybody that I talk to, everybody I know from high school is going to be there, from little league is going to be there, all my coaches, everybody,'' Carmichael said.

"I've been trying to get extra tickets since January. We've got it worked out now. I'm going to have a lot of support up there.''

''When I was younger, when I used to go outside ... that's what I try to tell my guys, 'Man, this is what you did playing football outside with your friends. It's the same thing, just a lot of people are watching.' "