Post by elp525 on Jul 6, 2011 5:02:52 GMT -5
Wednesday July 6, 2011
by Mike Casazza
Charleston Daily Mail
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Tyler Rader has known since just a few days after the Gold-Blue Game April 30 that he was going on scholarship at West Virginia. He's still not tired of hearing the congratulatory messages.
"Oh, no," he said. "That's still nice to hear. I've been here for almost five years now, so I like that. I don't want to say I like the publicity, but it is nice to hear.
"And I still tell myself every day that for now, it's nice, but come camp it doesn't mean anything."
The fifth-year senior from Nitro High has at least earned the opportunity to enjoy the admiration. He's been through a redshirt year, an ACL injury, weight gain and weight loss, and position changes. He's now a right guard and will begin camp next month as the starter.
He understands this is more of a beginning than a conclusion, but given everything he's overcome, what's next qualifies as a welcome relief.
"Right now, I feel really good about everything," Rader said.
"My confidence level is really high, but it's like my dad always tells me: It means nothing. It means I earned a scholarship, but I've got a starting job to earn now."
He showed up in the summer of 2007 as an offensive lineman. After two days of preseason camp, he was moved to tight end. Destined to redshirt, he was asked to move to the defensive line to play the scout team defense.
Rader teamed with Julian Miller and Josh Taylor to give Ryan Stanchek, Greg Isdaner, Mike Dent, Jake Figner and Selvish Capers all sorts of trouble.
"We gave them everything they could handle," Rader said. "We had a great line that year, but I'd like to think we had a little to do with it."
In the next spring, he was the first-string tight end and down about 40 pounds to 245. He ended spring practice as the starter, but was bumped to the backup spot once Tyler Urban showed up that summer for his freshman year.
Rader hung around as a walk-on and figured he'd put in the needed work to get on scholarship at the end of the spring. He never made it, though, and blew out his left knee during a scrimmage.
"That was my low point," he said. "I really thought I could get a scholarship after the spring and I was having a pretty good spring until I tore my knee up.
"Then I didn't go on that year and it was pretty rough for me, but my parents picked me up out of the dumps and told me everything would work out and everything happens for a reason. They were right."
Rader was healthy enough to play during the season, but was too big to play tight end. He was moved back to the offensive line and then started to eat his way into shape.
"I blew up pretty fast," he said. "Once I knew I was back to the offensive line for good, I started going to the Chinese buffet a lot. I got up to about 305 pounds, but I've lost it now. I'm 292 and feeling really good."
Rader played in just three games last season, but made the most of the fresh start provided by the coaching change in the past spring practice. Eric Jobe's graduation opened a spot at right guard and Rader took control of the competition.
"Right place, right time," Rader said. "This system is what I ran in high school, so I feel pretty comfortable."
A few days after the spring game, Dana Holgorsen met with Rader for exit interviews and told him he was getting a scholarship. Rader texted offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh to say thanks and then called his parents to tell them the news.
"They were ecstatic," Rader said. "They didn't know what to say. My mom was yelling into the phone and my dad had to tell her to calm down. But it was great. I was waiting to make that phone call for four years."
by Mike Casazza
Charleston Daily Mail
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Tyler Rader has known since just a few days after the Gold-Blue Game April 30 that he was going on scholarship at West Virginia. He's still not tired of hearing the congratulatory messages.
"Oh, no," he said. "That's still nice to hear. I've been here for almost five years now, so I like that. I don't want to say I like the publicity, but it is nice to hear.
"And I still tell myself every day that for now, it's nice, but come camp it doesn't mean anything."
The fifth-year senior from Nitro High has at least earned the opportunity to enjoy the admiration. He's been through a redshirt year, an ACL injury, weight gain and weight loss, and position changes. He's now a right guard and will begin camp next month as the starter.
He understands this is more of a beginning than a conclusion, but given everything he's overcome, what's next qualifies as a welcome relief.
"Right now, I feel really good about everything," Rader said.
"My confidence level is really high, but it's like my dad always tells me: It means nothing. It means I earned a scholarship, but I've got a starting job to earn now."
He showed up in the summer of 2007 as an offensive lineman. After two days of preseason camp, he was moved to tight end. Destined to redshirt, he was asked to move to the defensive line to play the scout team defense.
Rader teamed with Julian Miller and Josh Taylor to give Ryan Stanchek, Greg Isdaner, Mike Dent, Jake Figner and Selvish Capers all sorts of trouble.
"We gave them everything they could handle," Rader said. "We had a great line that year, but I'd like to think we had a little to do with it."
In the next spring, he was the first-string tight end and down about 40 pounds to 245. He ended spring practice as the starter, but was bumped to the backup spot once Tyler Urban showed up that summer for his freshman year.
Rader hung around as a walk-on and figured he'd put in the needed work to get on scholarship at the end of the spring. He never made it, though, and blew out his left knee during a scrimmage.
"That was my low point," he said. "I really thought I could get a scholarship after the spring and I was having a pretty good spring until I tore my knee up.
"Then I didn't go on that year and it was pretty rough for me, but my parents picked me up out of the dumps and told me everything would work out and everything happens for a reason. They were right."
Rader was healthy enough to play during the season, but was too big to play tight end. He was moved back to the offensive line and then started to eat his way into shape.
"I blew up pretty fast," he said. "Once I knew I was back to the offensive line for good, I started going to the Chinese buffet a lot. I got up to about 305 pounds, but I've lost it now. I'm 292 and feeling really good."
Rader played in just three games last season, but made the most of the fresh start provided by the coaching change in the past spring practice. Eric Jobe's graduation opened a spot at right guard and Rader took control of the competition.
"Right place, right time," Rader said. "This system is what I ran in high school, so I feel pretty comfortable."
A few days after the spring game, Dana Holgorsen met with Rader for exit interviews and told him he was getting a scholarship. Rader texted offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh to say thanks and then called his parents to tell them the news.
"They were ecstatic," Rader said. "They didn't know what to say. My mom was yelling into the phone and my dad had to tell her to calm down. But it was great. I was waiting to make that phone call for four years."
