Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – While West Virginia’s offensive line may have found some early success in its first game together, Amare “Bubba” Grayson knows the group’s biggest improvement will come with time.
The Mountaineers entered the season with a newly revamped offensive line, bringing together players from different places. In a short period of time the players were expected to quickly develop the communication and chemistry necessary to function as one unit.
“I feel like our offensive line did a great job,” Grayson said of Saturday’s performance against Coastal Carolina. “We were very consistent, and I feel like throughout the course of the season, we’re going to gel even more so it’s going to be good. And then my overall performance, I was very consistent with what I did. I just have to be better better in some areas, but that’s pretty much it.”
That process of building chemistry was evident in the season opener. Despite some early issues, the linemen adjusted to playing together and communicated well.
“Oh, the communication was well,” Grayson said. “This is a different atmosphere from where everybody has been at. So, there was a little communication issues at first, but we got better with that overtime throughout the game,”
For the junior offensive lineman, the growing pains are what makes playing together in a game so important to development.
“It’s like an experience thing,” Grayson said. “You have a lot of outside distractions. So, if you can get those distractions out of your head and just focus in on what you five guys have to do I I’ll take it all the way,”
While practice gives an offensive line an opportunity to work through assignments and build familiarity, it is the game situations that provide different challenges. The goal for WVU’s offensive line now is to take what was learned from the opener and continue developing that chemistry throughout the rest of the season.
“The next step of improvement for us is basically just playing as one like throughout the season,” Grayson said. “Like I said, we have to gel together. We had all camp and now that we’re in a situation of games like we have to we have to gel together and get better in that aspect.”
As the team continues and tries to establish the physical presence they want, being united will be beneficial. The difference begins with the mentality the offensive line brings to the line of scrimmage.
“I would say the biggest thing the biggest difference is we come off the ball and that’s how we get our movement,” Grayson said. “It’s basically, ‘Hey, you getting your stance. Hey, I’m going to move this man back from point A to point B. So, it’s just a different mentality.”
As the season progresses, the Jacksonville State transfer expects the continued experience of playing together to make the unit more comfortable and more cohesive.
“I feel like our offensive line did a great job,” he said “We were very consistent, and I feel like throughout the course of the season, we’re going to gel even more so it’s going to be good.”
Photo credit: Kelsie LeRose, WVSN
