There are no snazzy nicknames for the young men that man the offensive line at Greenbrier West.
Truth be told, they might not even be considered physically intimidating when it comes to their overall size.
Down in Charmco, the Cavaliers do not measure players by their size, they measure them by the fight and heart they have inside.
The young men that put their hand on the ground each Friday night may not get a lot of recognition, but they definitely have a lot of fight in them.
“It takes a different mindset to block a player that is bigger than you, senior Jacob Whitt said. “It takes a different kind of person. You have to give it everything you got. I mean really give it your all.”
While this has been a tradition handed down over the years, the last two season alone, the young men up front have paved the way for 5,683 yards on the ground and 84 rushing touchdowns.
“We have always been the underdogs because of our size and stuff, but we just work together all the time,” senior Jacob Nutter said. “We like to see those big numbers because we know we are a big part of it. We have a great connection that most people don’t know about.”
What makes these rushing numbers even more impressive is the fact that it is no secret that Greenbrier West is going to pound the football down the throat of its opponents.
“It is a challenge, but it feels good to move people and open those holes,” Whitt said. “Attitude and effort is everything. We have a very charismatic group.”
Nutter may be the classic example of what it takes to be a lineman at Greenbrier West.
“Nutter is just a tough hard-nosed kid that loves to play the game,” head coach Kelly Vaughan said. “He is not really big, but he is a blue-collar kid that gets after it and plays hard.”
Whitt and Nutter have been three-year guys on the offensive line. Whitt is 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, while Nutter is 5-foot-11, and 190 pounds.
“Our leader on the offensive line is Jacob Whitt and he does a fantastic job,” Vaughan said. “He is not a big verbal leader, but he leads by example which is a great thing. Nutter and Whitt really get off the ball with our angles and slants. Their speed gives offensive lineman fits. We are not big enough to line up and play a full technique, we have to do different things and that is what we, as coaches, are here for.”
Whitt gave credit to some of the former lineman at West for helping mold him into the team leader up front.
“It is all about technique with your feet and hands,” Whitt said. “Older guys that have been here in the past like Chase Franklin and Dale Treadway have helped me a long. I always sparred with them in practice.”
Senior Daron Vaughan is another three-year guy, along with seniors Trent Parker and Cameron White who have been big contributors the last two seasons. All three will be counted on heavily again this year.
“(Assistant coach) Steven Price came in our sophomore year and he has really been there for us a lot. We work with him all of the time,” Nutter said. “(Assistant coach and former WVU running back) Owen (Schmitt), believe it or not, he has helped us quite a bit too with hand drills and stuff.”
Fellow senior Ethan Hamons and junior Peyton Ford are two of the true big bodies for the Cavaliers. Hamons stands 6-foot-3 and and checks in at 255 pounds, while Ford is 6-foot tall and 250 pounds.
“Ethan Hamons is a big kid. If we can get him to get off the ball for us we expect him to do good things,” Vaughan said.
Ford played a few snaps last year, but intense work over the off-season transformed him into a possible starter this year. He will be joined by Logan Berry (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) as one of the two underclassmen in the projected rotation.
“Ford will likely move into the starting line-up and he is doing a nice job. He is really strong and he deserves the spot he has earned so far,” Vaughan said. “Berry started as a true freshman. I like his attitude and I like his energy. I am expecting him to be pretty solid.”
Following a four-year playoff run, Greenbrier West is once again projected to make the postseason with a good possibility of a deep run. The young men up front will once again be a driving force if the Cavaliers make it five in a row.
“We have a lot of eyes on us this year, but I think we can go as far as we want ourselves to go as long as we are willing to push,” Whitt said.
Greenbrier West opens the season on Aug. 25 at home against Pendleton County. The game will be the first game ever played on turf in Charmco.
“I am ready to play on the new turf,” Nutter said, smiling. “I am excited for my senior year and I’m ready to give it all I got.”