Under-The-Radar Rimac Ready To Make Elite WVU Offensive Line
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MORGANTOWN -- He is the most anonymous of the anonymous group that is the offensive line of West Virginia.
While it may be the closest and best group the Mountaineers have to offer, and certainly is the biggest group, they really are shadow operatives, unseen as plays develop, shown mostly on replay only when they miss a block.
The newest cog to the group is Tomas Rimac, who took over the starting left guard spot for the final five games last year, joining All-American center Zach Frazier, tackles Doug Nester and Wyatt Milum, and either Ja'Quay Hubbard or Mike Yates at right guard
Certainly, when Rimac, who stands 6-foot-6 and weights 318 pounds, or any of the others, for that matter, walk into a room they are noticed, but in the midst of the football action on a Saturday afternoon they are nothing but a blur to the fans as they interact on each play.
"Sometimes you have to explain it because someone will say 'Why did you do this?'" Rimac admitted on Tuesday during a post-practice interview. People think watching the ball is a lot more fun than watching us. We're more technique and a lot of details. It's hard for someone not involved in football to understand."
In fact, they normally are at their best when no one notices them at all.
"Offensive line play is not fun but it needs to be done. It's hard work," Rimac said.
These are not big oars, by the way. They are athletic, at their best they are nimble and quick, athletic and strong, and usually they are among the smartest players on the field. Their work is built by years of technique training on fundamentals, but on the ability to see things and act quickly.
It comes with experience and this season's offensive line at WVU is the most experienced group out there.
"What you do is you don't start as a lower level 100 class," offensive line coach Matt Moore explained. "We're now at a 300 level, a lot of these guys. We're talking about not just asking 'Who's the Mike linebacker?' We're past that. We're talking about linebacker leverage, D-line stances, we're talking about having a heavy shade, having a light shade.
"We try to continue to build these guys on these 300 level classes and help them to the Masters level. You can get more advanced in your schemes and more advanced in your teaching."
In fact, Moore believes they can be elite this season.
"Last year was average, maybe a little above average. This year we have a chance to be great, but we have to keep pushing them," Moore said.
Rimac is the perfect example. He came out of Brunswick, Ohio, and put in his time, but he never wasted his time.
He made sure he felt a part of the team right from the start, even when he didn't have a chance of cracking the starting lineup.
"I was third string and getting limited reps in first fall camp … but even going into the freshman season I felt I was contributing to the team because I was helping the defense get better.," he explained. "As a scout team player, I was getting better because I was going against the first team defense every day."
Finally, with five games left last year he was told he was going to start against TCU after having split snaps against Texas Tech.
"It is different. That first play, you are a little nervous. In practice, say you take the wrong step, you know there will be any consequence. In a game, you know that can become a TFL or a sack. I had to calm myself down, get that first hit and then I locked in for the rest of the game," he said.
Now he passes what he learned as he grew into a starter to the young kids who are there this year, going through the same thing he did.
"The tip I give to the kids who are in the position I was in before is 'Practice like you are going to play' because you never know when you are going to go in there. You have to be ready for it. If you keep practicing, you will get the opportunity," he said.
No one is saying it equates to cause and effect, but WVU won two of the final three games, beating high-profile Oklahoma and Oklahoma State while losing to No. 23 Kansas State, who won the league championship game.
On the premise that his anonymity has kept most from knowing much about him, he offered up some background before going through a high-powered recruiting process in which in interested not only West Virginia but Indiana, Iowa State, Louisville, Michigan, Minnesota, Pitt, Purdue and Wisconsin.
"In Pee Wee football I played a little bit of everything. I was quarterback, tight end, punter, you name it," he said, which should give you an idea of his athleticism. "I switched over the offensive line my sophomore year in high school."
He also threw the discus in high school and admits it was "bittersweet" when he gave it up after his last throw in the state championships his senior season.
He's a dedicated hard worker, something you have to be as an O-lineman.
"My dad taught me the definition of hard work," he admitted. "In my free time. I can't just sit in bed all day. I feel I have to be doing something with my hands or doing chores or something. When I was growing up, me and two brothers, if we were slacking off my dad would get on us. I transferred that to here, just keep my head down and work constantly until the end of practice."
He also took up woodworking and he's pretty handy with such projects, including a crafted state of West Virginia that he shaped out of palettes.
He says can envision a day down the road when his football is over that he heads off into the woods and builds himself a home.
"Give me a little cabin, a boat, a little lake …. I don't need much," he said.