With a running game that is playing a Jekyll-and-Hyde routine, Virginia football coaches are looking to add competition among their offensive linemen to inspire the unit to play more consistently.
Enter freshman offensive guard Ian- Yates Cunningham.
An inspiring sight based on physical attributes alone, the 6-foot-6, 309-pound guard has started the past two Cavalier away games, at N.C. State and Maryland, in place of sophomore Brian Barthelmes.
Cunningham has faced two of the better defensive line units in the conference and, so far, has shown only a few signs that he's still only an 18-year-old true college freshman.
The Virginia ground game woes have thrown Cunningham into the trenches earlier than even he expected.
"You come in not knowing what to expect," Cunningham said of seeing ACC action this early in his career. "You're kind of blindfolded. I just kept on working hard and tried to get to the position I am now."
Cunningham found out about his promotion to the starting lineup only minutes before the game against N.C. State, which was an unexpected boost to his season.
"I got the nod when we ran out on the field before kickoff," Cunningham said. "And it kind of shocked me."
Hailing from the Dallas area in Texas, where high school football is society's first, second and third priorities and where growing big boys to play offensive line is considered the norm, Cunningham has been around the game since second grade and has all the accolades that come with being a blue-chip recruit.
Cunningham started all four years of high school for a new school called Hebron High School and earned a spot on the Associated Press All-State first team his senior year. Also, two prep football magazines, SuperPrep and PrepStar, named the Dallas area native an All-American offensive lineman.
Of course, all the awards and recognition became moot once Cunningham enrolled at Virginia. He had to prove his worth and earn his starting position just like everyone else. It took Cunningham only eight games to show his ability and force the Virginia coaches to give him an opportunity to start. When asked about the promotion, coach Al Groh hinted that Cunningham has been outperforming Barthelmes.
"I'd say all these positions are performance-related," Groh said in his weekly Monday press conference.
In the press conference, Groh also noted that it takes time for offensive linemen to come into their own, but that game experience is a definite advantage for a young lineman.
"Most of these linemen, unless they're of a significant type, become really, really proficient players their third and fourth year, whether they've played in games or not," Groh said. "Obviously, the opportunity to play in games is a big advantage."
Aside from adapting to the size and speed of college football lineman, Cunningham has had to adjust to being so far away from his Texas roots. The foundation he has set here at Virginia, however, has made the transition relatively easy.
"Virginia's been great as far as academically and athletically," Cunningham said. "The coaching staff's great, and the students are great people, too."
For Virginia to continue to build upon Groh's vision of conference and national championships, the offensive line needs to maintain its growth and its ability to bring in offensive linemen, like Cunningham, who are willing to make a living in the football trenches.
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