Our Favorite Players: Wyatt Teller

By: Will Stewart | Founder
Wyatt Teller
Wyatt Teller

I’ve been doing this for a long time now, almost 20 years, and I’ve learned not to become too attached to individual recruits. Having a man-crush on a recruit can be a heart breaker, if they decide to go somewhere else, especially if they excel at that other place.

But even after nearly two decades of watching guys come and go, there are certain recruits that I still develop a man-crush on. There are guys you see in the recruiting process, and you know they’d be great at Virginia Tech, and that they’d fit right in and have an all-conference career.

Wyatt Teller is one of those guys. Wyatt Teller belongs at Virginia Tech.

I don’t remember exactly the first time I saw Teller, but I know it was at a Virginia Tech summer camp, and I also know that Chris Coleman was with me. After the initial “who’s that guy?” conversation, Chris told me that most people thought Teller favored Virginia.

Well now, that just sounded wrong. When a fair-haired fellow with a name like, say, Alistair Wellington favors the Cavs in the recruiting process, you think, “Uh, yeah, he probably belongs there.” But when a hulking, well-proportioned dude with a steely gaze, an edge to his demeanor, and a name like Wyatt Teller favors UVa, you find yourself thinking, “That kid needs to make better choices.”

Fortunately for Wyatt Teller, and fortunately for Hokie fans, he did, selecting the Hokies over the Hoos in a close recruiting battle, the kind which actually doesn’t occur very often these days between the two in-state schools. (It seems VT is clashing with FSU and Alabama more than Virginia these days for the services of in-state recruits … but that’s a separate article.)

In his interview with Chris Horne after committing to Virginia Tech, Teller used the word “home” three times when discussing why he selected Virginia Tech. He does indeed belong in Blacksburg.

Recruiting lore is littered with the names of big-time recruits who seemed tailor-made for Blacksburg, but who flopped, so even though Teller looked like a home run when he committed to the Hokies in August of 2012, patience was required. First he had to sign in February 2013 (he did), then he had to weather a position change from DL to OL (he did),then he had to redshirt. Through it all, he had to stay healthy … he did.

vt_fb_wyatt_teller_2014_04

And now we’re seeing the fruits of our patience and his. We finally got to see him on the field in 2014, and he took to it better than you could have hoped. Wyatt Teller is a damn good offensive lineman, and even though it seems like he’s been here forever, he’s only going to be a redshirt-sophomore in 2015. We get to watch him for at least two more years, probably three, and he’s just starting to hit his stride as an OL.

We’re giddy with anticipation to see Teller again this fall, and we’re not the only ones. ESPN’s David M. Hale has done a Q&A with Teller, and Bleacher Report named him to their 2015 All-Breakout Team. If Teller continues to follow this trajectory, he’ll soon be on all-ACC lists, and he’ll make some All-American lists, and then he’ll make some NFL Draft lists.

Teller has the gift of on-field nastiness. It’s an offensive lineman’s best friend, and you see it in the way that he doesn’t just pancake people; he knocks them down, then falls hard on them to make sure they stay down.

When Teller gets out into space, there’s no wandering around, looking to get in someone’s way. He picks a target and nails it. Sounds simple, but it’s a skill not displayed by many Virginia Tech offensive linemen in recent years.

As he has grown more comfortable on the field, Teller has started to let it all hang out off the field as well, going full mullet. You don’t sport a ‘do like this unless you’re secure in your manhood, and the knowledge that you could crush anyone foolish enough to chuckle at it.

Yep, there’s war paint, too. This guy is just now finding his groove, and not only is he one of our favorite players for 2015 … he’s a shoo-in to make the 2016 and 2017 lists, too.

Update: Sadly, on August 16, 2015, Teller got rid of the mullet.

https://twitter.com/WadeThor95/status/633269212044247040

Print

Tech Sideline is Presented By:

31 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. “Well now, that just sounded wrong. When a fair-haired fellow with a name like, say, Alistair Wellington favors the Cavs in the recruiting process, you think, “Uh, yeah, he probably belongs there.” But when a hulking, well-proportioned dude with a steely gaze, an edge to his demeanor, and a name like Wyatt Teller favors UVa, you find yourself thinking, “That kid needs to make better choices.””

    Yeah I get it. I’m glad he’s a Hokie – but I hate how we can’t progress ourselves past the blue-collar mentality (not when it comes to work ethic, but how we look at ourselves). Tech’s got a great E school, which churns out a lot of white collar jobs (like my own). I don’t buy into only identifying with blue collar workers anymore – I associate with working hard PERIOD, no matter what the color of their collar.

    1. True that, but there is no denying that in contrast to the girly men culture and football program in C-ville, our blue collar heritage and traits appeal to kids like Wyatt. Blue collar characteristics are after all good HUMAN characteristics to have; Tough, Honest, Hard working, caring about one another, Team Work and Humble, as opposed to the agenda of promoting one’s self interest and the sneazy arrogant attitude of valuing one’s life more than the others who are less educated and have less wealth (Hoos).

      1. “Blue collar characteristics are after all good HUMAN characteristics to have; Tough, Honest, Hard working, caring about one another, Team Work and Humble, as opposed to the agenda of promoting one’s self interest and the sneazy arrogant attitude of valuing one’s life more than the others who are less educated and have less wealth (Hoos).”

        I think you hit the nail on the head – those good characteristics you just stated are indeed good, but are not only associated with blue collars. That implies that white collar workers are the complete opposite of having good characteristics / ethics.

        I don’t know what you do or if you have a white collar job but if you do – are you a bad person? Or if you know white collar job folks, are they bad people too?

        1. well let me explain, I’m not comparing blue collar to white collar, it’s more of VT vs the stinking UVAgina Hoos who believe their very existence is their gift to humanity. As for myself I’ma software engineer but at the same time a wannabe outdoors adventurer.

    2. Here’s a story for you. I know one of VT’s former OL who went to the same high school as Wyatt. Wyatt was leaning towards UVA at one point. This OL told Wyatt “You don’t want to go to UVA. You like guns, and fishing, and camping, and big trucks and mud tires. You aren’t a fit at UVA. You are a fit at VT.”

      Sure enough, he came to VT. I saw him just the other day, with Brewer in Brewer’s big King Ranch F150 truck with a kayak in the back. They had been fishing all day, of course.

      So yeah, Teller is blue collar as heck, and blue collar folks still identify Virginia Tech as a blue collar school.

      1. No – that just mean’s Tech’s more “country” than UVA, and Wyatt is a country boy. Which by itself is fine, but when you start to associate “good work ethic” with “blue collar” only, then that’s where I have a problem.

        Also, when (proverbial) you say that “Alistair Wellington” isn’t the type of person you’d see at Tech and would probably fit better at UVA, then you’re kind of shooting yourself in the foot with future recruits by saying “nah – we don’t want him because he went to a rich school and likes wine and wouldn’t fit here. We only like guys who like beer and hunting and mullets”. It’s probably not the best way to be inclusive and cast a wider net for other recruits to come over and give us a fair look.

          1. Yeah seriously, some folks need to loosen up!!! And yeah we’ll take the wine and cheese players too if they are bawlers!

          2. I’m not over blowing anything – I’m just stating my view on a common theme we have here at Tech.

        2. Blue collar isn’t being associated with good work ethic. Blue collar is being associated with TOUGH. I have a PH.D. and work as a consultant…I have an excellent work ethic…but I’m not going to pretend I’m as tough as a lot of blue collar people.

          And as for “shooting ourselves in the foot” with the wine and cheese crowd, you’ve bought in WAY too much to the “inclusive” PC crap. I don’t want sophisticates on our football team. I want kids who are tough, mean, and who grew up tough…not kids who have to be TAUGHT tough. That pretty much eliminates the wine and cheese crowd. It. Just. Does.

          1. Maybe you’re not tough then as a white collar, but doesn’t mean others aren’t.

      2. I work in banking and investments – quite the white collar perception. Our parking lot is so full of F-150’s and larger, that you can hardly fit a car between them. And numerous ones of us like to spend weekends getting trucks dirty, fishing, hunting, etc.. So I’m siding with Java that it’s more about mentality and attitude. You don’t have to be “blue collar” to have a VT mentality wrt football or anything else.
        UVA’s image is one of entitlement and softness. It’s why any player with that ‘edge’ like Teller should always choose maroon and orange. That edge is so many Hokies make more money and succeed more so than Cavs these days, if you exclude the medical and legal fields where we don’t compete. The numbers back it up.

          1. Nothing wrong with thanking Chris but the article was written by Will. 🙂

        2. “You don’t have to be “blue collar” to have a VT mentality wrt football or anything else.”

          My point exactly – so let’s quit saying that.

  2. one hundred million trillion percent! He is claiming the ownership to the OL!!
    I like this beast of a HOkie!!

  3. Sooo glad to have this guy! I hope he stays for three more years. Is it wrong to immediately think we haven’t had this in a OL since Jake??

  4. I don’t know whether to shout “BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!” or if the more proper response is to feel a little embarrassed for reading the whole re-write of a Grease song.

  5. Teller lovin’, had me a blast
    Teller lovin’, happened so fast
    Saw a recruit crazy for Tech
    Met a dude well-proportioned as he-eh-ck
    Teller days drifting away
    To, uh oh, those Ohio State games!
    (…on ESPN)

    Well-a, well-a, well-a, uh!
    Tell me more, tell me more
    Did he go for VT?
    Tell me more, tell me more
    Like did he switch to OT?

    He swam by me, improved the O-Line
    Sprung JC Coleman, for the goal line!
    Pancake’d linebackers, made sure they stay down
    If you’re the target, will pound you into the ground
    Teller days, Will’s got a man-crush
    But, uh oh, those Thursday night games!
    (…on ESPN)

    Well-a, well-a, well-a, uh!
    Tell me more, tell me more
    Was it Man-crush at first sight?
    Tell me more, tell me more
    Did Jhoon Rhee really mean Might for Right?

    It turned colder; Tech fought for the Coastal
    With each new game, Wyatt grew even more Postal. 
    So then I told him we’d still be friends
    And I made my true Man-crush vow
    Wonder what he’s doin’ right now
    Teller dreams ripped at the seams
    But, oh, those Thursday night games! (…on ESPN)
    Tell me more, tell me more.

    He took us bowling, up to DC
    Unranked in the polling, we were lucky to go!
    Flattening defenders, Wyatt did block
    While VT scored and scored til ‘Lil Beamer ran out the clock
    Teller Man-crush don’t mean a thing
    But, uh oh, those season’s end bowls!
    (…on ESPN)

    Well-a, well-a, well-a, uh!
    Tell me more, tell me more
    But you don’t gotta lie
    Tell me more, tell me more
    ‘Cause his mullet is supafly!

    “Will’s Man-crush”

    Nobody bother me. 
    Nobody bother me eedah!

      4. C’mon Will! I was moved by the gaiety of your love for Teller!

        Seriously, that’s at least + 10 for the Jhoon Ree reference- that was pure genius. Actually, it was all I could think of that rhymed.

        I won’t complain if you think that was worth a free renewal!

    2. Joon Ree would be proud! Nice.

      Those ‘non-metro DC’ folks are probably lost on that one.

Comments are closed.