West Virginia’s offensive line has a new look, and Nick Krahe is right in the middle of it.
After breaking through as a full-time starter last season, Krahe has shifted from left tackle to left guard under new offensive line coach Rick Trickett this spring. For Krahe, the move has come with a learning curve, even if the veteran coach behind it has a reputation that carries plenty of weight.
“I think it’s been good. It’s been a little more challenging because I think once you move inside, everything kind of happens at a faster rate compared to tackle. But I know Coach Trickett is definitely helping me make the change over there, and I’m excited about it."
Krahe expanded on why the switch is different from simply flipping from one side of the line to the other. For him, this is a true position change, and that means a different set of responsibilities on every snap.
“I would say moving from tackle to guard is harder than left to right because obviously you know the offense, you know the position that you’re playing, but when you’re going from one position to another, it’s a different thing," he continued. "You’re going to do different things on different plays.
But I think it’s helped because now I know what the tackle is doing every play, and now I know what the guard’s doing every play. It helps me put together what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”
Trickett’s style has also made an impression. Krahe described the demands as unlike what he has dealt with before, but said that pressure is part of what is raising the standard along the line.
“I would say I haven’t had another coach that’s been as vocally demanding as him, but it’s making us all better players on the field. We have to do what he says, and it’s going to put us in the right spot, and it’s going to help us make the blocks that we need to make.”
There’s another adjustment that comes with moving inside: the relationship work. At tackle, a player can live more on an island.
At guard, the communication with the center becomes a constant part of the job. Krahe is building that chemistry with Wes King and true freshman Kevin Brown, who is in line to start at left tackle.
“Going through hard things together makes everyone closer," Krahe said. "And that’s what we’re doing right now.
We’re all going through fall camp. We’re all doing the same things, going to the same meetings, same practices, everything together.
So just building that camaraderie between the three of us is good, but it’s also between all five of us up front.”
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