HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal has had a lot to watch throughout spring practices.
He’s had five positions to monitor, evaluate, and coach as he assembles the best five linemen to protect Rakeem Cato and clear the way for Kevin Grooms and Steward Butler in the backfield. Mirabal has been keeping an eye on new left tackle Sebastian Johannson and coaching up new guards Michael Selby and Blake Brooks.
However, he’s not paid too much attention to right tackle.
He does not think he needs to.
That Beckley native Clint Van Horn mans position and Mirabal knows the redshirt junior has things locked down the edge.
“I don’t look at that side,” said Mirabal. “I know Swede is new at left tackle and that allows me to keep my eyes on Swede because I know he’ll [Van Horn] take care of that side.”
Van Horn started the 2013 season as a back up and didn’t make his first start until halfway through the year. Six games into the season a year ago, The Herd decided to rearrange the line, moving left tack Garrett Scott to the right side and inserting Van Horn at right tackle. The combination clicked and the unit took on the mantra of the “Iron 5” as the same group started the final seven games. Van Horn not only grabbed the attention of his coaches, opponents took notice of his performance.
Van Horn was voted Second-Team All Conference despite starting only seven games.
“He’s the best tackle in our conference in my mind,” praised Mirabal. “The coaches named him second team all-conference after only playing half a season and that says a lot to me.”
Van Horn, now becoming an anchor along the line, has also grown into a leadership role along with “the coach,” center Chris Jasperse. Van Horn has been working closely with newcomer Sandley Jen-Felix, who has all the physical atrributes to play tackle, but still needs to learn to be a college football player. Van Horn is helping Jean-Felix much in the way Jasperse took Michael Selby under his wing last year.
“He’s out her coaching Sandley the entire time and I know what he’s telling Sandley is the right thing,” said Mirabal.
“Like I told them when I first took the job, you’re legacy is not going to be championships or bowl rings, it’s going to be what do you leave behind? Jasperse and Van Horn are leaving behind what it means to be a leader, what it means to be tough and what it means to make the right decisions on and off the field.”
Its clear Mirabal likes what he sees from Van Horn right tackle, even if he’s not watching.