West Virginia will have a new look defensive line heading into 2012 with both Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller gone and a new scheme now in place. One of the guys hoping to work himself into the mix along the line is redshirt-freshman Kyle Rose. He heads into 2012 with versatility along the line that could go a long way in the amount of playing time he receives on the year.
“All positions complement each other,” said Rose. “Learning how to play nose helps you play tackle and helps you play end.”
Rose had success at defensive end in high school. He committed to WVU in July of 2010 before making 86.5 tackles in his final season at Centerville High School out of Ohio.
He then spent his redshirt year at WVU working on what was overall his biggest flaw – his weight.
“When I came in as a freshman, I was light,” he said. “I was about 230 pounds. Now, I’m about 275. They put the weight on you quick. It helped, I could really tell a difference from when I first came in.”
And now, Rose says what he lacks in speed and quickness on the field, he’s able to make up for with his overall strength.
((Below is an interview with Kyle Rose))
“I may not be as fast as (starting defensive end) Will Clarke, but I’m just as good-looking,” he laughed. “I feel comfortable wherever they put me.”
But regardless of the position he’s playing along the line, Rose uses similar tactics with each role.
And it’s that versatility that will ultimately be key to the redshirt-freshman getting on the field this upcoming season.
“I’ll play the tackle position, I could play nose, I could play end,” he said. “Wherever they put me.”