Q&A: Ryan Stancheck, OG, West Virginia

Ryan Stanchek was an offensive tackle for the West Virginia Mountaineers who hopes to earn himself a spot in this year’s NFL draft. He’s earned himself all Big East honors three seasons, All American honors as a junior and senior. Playing in the spread attack, he has been an anchor for Pat White, Steve Slaton and Noel Devine, paving the way for a tremendous running game and allowing Pat White to break out and have a good senior campaign throwing the ball.

How are you doing today?
Stancheck: I’m doing well. Thanks for having me.

So where you calling in from today?
Stancheck: Actually, I’m driving back into Morgantown, West Virginia.

Being at 6’4” 300 lbs, you kid with yourself, but seriously, you're considered an undersized guy. So I weigh in at 185 lbs at 5’10” and I’m looking to lose a few pounds because I’m feeling a little heavy on my own front, but tell me what it’s like to be 300 pounds and be considered the small kid on the team?

Stancheck: You know, compared to offensive tackles I think the height issue is my problem as an offensive tackle. I’ve been working at offensive guard and even center. So I’m excited to show people I can do different things. It’ll be interesting.

So standing at [only] 6’4” and 300 lbs has you considered undersized then, is that the case?

Stancheck: Yes, sir. I think for a guard I am pretty good size. That’s what I played my freshman year. I played left tackle the last three years but I’m definitely a guard now. I can definitely play center.

Your offensive scheme being the spread, not only being run-heavy, you will obviously have run-blocking expertise, but Pat White threw the ball 300 times this year, which was more than any other year in his tenure at quarterback. It seems to me that you have a good blend of run and pass blocking capabilities now.

Stancheck: Yeah, this year Pat threw the ball more. I’m so proud of him – he did great at the combine and at the Senior Bowl. He was a great teammate and I got to pass block for him a little more. We pass blocked through the years, and it’s also different pass blocking for a guy like Pat White where you never know where he’s going to be with the football. He’s not your traditional three steps and flinging it.

It makes you have to be a little more athletic because you have to have your head on a swivel and you have to decide whether to maintain discipline and pass block or get out on a linebacker and open a hole for White, right?

Stancheck: Exactly, it keeps you on your toes at all times as a lineman.

What have you heard from NFL teams, if anything, regarding your athleticism coming out of a spread offense?

Stancheck: I’ve heard from a few teams, but I definitely fit into a zone-blocking scheme. There’s certain teams in the league that do that. I’ve done that for four years at West Virginia, but I’ll do anything for the team that takes me. I feel I fit best on a zone-blocking team.

What do you plan on doing at your pro day?

Stancheck: I’m going to do everything, all the drills, and do the best I can.

Which drills do you think are the most important for the linemen?

Stancheck: I think your [first] ten yards [of the 40-yard dash] is huge for an offensive lineman, because it shows your explosion. Those first ten yards is where we work, you know? I think bench press has a little to do with it also and is pretty important. What it comes down to is, I think, being a football player. To me that’s the biggest difference. You’re a football player. We’re not in gym class, like you said.

So you’re from Cincinnati, any excitement about the Bengals or even the Browns to stay in state? What are you thinking if you had your choice?

Stancheck: That would be awesome, but I will play for anybody. It’s guess that a cliché, but it’s the truth – I’d like to play for anyone.

What do you like outside of football? What kept you going through the season?

Stancheck: I love hanging out with my family and friends after the game. We have a little restaurant in Cincinnati, Ohio, it’s called Abbey’s Pub and Grill and I washed dishes there all through high school. I like going back there and hanging out with my family and friends. My teammates – that’s the biggest thing I miss so far, the camaraderie you have in college.

What was it like getting redemption against South Florida? I think they took it to you two years in a row?

Stancheck: Yeah, they did and for me, that was a big game because George Selvie is an excellent defensive end and he’s a great guy. He was my roommate at the Walter Camp All-American team when we I was a junior and he was a sophomore. And this year I saw him there again. He is an excellent player and I liked playing against him – some of the top competition. So that was a big game for me, just getting to play against a great player like him.

Four years, four bowl wins, is that correct?

Stancheck: Yes, sir. Everyone always says, everyone always jokes, all my line buddies, that on ESPN they heard ‘Pat White, first quarterback to win four bowl games.’ And they were all joking, ‘you’re the first left tackle to win four bowl games.’

The big-eaters never get the spotlight...you're probably used to that by now, right?

Stancheck: Oh, absolutely. You know, we do our jobs so they can get the great stats and that’s when they look good, when they have great stats.

So for the lay fans out there, how do we measure the success of an offensive tackle? Do we have to watch tape of you, or do you have any measurements or statistics you keep track of during the season?

Stancheck: We grade out and we have knock downs, which includes pancakes and cut blocks and anything where you get the guy on the ground. I think that’s a good indication of how hard you play, when you get the knockdowns and things like that. And hustle, you know, running down and helping the running back or helping the wide receiver up after he gets tackled so the defense doesn’t intimidate. Little things like that. Playing hard, I think that’s what I do well and it shouldn’t even be an issue. But just playing hard and playing to the whistle. I’m just excited for next Thursday, for my pro day, and we’ll go from there.

What’s your favorite Fleetwood Mac song?

Stancheck: I know it, you put me on the spot. “Don’t Stop”, is that that name of it? "Landslide, Landslide". I’ll go with that one.

We actually didn't expect anyone that we interviewed to have an answer! We’ll respect anyone that has an answer to that – we’re a little bit older than you guys.

Stancheck: I love Fleetwood Mac.

Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communication