West Virginia DL Eddie Vesterinen is saving his best for last
It’s almost hard to believe how fast things have gone by for defensive lineman Eddie Vesterinen.
The Finnish product is now in his fourth season with the West Virginia football program and during that time has evolved not only on the field but away from it.
It was a culture shock at first for the European athlete whose only experience with America prior to coming to Morgantown was what he saw in the movies.
Playing college football is an adjustment for homegrown prospects, but it was even more challenging for Vesterinen who had to bypass other issues that are taken for granted such as simple translation of what was being asked of him. It took some time, but now Vesterinen believes he is in the best place of his career.
“I feel like I’m climbing toward my real potential here and I’ve taken big steps ahead and everything is starting to click more. The game is starting to slow down and I’m able to do quick decisions on the run and I’m thinking way faster than I was before,” he said.
As part of that process, Vesterinen has focused more on the nuances of the game such as learning not only his responsibility but looking for edges and tipoffs from the offensive line as well. That comes with being more comfortable but it has allowed him to take an even bigger leap forward.
“I’m able to find more edges that I can work with than before when everything was numbers and very straightforward. Now I’m able to think outside the box more,” he said.
Vesterinen played only a combined 354 snaps on the defensive side of the ball during his first two seasons combined but saw a significant jump last season as that total grew to 518. Naturally, his production increased with more opportunities as he finished with 28 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks.
But even in that role, he was still making strides in many phases.
“Last year I couldn’t believe I was here and starting at the power four level but now I’m here for everything,” Vesterinen said.
That has been the attitude adopted by the entire defense as they’re playing more as a unit instead of individuals. There is mutual respect across the board and the players have bought into the idea that winning is simply more important than individual awards or accolades.
Up front, Sean Martin has been designated as the leader, but Vesterinen gladly serves as his enforcer. As part of that he has made it his goal to build relationships with the younger players in the defensive line room in order to be able to comfortably talk to them about things on the field.
Vesterinen plans to pursue a career in business once his football career is over but hopes the game will take him beyond college football. And in the meantime, he is more than comfortable in his new surroundings in the states where he believes the culture has rubbed off on him and it's much more than he saw in the movies.
“I like to talk more and express myself. I think I’m becoming more of a part of the culture here,” he said.
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