West Virginia’s bye week allowed fifth-year senior left tackle Colton McKivitz to take a trip down memory lane.

One week prior to the bye week, McKivitz, who attended Union Local High School in Belmont, Ohio was informed by superintendent Ben Porter of the program’s intention to retire his No. 53 jersey prior to the team’s game against Warren last Friday night.

McKivitz wasn’t too fond of the idea at first, but ultimately decided to go through with it and headed back to the place where he earned All-Ohio Valley Athletic Conference First Team honors three times and All-State honors in 2014.

“I kind of told him not to just because I don’t like being in front of crowds, but he insisted and so it was pretty cool,” McKivitz said. “I think my parents were more excited than I was.”

The Jacobsburg, Ohio native wanted to play football for fun and didn’t think having his jersey retired would be possible. The honor joins a long list of accolades McKivitz has earned at both the high school and college football levels including the Iron Mountaineer Award the past two seasons.

"Just to have that jersey retired is a pretty cool thing and it’s really an honor,” McKivitz said. “I’m sure it will settle in and I’ll enjoy it here soon, but it was a pretty cool experience overall just to be recognized like that, recognized for your accomplishments coming from a small school like that.”

McKivitz has been the team’s top offensive lineman this season, winning the team’s Offensive Lineman of the Week award numerous times this season. According to Pro Football Focus, McKivitz has been graded the highest out of the team’s offensive linemen at this point in the season at 72.5.

His impact on the field hasn’t gone unnoticed as he’s been praised numerous times by his coaches and teammates this season.

“Consistency’s a word that we use in our program and it’s maybe the most complimentary term we use,” head coach Neal Brown said. “I know exactly what I’m going to get out of (McKivitz) every single day. That doesn’t matter if he has a cold, that doesn’t matter if he’s tired, if he’s got an exam. Whatever he’s got going outside, when he steps in this building we’re going to get consistent effort, consistent execution and that’s the highest compliment that I can give him.”

McKivitz’s play will again be a vital part to the offensive line and unit overall having success Saturday against a heavy Texas defensive line.

The Mountaineers have gotten their run game going in the past two games with season-highs in rushing during each contest, but the Longhorns currently rank 40th in the country against the run, allowing 122 rushing yards per game.

“They’re physical,” McKivitz said. “They may be big, but they also have good moves and they’re physical and they’re fast, so we’re going to have to be on our A-game as an offensive line and come out playing physical but also under control because they like to move a lot.”

Come Saturday, McKivitz will be out in front of a big crowd once again, but will have his teammates alongside him inside Milan Puskar Stadium as the Mountaineers look to take down the 11th-ranked Longhorns.

WATCH: Musings from the Mountains | West Virginia Football vs. Texas Preview | Episode 27

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