WVU linebacker Tonkery just going out there and playing
Dylan Tonkery was so nervous he didn’t sleep much the night before his first college start against Virginia Tech. It was a scenario that would have been hard to believe just a few short months before.
The redshirt freshman linebacker from nearby Bridgeport was one of the standouts during this past spring quickly adjusting to the defensive scheme and what was asked of him.
But even then Tonkery had only prepared himself for a major role on special teams with the hopes of scraping for anytime he could get on the defensive side of the ball. But plans were made to change and change they would.
After an off-season knee injury to David Long, it was Tonkerey that emerged as the clear cut option to fill his shoes and he held onto that top spot throughout fall camp without ever truly seeing a challenger.
So Tonkery would get the nod and the build up to the game brought a wave of emotions.
“I was trying to stay relaxed and comfortable,” he said.
One of the players that tested out “elite,” which is a combination of drills testing speed, agility and strength, during the off-season strength and conditioning program Tonkery didn’t need any more comfort outside of the fact that his coach and teammates believe in him to start.
Still, nerves are nerves. He had been on the sidelines for home games before during his redshirt campaign but this was different as he paced prior to kickoff.
“It was totally different knowing I was going to get on the field,” he said.
Tonkery did his homework however and felt mentally prepared for the matchup it was just a matter of getting in there and going through that first series. And that’s all it took.
Tonkery, the younger brother of former linebacker Wes, settled in and played his role throughout the course of the season opener filling gaps and not having any major assignment busts.
In fact, the experience was almost exactly how he played it out in his mind beforehand.
“I was mostly just focused on the game and what was happening in front of me,” he said.
Tonkery wasn’t sure if he would end up playing a full complement of snaps or would end up splitting time with other players, but by the end of the game he had registered 69 under his belt.
“Time flies when you’re out on that field,” Tonkery said.
And in the process, the linebacker earned the trust of those around him especially defensive coordinator Tony Gibson who singled out the play of Tonkery in his first appearance.
“He wasn’t rattled at all,” Gibson said.
Prompted for more specifics, Gibson highlighted the play of Tonkery when it came to tackling in the open field and how he was physical but under control for a freshman.
Now, with a game under his belt against a longtime rival to boot, Tonkery is ready for what comes next even knowing that his role as a starter might not be a permanent fixture with Long set to return at some point in the future.
But for now the state native is just enjoying the ride.
“I’ll just go out there and play,” he said.
