Two days before the start of the 1992 football season, Utah State's Jed DeVries was a veteran defensive lineman, comfortable with his role. By opening day 1992, he was playing offensive line for the first time in his life.
Now, as he awaits his last game with his Utah State teammates, Friday's Las Vegas Bowl II, DeVries is an All-Big West first-teamer headed for the Christmas Day Blue-Gray all-star game. The Weber High product from Plain City is also one of USU's top two offensive-line prospects for the NFL draft.The other is guard Rich Tylski, another Aggie who changed positions to suit the team's needs and earned the attention of NFL scouts. "From all indications," says long-time Aggie offensive line coach Gene McKeehan, "they have a great possibility of that (being drafted) happening."
McKeehan says both players possess "the computer stuff" that draws NFL interest - size, height, speed - plus versatility and work ethic.
DeVries is 6-foot-6, 280 pounds, Tylski 6-4, 275.
"They're a little different than most offensive linemen," says McKeehan. "Most people think of offensive linemen as big, huge kids who just wander around and eat. These kids can run; they can play both kinds of games - against someone who's a big, physical strong kid or against someone who's smaller, quicker."
Tylski, a sociology major from San Diego, has played both left and right sides, tackle and guard. He figures that makes him more attractive to the pros. He prefers guard but doesn't mind moving, and he says McKeehan's keen interest in detail has helped him refine his game. "I'm not even close to being the strongest," Tylski says; he succeeds with good technique - "taking the right steps, getting the right position."
Though DeVries' move from defense to offense last year was sudden and a little disconcerting to him at the time, he says it's the best thing that could have happened to him. "I feel if I was still on defense, I wouldn't have had the opportunities I've had now that I'm on offense," DeVries says. "I don't feel I was good enough as a defensive player. My body frame is more suitable on offense."
At first, DeVries says he just "ran around and hit people." Then he began to understand the concept of offense.
"When I was a defensive lineman," says DeVries, "I didn't realize an offensive lineman has so many free shots on a defensive lineman - he's right there, and I get to kill him, and he doesn't even know I'm coming."
When the Aggies take on Ball State Friday night, DeVries and Tylski and linemates Warren Bowers, Jaceson Maughan and Darrin Mitchell will be faced with a Cardinal defensive line that's lighter and quicker.
"They're very fast and they stunt a lot," says DeVries. "They change directions quickly."
"For the most part," says Tylski, "they're not as big as what I've been seeing all year, but they're really fast, they're a team that will play hard every play, and they're a team that, if I don't use proper technique and take the right steps, it could be a long day."