Bridgeport's Tonkery Vows Improvement by WVU Defense as 2013 Season Starts Today
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on August 31, 2013
By Steve Coolidge
MORGANTOWN – When it comes to making bold statements, West Virginia’s Wes Tonkery will never be confused with Joe Namath.
But the soft-spoken Bridgeport High alum, who begins his junior year with the Mountaineers Saturday, offered this unsolicited prediction for his team’s 2013 debut against William and Mary:
“I think people are going to be shocked when they watch us Saturday on defense,” Tonkery said.
Even that statement is blunted by reality – it’s hard to believe WVU could play much worse than it did last season in its Big 12 debut. However, its level of improvement will be noticeable “in all aspects,” Tonkery said, edging him at least partially onto the proverbial limb.
Last year, the Mountaineers ranked 108th in total defense, 118th in pass defense, and 114th in scoring defense and had a stretch of seven league games in which they allowed an average of 538 yards and 51 points.
By year’s end, head coach Dana Holgorsen had replaced defensive coordinator Joe DeForest with Keith Patterson, with DeForest assigned to special teams. Those roles remain intact this year.
Patterson scrapped the 3-3-5 formation WVU had used for years in favor of a 3-4 look but it made little difference in the disheartening 38-14 loss to Syracuse in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl that closed the season.
Nine months later, it’s not just Tonkery who has renewed optimism. With spring practice, informal offseason workouts and preseason camp under their belts, the Mountaineers have become more accustomed to the new defense and have been better able to absorb its entire scope. Also, Patterson made some key personnel moves, including switching the 6-foot-2, 222-pound Tonkery from safety to linebacker.
The move cost Tonkery some personal momentum – a key contributor and occasional starter at safety, he’d been working with the first team in the spring but dropped out of the Mountaineers’ two-deep during preseason camp as Patterson continued to experiment and evaluate.
Tonkery said he didn’t have trouble adjusting to linebacker after spending his first three years at WVU as a defensive back.
“It wasn’t that difficult actually,” he said. “I could easily relate (playing safety) to what I’m playing now. It wasn’t that big of a transition.”
The move doesn’t mean that Tonkery will be glued to the bench. Quite the opposite in fact.
Patterson referred to Tonkery as a “tweener,” but not in the way usually used to describe a talented athlete who doesn’t seem a natural fit for a position. In Tonkery’s case, being a tweener is a compliment and an asset.
Along with playing on all special teams except for extra point, Tonkery will be used in third-down situations to take advantage of his pass coverage skills.
“We are looking to get Wes on the field in sub packages but he’s a guy that can play on early downs as well,” Patterson said. “He’s very versatile and very smart. There’s a lot we can do with him. Wes definitely has a role.”
Wherever he lines up, Tonkery says all of his on-field experiences will only enhance his performance.
A source of confidence, he says, is “understanding the defense as a whole. Not just my position. I pretty much know what everybody’s doing. I pick up keys so much better than I used to. It’s not like I’m a deer in the headlights any more. I can see what each guy on offense is doing and that tells me where to go. I don’t have to watch the ball.”
Tonkery isn’t the only Mountaineer who finds himself in a new role.
Isaiah Bruce, a 6-foot-1, 231 pound sophomore who gained freshman All-America notice last year after finishing second on the team and 12th in the Big 12 with 94 tackles, has switched from inside to outside linebacker.
Travis Bell, a 6-1, 188-pound junior who has appeared in 27 games and started one last year has moved from safety to cornerback.
“From what I can gather we look pretty solid at every position,” Patterson said. “You can’t ever tell what’s going to happen from an injury standpoint but, from our evaluation, I truly believe we have everybody where they need to be.”
Whether that translates into a formidable defense in the face of high-powered Big 12 offenses remains to be seen.
NOTE: Tonkery is also returning from offseason knee surgery. Click HERE to read a previous story on the procedure and his recovery.
Editor's Note: Top photo by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com. Bottom two photos courtesy of WVU Sports Communications with second photo by Greg Kepner and last photo by Pete Emerson.
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