West Virginia defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen hasn’t taken a real snap since the second game of last season against Albany. Now the redshirt senior is back, and the emotions are there as the Mountaineers prepare for Saturday’s opener.
Dealing with nerves and the comeback
“Nervousness level, of course I’m nervous. I haven’t played a football game since game two last year. So for me, this means a lot,” Vesterinen said. “I would say I’m usually very nervous until the first contact. Until I got the first contact, then I really lose all the nervousness. So I’m really looking forward to the first contact.”
Vesterinen’s road back included months of building trust in his body again.
“The process, coming back from an injury, just a lot of repetitions. Kind of trusting yourself again, like trusting me that everything’s good. I’m definitely there. I’m definitely ready to play now,” he said.
Leadership and confidence in the defensive line
He’s also stepping into a leadership role on a defensive line that features returners and new additions.
“I think as a D-line, we’re in a good spot. I would say the biggest thing is we’re in a better shape than we’ve ever been because, of course, going against the Jet Tempo offense, we have a practice. That definitely sets the D-line up for success later in the season because the game really slows down for us,” Vesterinen said. “We have a great coach, Coach Green. He really pushes us every day. And I’m really eager to see that our work behind the curtains will show.”
The Helsinki native mentioned the chemistry of the group, highlighting Hammond Russell, Asani (Redwood), Nate (Gabriel), and transfer Eddie Kelly as key pieces. For him, it’s about everyone contributing and the unit proving itself up front.
“They make practice hard so the games will feel easier. I’m really excited about our defense,” Vesterinen said.
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