Hokies' Starting Center Eric Gallo Leans on Current and Former Teammates to Adjust to New Role

Even though David Wang is hundreds of miles away from Blacksburg these days, he can still spot flaws in Eric Gallo's technique.

The former Hokie-turned St. Louis Ram spent last year mentoring the sophomore from Richboro, Pa. to step into his shoes at center, and with the help of Snapchat, he's still getting a chance to critique his protege's form.

"He saw (practice) on the Snapchat story," Gallo said at the team's media day on Saturday. "We were texting the other night, he was telling me he saw one of my pass rush one-on-ones and he said a couple things here and there, work on this, work on that, and we'll go back and forth."

This sort of attention to detail is hardly a surprise to Gallo, considering Wang's fellow offensive linemen dubbed him "the master" in his playing days because "he had the best technique at every position."

But Wang also took lots of pride in mentoring Gallo in his freshman year, a process that, with the help of social media, continues to this day.

"He's still helping me out with technique and stuff here and there," Gallo said. "Just having a year a behind him helped me out a lot. He taught me how to do things the right way, the proper technique the center should use, the calls that he needs to make, basically everything about the position."

Gallo says Wang and former guard/center Caleb Farris taught him "everything that I know," readying him to step into the starting spot left vacant when Wang graduated.

He's the lone newcomer in a group with 41 combined college starts, yet early reviews of his performance have been uniformly positive.

"Dave just had so much experience, while Gallo's only had 14, 15 snaps, but I feel like they're both very smart kids and very tough, hard workers," said left guard Wyatt Teller. "So for the most part I don't feel like it's that much of a drop off. Dave was a great player but I don't feel like it's that much of a drop off, Gallo's a great player."

Wang may have been "the master" but starting right guard Augie Conte says Gallo's had no trouble facilitating communication on the line thus far.

"He's actually stepped up and done a really good job, I'm really impressed with Gallo," Conte said. "He's really taken the starting center role on his shoulders. Playing college offensive line, your communication starts with your center, and he's done a really good job of making sure we're on the same page, being clear, decisive with his calls."

But Gallo says that success didn't come in a vacuum. While the young center was noted as a relentless study bug this spring, he adds that he's been able to lean on his more experienced teammates for help.

"It definitely helps, the rest of the guys on the offensive line are really helpful," Gallo said. "When I'm out there, I feel like they really help me point out some things they've seen in games, things that the defense might do, and it makes my job a little easier."

Teller in particular feels like he's better equipped this season to help out his center, after both literally and figuratively stepping on Wang's toes a bit last year as he acclimated to the college game.

"I had a problem where I could get to the backers, but I would mess up Dave and wouldn't help him out, so that's one thing I've been trying to work on, is being a better team player with the offensive line," Teller said. "I really feel like this season I've gotten better with that. I've helped Gallo out on a few blocks, stuff like that, so being able to work together as an offensive line is important."

Teller says that improvement applies "whether it's a combination inside or combination outside" and Gallo believes he's noticed the difference.

"Playing next to Wyatt is a lot of fun, he's a great player, having him there is definitely a big help," Gallo said. "Me and Wyatt have been working well together since this spring."

But the charismatic guard doesn't just a provide a boost to Gallo and the rest of the line on the field.

"it is always fun to be around him," Gallo said. "We might have a long day for camp, we might be a little tired getting ready in the locker room and with Wyatt around, it's always a lot of energy, he picks you up, he can make your day a little brighter."

Of course, a big part of that is Teller's trademark mullet.

"I do like his hairdo, it's a little different than everything else," Gallo said.

That sentiment means Gallo likely joins the rest of Tech fans today in mourning the untimely demise of Teller's vaunted hairstyle (in fact, at media day Teller claimed the mullet's fate rested on the team's performance against Ohio State) but Teller certainly provided plenty of context about the spirit behind his grooming choices.

R.I.P. to the Mullet #goneforever pic.twitter.com/x3FzugSNlG— Wade Hansen (@WadeThor95) August 17, 2015

"I just find it funny," Teller said. "I really find it funny, it's not like I'm trying to be all serious for the most part. You've got to smile, a guy with a mullet, you can't really mean mug him. For the most part, it's really just having fun. I've had a buzz cut since I was a kid, so having that mullet, it's kind of a change and it's kind of funny."

But even with an added boost from both Teller's blocks and formerly flowing locks, Conte acknowledges that Gallo will likely hit a wall at some point during his first season seeing major playing time.

"Obviously he's gonna go through a learning curve at point, everybody does," Conte said. "But we'll all be there to help him along. Wyatt having game experience, Jon (McLaughlin) having game experience, me having game experience, Wade (Hansen) having game experience, it'll help. It'll make up for that and help him along when it comes to figuring it out everything that goes into the season."

Conte stresses he understands that process, after going from playing sparingly in 2013 to starting 10 games last year.

"I feel like now that I know what I'm expecting, nothing will take me by surprise this year, I know the ups and downs of the season, the longevity of it," Conte said. "But I definitely feel more comfortable this season, just knowing what to expect out of this season."

Specifically, Conte says it was the "drudgery of practice" that caught him a bit off balance a season ago, in addition to some injury issues.

"I was dealing with some shoulder stuff last year, obviously I played through it, but going through the rigors of the season, just having this experience under my belt is an asset," Conte said.

Now he's hoping to use that experience to help out the newbie on the line, even as he works on his own technique shortcomings.

"His effort is there, his knowledge is there," Conte said. "Obviously we all have room for improvement when it comes to technique, obviously your technique will never be perfect, but we'll all be there to help him along."
Unlike the other linemen, Gallo's preparation for the year doesn't just revolve around technique. He's also adjusting to snapping the ball to his new set of quarterbacks, a process that starter Michael Brewer previously called "very good from the get go."

"I feel really comfortable with all the quarterbacks," Gallo said. "We've been working a lot on our snaps, and I feel like we're comfortable at this point, whether it's underneath or in shotgun with all the quarterbacks."

Beyond all the help from his current and former teammates, Gallo says another year of tutelage under offensive line coach Stacy Searels has been key to his growing confidence with the system.

"It's been very helpful to have the same terminology in the meeting room and practicing the same techniques, and he knows us better too," Gallo said. "He knows what we need to work on and what we can get better."

That's a point that Conte and Teller both wholeheartedly agree on after all the turmoil at the spot on the coaching staff in recent years.

"This year is the first year that I've had the same offensive line coach since I've been here," Conte said. "I've had three different offensive line coaches since I've been here, so it definitely helps out a lot just knowing what Coach Searels is looking for, the type of technique he's trying to get us to use, so it helps out a lot having an offensive line coach here for a second year in a row when it comes expectations that he wants for us."

Teller thinks that continuity has helped the transition to a newcomer like Gallo at such an important spot on the line, now that the veterans aren't adjusting to a new system themselves.

"Having a group that knows the calls, everything like that, obviously we're pretty good at communicating to each other," Teller said.

While Gallo may be new to the starting group, his goals for the upcoming season are awfully similar to the ones the team shared when Wang was still on the squad.

If the team can indeed manage to return to form, Wang won't have to turn to Snapchat to check out Gallo's technique.

"Watching the ACC championship game, all of us have the mindset that we want that to be us next year and we want to be in that position rather than watching it on TV," Gallo said.