KYLE GREEN The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech tailback Ryan Williams (34) breaks off what would have been a touchdown run, but it was called back because of a penalty in the fourth quarter against North Carolina last Thursday.

BLACKSBURG -- It's been almost two months ago, but Michael Via remembers the words of Virginia Tech offensive line coach Curt Newsome like yesterday.

"At the beginning of the season, Coach Newsome told me I'm a twisted ankle away from starting," Via recalled Monday. "I've always had it in the back of my mind, so I've been ready to go."

The redshirt freshman center had better be ready.

Barring a quick recovery by starter Beau Warren, who sustained a MCL sprain of his left knee five days ago in Tech's 20-17 loss to North Carolina, Via will draw his first college start Thursday night when the 22nd-ranked Hokies travel to East Carolina.

The 6-foot-6, 284-pound Via replaced the injured Warren against UNC with 6:44 left in the third quarter and played 15 snaps. The Greensboro, N.C., native had played only 24 snaps in the season's first seven games.

"I graded out at 73 percent, so that wasn't too bad," said Via, whose only previous action had come in mop-up duty of routs over Marshall and Boston College. "The chance of starting is very exciting to me. I'm ready."

Warren didn't practice Saturday and Sunday. His official status for the game against ECU won't be announced until today.

"Michael is a football guy, he's a competitor and he has good feet," Newsome said. "I just wish it was next year at this time. I think Michael has the body that he could possibly be a tackle in the future. But that's way down the road. We're trying to get to Thursday night right now with a guy who doesn't have much experience, but cares a lot and works at it. We'll see."

If Via has to come to the rescue, it will be a daunting task. Hokies offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring said playing center is the most difficult position on the field, with the exception of quarterback.

"No question," Stinespring said. "You've got to snap and step, then you've got to go block ... you got to set the scheme on most of your runs, you've got to help set the schemes on most of your protections. You've got to snap from the shot gun, plus you've got to run block and protect. It's just a lot involved to the position."

Explaining the call

Following the UNC loss, many Tech fans questioned Stinespring's call to run tailback Ryan Williams on third-and-6 from the Tech 28 with the game tied and 2:22 left. Williams lost the first rushing fumble of his college career when UNC defensive tackle Tydreke Powell knocked the ball out. Seven plays later, UNC won on Casey Barth's 21-yard field goal as time expired.

It was the same play on which Williams' 20-yard burst early in the fourth quarter for a touchdown was called back by a holding penalty on tackle Blake DeChristopher.

"What is really disheartening is you go back and look at the film and we're a half-arm tackle away from splitting it, and the backside corner is going to have to make a play down the field," Stinespring said. "Those are the ones that haunt you."

Moving on

Williams said he couldn't go to sleep until 8 a.m. Friday, following his ill-fated fumble against UNC. After getting 2 ¹₂ hours sleep, he stayed home and didn't go to class.

"I just chilled ... sat in my room and watched TV," Williams said. "I couldn't stomach looking at people's faces, the same people who looked at me every day and told me how proud they are of me, how I'm their favorite player on the team. I just couldn't do it because I just knew I may have disappointed them in some type of way.

"I went out Saturday and I found out a lot of people are still in my corner, and that made me feel a lot better. Still, I was still apologizing to people because I still feel bad about it."

Tech tidbits

The Hokies, who were upset 27-22 by ECU in last season's opener in Charlotte, N.C., were listed as 12 ¹₂-point favorites Monday over the Pirates. ... Tech hasn't lost three consecutive games in the same season since 2003, when it bowed to Boston College, Virginia and California in the Insight Bowl. ... Tech's Nov. 14 game at Maryland will start at 1 p.m., and can be viewed via the Internet on ESPN.360.com.