Name: Matthew Pyke
School: East Tennessee State
Position: C/OG
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 301
Q: What goals did you accomplish heading into your final collegiate season?
The goals that I wanted to accomplish for my final season were first for my team to win the conference, second to win a national championship, and third to have 2,000 team rushing yards. My team and I won our conference and was able to rush for 2,000 yards. I also only allowed 1 sack all year while playing in 789 out of the possible 795 plays for my team this year.
Q: What would your coaches say about the type of player you are?
I think that my coaches would say that I am a great team player, I work hard, and I am consistent. I am willing to do anything that is asked of me to help my team win.
Q: When you are studying film, what do you focus on to improve your game?
The main things that I focus on in film study is my footwork and my hand placement. These are two of the most important factors as an offensive lineman and improving them will help you win more blocks. The little things are important to focus on as you try to perfect your craft.
Q: What separates you from the other players at your position?
I have played a lot of football in my 5 years at ETSU. I have been blessed to start all 45 games at a great school and have been in almost every situation possible on the football field. I also truly love the game of football and I feel like that is something that players always say because it sounds good, but with me it is a very true statement.
Q: How will you train and prepare this offseason for the draft or other pro opportunities?
I will be working with my strength staff from college this offseason to prepare for my professional career. We have a great strength staff at ETSU and I am grateful to train with some of the best in the business.
Q: What kind of strengths and abilities will you bring to a team that will stand out both on and off the field?
I think that my greatest strengths are my durability and dependability. In my 4 years, I have played in 98.8% of my team’s possible plays which is almost 3,000 snaps and have really taken pride in being available to play in every game for my team. I have helped block for over 16,000 yards for ETSU. Also, I think I have a great impact as a leader on my team and I am an honest guy who my teammates can trust if they ever need anything from me.
Q: What is your final pitch or sell to NFL and other pro league scouts?
The two biggest factors that I bring to the table are my durability and my football IQ. I have only missed 35 plays in my entire college career. I have been through a lot in college because of the fact that I was part of the first class for a school who was restarting their football program. One of the most important things to me is my team’s success and would much rather win football games than receive any type of personal recognition. On the field, I do a great job of communicating at the line of scrimmage and help my guys to be in the right position on every play. I was rewarded with the Jacobs Blocking Award for the best offensive lineman in the SOCON, received 1st team All-Conference honors, Associated Press All-American, Hero Sports All-American, and STATS All-American!
