MORGANTOWN-The beginning of pre-season practice is still weeks away, but West Virginia University's young offensive line has already heard enough concerns about the unit to make them stop reading newspapers or listening to the talk radio shows.

"I stopped listening to them (radio shows) before spring drills ended," redshirt junior Matt Timmerman explained. "And, I had already stopped reading what was being said in the newspapers long before that."

Timmerman (6-3, 282) is part of the "new look" offensive front the Mountaineers will put on display when they take to the artificial surface at Mountaineeer Field against Liberty University at noon on Saturday, Sept. 5.

"We (the offensive line) feel like we have a lot to prove," continued the New Jersey native. "A lot of people have been questioning whether we will be as good as last year's group and that has really fired some of the guys up this summer."

Gone via the graduation route are starters Mike Dent (center), Jake Figner (guard) and Ryan Stanchek (tackle) as well as senior-to-be Greg Isdaner (guard), who elected to forego another year in Morgantown to try his luck with the NFL draft.

Also missing from the spring roster was John Bradshaw and Stephen Maw.

The departure of so many front line starters, and their backups immediately triggered concerns about whether offensive line coach Dave Johnson would have enough time-or talent-to rebuild the unit prior to the start of the 2009 season.

"The guys have been working very hard with coach (Mike) Joseph in the weight room and have been getting together and doing the things they needed to do to jell as a unit," explained Johnson, who was in the area as part of the 1100 Club outing at Woodridge Plantation last week.

A feeling echoed by Timmerman.

"We've gotten to know each other very well over the past several months and I think we have really begun to jell as a unit," said the backup at left tackle. "And, Coach Johnson has done a great job of getting us to understand what the other guy is doing on every play and what we are expected to do as well."

Timmerman, who went into spring drills as the starter at right guard, was moved from that position to tackle when redshirt freshman Jeff Braun (6-4, 307) was moved from the defensive side of the football to the offensive side.

That move may end up paying immediate dividends as redshirt sophomore Don Barclay suffered a leg injury in the Gold/Blue game and may not be at full strength when the Mountaineers report on Aug. 3.

"Don (Barclay) has been looking good so far," Timmerman explained. "But, I know that I have to be just as ready as him just in case he can't go when practice begins in August."

Should Timmerman find himself in that first unit on opening day, he would be lined up next to a name familiar to everybody in the Parkersburg area-Josh Jenkins.

"Josh is a great guy and a lot of fun to be around," continued the lineman. "But, when it comes time to get down to work, he is all business and he makes sure the rest of us are all business as well."