The University of Virginia football program, led at the time by head coach Mike London, offered a scholarship to then Weeki Wachee High School (FL) senior offensive line prospect Marcus Applefield in class of 2014 recruiting. Applefield, a consensus 3-star prospect out of high school, eventually chose Rutgers and enrolled there in January of 2014.
Now a Rutgers graduate, Applefield announced this past December that he was leaving the Big 10 school and would use his final year of eligibility elsewhere. Virginia, which is heading into year three of the Bronco Mendenhall era, quickly emerged as a suitor.
“Marcus was the [graduate transfer offensive lineman] we wanted from the very beginning with a lot of space between whoever would become our distant second,” Mendenhall said during his February 7 press conference.
“Coach Mendenhall’s message to me was that he was looking for a leader in the O-line room and in the program,” Applefield wrote in an interview with TheSabre.com over Twitter. “He believes that I can bring that leadership and a veteran presence to the program.”
Applefield visited UVA and Pittsburgh in January before signing with the Hoos on Wednesday, February 7.
“I was looking for a new environment and culture,” Applefield wrote, answering why he left Rutgers. “I chose Virginia because of my relationships that I developed these pasts months with [offensive line coach Garett Tujague] and Mendenhall along with the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Mendenhall and Tujague are great people as well as coaches. What I like about them is the people they are looking for to be in their program. They won’t just sign anyone who can play ball. To be in this program, the kids have to have it all when it comes to the type of person they are.”
When Mendenhall took over Virginia football in December of 2015, it was apparent he would need to build up the offensive line in a major way. Looking for more experienced players to take over starting roles while helping mentor younger players, Mendenhall and his staff added two graduate transfers last offseason. This proved successful, as guard John Montelus started 10 of 13 games and Brandon Pertile started 11 of 12 contests at right tackle last season. Virginia went 6-7 in 2017, reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2011.
After redshirting in 2014, Applefield played in seven games (including one start at right guard) as a redshirt freshman, eight games as a redshirt sophomore, and all 12 games – earning 10 starts at right guard – last season as a redshirt junior.
“The experience that I’ve had starting will help me just know how to handle my body coming up to a season,” Applefield wrote. “I know how to practice to prepare for games. If you practice like you will play, the games are much, much slower than practice itself. The difference between playing and practicing is the momentum, teaching yourself how to slow down and focus on the details you’ve been practicing all week.”
Virginia gains an excellent student athlete, as Applefield garnered Academic All-Big 10 Honors each of the past three seasons. On the field, the 6’5”, 308-pound lineman has primarily played guard but has seen some time at tackle, the position he says he has a “great chance” of playing for the Hoos next season. His experience at guard provides the Hoos versatility as well.
“[Applefield] is a really strong leader in the Rutgers program, a very good football player, very experienced, very mature, and I was really impressed with who he is as a person,” Mendenhall said. “That adds immediate depth and quality of play at a position we have an immediate need at. I can’t express the value of that.”
Virginia needs to replace three starters from a team that reached a bowl game for the first time since 2011. Gone are Montelus, Pertile, and left tackle Jack English. Rising senior Jake Fieler, who saw time at center and guard while starting all 13 games last season, returns along with rising redshirt sophomore Dillon Reinkensmeyer (13 games played, 11 starts in 2017; played center and some at left tackle), rising redshirt junior guard R.J. Proctor (13 games played, five starts in 2017), rising redshirt sophomore guard Ben Knutson (10 games played, two starts in 2017) and rising sophomore tackle Chris Glaser (five games played, two starts). Promising but inexperienced talents Ryan Nelson (tackle) and Tyler Fannin (center) headline the list of other returning offensive linemen.
“Athletically, my primary goals when coming to this team is to win games, as should every person on the team as well,” wrote Applefield, who will enroll on Grounds this summer. “For us to win games, I believe my part is to bring that veteran presence but at the same time be a noble follower because I am the ‘new guy’ in the program. I want to learn as much as possible and train as hard as possible.”
