How Andrews football OT Tyler West became such a menace he earned the nickname 'IHOP'
Andrews football coach James Phillips remembers when offensive tackle Tyler West began to reach his potential.
West started to evolve into a dominant offensive lineman toward the end of his sophomore season. In 2022, he kicked his game into an even higher gear.
He turned into the best offensive tackle in Western North Carolina. West finished blocks with authority, prompting colleges to take notice.
“He was a big kid,” Phillips said. “He was bigger than everybody else. He was quiet and kind of gentle. I didn’t really know how much he liked football. But we stayed on him, and he’s progressively gotten better and better.”
The 6-foot-5, 270-pound West picked up Power Five offers from Duke, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. His meteoric rise is why he is No. 5 on the Asheville Citizen Times and Hendersonville Times News Elite Eight, a collection of WNC's top college football recruits for the Class of 2024.
Balancing who he was on and off the field
Phillips said West is one of the kindest souls people will ever meet. Because of that, it took West a while to learn how to balance being a menace on the field and gentleman off the field.
“But football is a violent game, and we like to play it violently or we try to here and we try to be physical,” Phillips said. “So that was my thing. You can be a high character, good, quiet kid. But you can try to punish people out here. And that’s OK. That’s what football is for.”
West learned that difference and started burying defensive linemen at the start of his junior season.
He recorded so many pancake blocks last season that Phillips gave him the nickname — IHOP.
Looking up to San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams
West said he has played football since he was 6 or 7 years old. He fell in love with the game after watching it on TV.
He has played offensive line for as long as he can remember.
“I love it,” West said. “Just the physicality, being able to just (hit) that person in front of you. It’s a great feeling.”
West grew up a Seattle Seahawks fan. His favorite player was Marshawn Lynch but his favorite offensive lineman is Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers.
“He’s a big guy,” West said of Williams. “Moves well for his size, physical. Everything I try to incorporate into my game.”
As he is set to begin his senior season, West is trying to get stronger and faster. He also is working on being a better leader.
“He’s going to need that at the next level wherever he goes,” Phillips said. “At a Power Five program, they’ve all been alphas at their high school program. You’re just a little fish in a big pond at that point.”
The Wildcats need that leadership from West, too. They graduated 10 seniors last season.
But West doesn’t think that youth will keep Andrews from repeating as Smoky Mountain conference champs.
“They definitely have been stepping up to the challenge,” West said. “They showed up and worked out all summer. I think they’re gonna do good things.”
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This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: How Andrews football's Tyler West became Western Carolina's best OT
