Deacons' Vallos ready for finale

Monday, August 21, 2006 The former Boardman standout is the top lineman for Wake Forest. By JOHN KOVACH VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF If you are a defensive lineman and you happen to get in front of Boardman High graduate Steve Vallos, chances are you will be knocked to the ground. That's why the senior right offensive tackle for the Wake Forest University football team is a preseason candidate for both the Outland and Lombardi Trophies — the second year in a row for the Lombardi honor — and a host of other preseason honors. Vallos, who has started all 34 games that the Demon Deacons have played for three years after redshirting in 2002, had a team-best 146 knockdown blocks last season — almost twice as many as anyone else on the team. Included in that total were 25 knockdown blocks against East Carolina — the most by any Wake Forest lineman since those statistics began being kept in 2000. The 146 knockdowns are the third-most in a season by a Demon Deacons' offensive lineman in Coach Jim Grobe's tenure era, and the most since Mark Moroz had 149 in 2002. Vallos also missed only seven blocking assignments in 795 snaps for last season, and achieved an 87 percent blocking grade with a season-high of 93 percent at Georgia Tech with 13.5 knockdown blocks. For his three seasons, he has 388.5 knockdowns in 2,319 snaps over 34 games for the team based in Winston-Salem, N.C. Over the span, Wake Forest of the Atlantic Coast Conference compiled a 13-21 record while Grube, entering his sixth season as coach, is 29-35 overall. Several factors in success Vallos said he believes that his knockdown blocking success has been a factor in his preseason recognition on the Outland and Lombardi Watch Lists, but not the only reason. "It is [having] success against other good competition. We played a lot of good teams in the ACC," Vallos said. "I played against some defensive ends and linebackers who were drafted to the NFL. It is the caliber of competition you play against and how you do against that competition." The grading systems for offensive linemen are helpful because they provide a record of performance that can be evaluated. "We have a scoring system and grades for knockdown blocks and percentage of successful blocks and knockdowns," Vallos said. He credits having "quick feet and speed" for much of his blocking success, as well as studying and assessing the defenses. Wrestling prepared him well He also credits his previous wrestling career at Boardman High for preparing him be a better blocker. "It is an asset to have been a wrestler. You develop balance and strength and it's one-on-one blocking just like wrestling is one-on-one," Vallos said. "You just keep you feet moving and try to overpower the other guy," said Vallos, who developed toughness and footwork as a wrestler at Boardman. He set school records with 24 pins in a season and 58 pins in a career. And of course there are durability and versatility factors: He never has missed a game because of injury and has played four positions — guard as a freshman, both guard and tackle spots as a sophomore and tackle last year as a junior. He made the All-ACC second team as a sophomore and All-ACC honorable mention last season. As a sophomore, Vallos had a team-best 87 percent grade and led the team in knockdowns with 144 — 43 more than any other lineman. And he earned an 85 percent grade in 10 of 11 games. His main goal this year "is to make a bowl game for the team. We haven't been to one since we were freshman. It was my reshirt year. I went but I didn't play." After college, Vallos said, "I am hoping to play in the NFL." The son of Susan and Bill Vallos, he is majoring in communications with about a 2.6 grade-point average and is planning to graduate in December. He has two brothers. Jim and Zac, both also Boardman graduates. Bill is working in Washington, D.C., while Zac will be a freshman at the University of Cincinnati this year. kovach@vindy.com