For Tribe’s Toon, a switch without a hitch

Derek Toon found a green practice jersey in his locker when he arrived as a freshman football player at William and Mary.

Green denotes offensive players for the Tribe. Offensive line it was for Toon, who wasn't sure which side of the ball he'd play on after being recruited out of Matoaca High School.

As the freshmen were introducing themselves to the team, though, Toon was tapped on the shoulder by a defensive coach and informed he was going over to the other side.

White practice jersey and defensive line it was for Toon.

At least for his redshirt and freshman seasons.

With William and Mary experiencing depth issues on the offensive line, Toon went green before last season. Now the 6-3, 288-pound junior has settled in as the starting right guard.

He will be trying to push the pile and the Tribe forward tomorrow when sixth-ranked William and Mary (9-2) plays host to No. 15 Weber State (7-4) in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

William and Mary is making its eighth playoff appearance under coach Jimmye Laycock but first since 2004, when it advanced to the semifinals. Weber State, making the long trip from Ogden, Utah, is making its second consecutive playoff appearance.

"This is a great way to finally get paid for our hard work," Toon said. "It really hasn't hit me. Even when we were 9-1, I turned to my girlfriend and I was like, 'Do you realize that the College hasn't been 9-1 in a regular season since 1947?' It just hit me. It hadn't done that all season."

Toon was a two-way lineman who helped Matoaca win a Central Region title and advance to the state playoffs as a senior. A broken leg sidelined him for several games and caused some college recruiters to back off.

William and Mary offered Toon a half-scholarship, which he turned into a full scholarship -- his major goal -- after his redshirt freshman year.

Toon had 21 tackles and made two starts in 2007. He was practicing with the defense again last fall when the switch came. He got some playing time as a backup.

"I had to relearn how to play offense," he said. "It was a little difficult because I couldn't be as aggressive as I wanted to be. On defense, you get to go hog-wild 100 percent out of the gate. On offense, it's more like a controlled aggression.

"There are so many variables on one play. It's not very conducive to playing like you would on defense. . . . If you get a little too out control you'll whiff on a block, and you don't want to see that on Monday's film."

Toon, who missed spring practice this year after undergoing a second surgery on a torn labrum in his shoulder, gives the Tribe an intense, physical presence on a unit that ranked third in the Colonial Athletic Association in total offense (369.2 yards per game).

Offensive line it is.

"Now it's just fun," said Toon, an art major. "We all go out and just have a blast playing the game we love. We like pushing people around."