UVA left tackle Boley: from feeling frustration to frustrating opponents

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Last year, McKale Boley, only months removed from Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, found himself in Virginia’s starting lineup on opening day.

Now, it’s challenging enough to have to start as a freshman in Power 5 football, but at left offensive tackle, that’s a whole different world. Boley became the first Cavalier to do that since D’Brickashaw Ferguson back in the early 2000s. Those are the only two who have done that at Virginia.

While Boley started the first two games and played in the next four before injuries set him back, and as frustrating as it was at times, overwhelming, he wouldn’t be where he is today had he not lived that moment.

Today, Boley is expected to line up at his familiar left-tackle spot, which he now owns, for the 12th game this season against a mean pass rush from Virginia Tech.

Likely he’ll be playing in pain, but who isn’t at this time of year? He’s learned to play through those challenges, too, learning from his father, Michael Boley, who played nine seasons in the NFL, including winning the Super Bowl XLVI championship with the New York Giants.

The sophomore from Mississippi has been UVA’s most consistent offensive lineman this season, with a Pro Football Focus season grade of 63.5 (63.0 run blocking and 64.5 pass blocking) in 777 snaps. In 418 pass dropbacks, Boley has given up only one sack (to William & Mary), and 14 pressures. He’s been flagged for a penalty only four times.

“I think athletically he’s as good as I’ve been around in the way he can bend, roll his hips, move people,” said Virginia coach Tony Elliott, who was Clemson’s offensive coordinator for a decade when the Tigers were among the elite programs in college football.

All that is a far cry from last season when Boley reported at 6-foot-4, 337 pounds. He played at 327, but that was too big at the time and so nutrition, weight-training and conditioning brought him in this season at 307, and he’s presently playing at 302. What a difference that has made.

“I feel great, way better than last year,” Boley said during the season. “I feel like there’s a huge difference in my speed. We pride ourselves in being a fast offense. We’re fit, fast, intelligent, so I feel like I can run a lot better. Because of how slim I’ve gotten, I’ve also gotten stronger.”

He doesn’t consume food like he used to, one of the lighter eaters on the offensive line. So much, in fact, that he can’t overpower his mom’s pasta like he used to, something she had to see to believe.

Those are just a couple of changes in Boley, who doesn’t just bring brawn to the table. He has brains, too, Academic All-ACC in 2022.

Last season’s shortcomings led to this year’s success, elevating him to a good role model for those who struggle early on. He’s better prepared, knows how to handle pain, knows how to protect his quarterback’s back, literally.

“I’m at the point where I don’t really feel much pressure,” the big lineman said. “I feel like as an offensive lineman, right side or left, if you’re not the blind side, you should treat it as the blind side. We should all treat it as if there’s something you’ve got to protect. We’ve all got to protect one person.”

Last year was quite different — baptism by fire, sink or swim.

“It definitely got frustrating,” Boley confessed. “At some points, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed because the coaches are expecting me to go out there and do my thing and compete, and sometimes I just felt like I couldn’t. Sometimes I was like, ‘I’m trying, I’m giving it my all, I’m not going to go out there and not give it all I’ve got.’ I just felt like I wasn’t prepared. You get thrown in, you’ve got to go do this.”

Dad, Michael, was a great sounding board for McKale through it all. After a great college career at Southern Miss and with several NFL clubs, there was little that Michael didn’t experience.

“I talked to him a few times each week just to make sure he stayed on course,” Michael said of his son. “For me, it’s all about your mental reps, knowing what you’re getting into. It’s one thing to play the game, but another to know the game. The more you know, the easier the game comes to you.”

All those frustrations and challenges made McKale Boley a much better player the second time around.

“I think not having as much success as he thought he would last year … what it did was motivate him in the offseason to put in the work,” Elliott said. “For all the young guys, they all come in thinking, man, I’m ready to play. Then they get on the field and hold on, there is a lot that I have to learn.

“That humbling process is what usually fuels them to go back to work, to hone their skills, redefine themselves so they’re better and better prepared. Even though he hasn’t really come into his size yet, he’s a guy that would benefit from what we call our Power Hour, but because he was playing as a freshman, this year he hasn’t had the chance to go through that process.”

Instead, for Boley, it will be a build-his-body-as-we-go type of deal. Elliott believes Boley’s ceiling is high.

“Getting his nose bloodied as a freshman and not having that success fueled him in the offseason,” said the coach. “What you see is a different mindset. Now he’s pushing and fighting and playing through pain, which is something that last year, he didn’t quite have that same mentality. Now he’s pushing through the bumps and bruises of playing at this level.”

That’s one of the many topics that McKale discussed with his dad during the offseason, how to play through pain, how to better prepare himself as a player before the season, how to not become overwhelmed.

They discussed his plan, not only for handling football, but academics as well.

“When it comes to playing with pain, things like that, I try to be proactive,” Michael said. “Let him know ahead of time that there’s always going to be something unless you’re a kicker, but even kickers have little things from time to time.

“It’s all about playing through it. I said, you can’t make a name for yourself if you’re constantly out with little, small injuries. That’s something I learned early in my career. Something you’ve just got to play through, and he’s actually done a great job of that.”

Boley, who was injured and had to leave the Duke game last week, has been day-to-day this week. Our guess is that wild horses couldn’t keep him away from today’s rivalry game with Virginia Tech.

Michael will be watching from back home in Mississippi, but will be pulling for Virginia, which he has a strong connection with, not only from his son, but having hoisted the Lombardi Trophy along with current UVA assistant coach Clint Sintim and former Cavalier star defensive end Chris Canty. He also played with former Wahoo Darryl Blackstock on a different club.

He was excited when he heard Virginia was recruiting his son and after they visited, Michael told McKale, “I think this is a place you’re going to love.”

That has been the case. McKale is having a blast playing for the Cavaliers. The game slowed down for him and as he put it, he “knows all the ropes.” He said his phone calls and chats with his dad helped him in so many ways.

He’s right at home at left tackle and he has been pressure proof. The last guy to do what Boley has done — Ferguson — went on to make millions starting for over a decade with the New York Jets.

Now, it’s Boley dishing out the frustration to his opponents, and oh, is his quarterback glad.