Brunswick grad Tomas Rimac making good initial impression at WVU

West Virginia offensive lineman Tomas Rimac has full faith that good things come to those that have the patience and drive to go get them. Those attributes helped the 2021 Brunswick graduate lock down the starting left guard spot midway through his redshirt freshman season for the Mountaineers. Not only did the 6-foot-6, 312-pound Rimac do that, the unassuming and mild-mannered giant excelled. "I started the season doing the backup role and did my job," Rimac said in a phone interview. "I kept working every day like I was going to have the opportunity to play. I would practice and watch film like I was starting that week." After serving as a backup to redshirt junior James Gmiter, Rimac's opportunity came when Gmiter suffered an injury in a 43-40 win over Baylor halfway through the season. The following week against Texas Tech, Rimac split time with fellow redshirt freshman Jordan White. By the time the Mountaineers were preparing to face TCU, Rimac was entrenched as the new starter. Parents Paul and Kristina Rimac deserve a lot of credit for instilling the attitude that helped their son become Gazette Senior Male Athlete of the Year in 2021, a state champion in the discus and two-time All-Gazette two-way lineman for the Blue Devils football team. "It starts at a young age, just how my parents raised me," he said. "They always told me if you put your head down and work, good things will come your way. That's exactly what happened." After appearing in all 12 games for the Mountaineers, including five starts, Rimac was named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic, the third straight year a lineman from West Virginia was honored. He helped clear the way for an offense that averaged 30.6 points, 171.5 yards rushing and 227.5 yards passing in 2022 under head coach Neal Brown. The Mountaineers ranked 49th in scoring out of 131 FBS Division I teams, 52nd in rushing and 71st in passing. "I wasn't expecting that," Rimac said. "I got a call from Coach (Matt) Moore, the offensive line coach, from Morgantown. When he told me. that was a surprise. I'm grateful for it and thankful for everyone that helped me get that award." A perfectionist when it comes to his craft, Rimac is excited to get back to work and make the small adjustments necessary to continue to get better. "Individually, I feel like I just need to work on my basic technique," he said. "When all else fails, you're going to fall back on your technique. If it's not perfect, you might mess up a little bit. It's about mastering your technique." Despite his individual accolades, Rimac is hoping for much more team success after the Mountaineers (5-7) missed qualifying for a bowl game for the first time since 2019. West Virginia ended the season on an upswing, winning two of its last three games. "Last year was not what anybody wanted," Rimac said. "I can tell you that everyone on our team is going to work hard in this offseason, day in and day out, to improve on that record for next season." While working through a redshirt season in which he saw action in two games, plus this season when he was relegated to mostly special teams duty before Gmiter's injury, Rimac's love of football kept him going and believing his moment would come. "I wasn't down on myself or questioning if this was for me when I wasn't starting," he said. "I love the sport and just want to work every day to be ready for whenever my number is called." The fact Rimac loves football so much helps him manage the time commitment it takes. "It becomes your life," he said. "College football is not a joke. You have to take it seriously if you want to succeed. You've got to love it. If you don't love it, you've got no reason being there. It's all about your work ethic, your passion, your drive and your love for the game." Outside of football, Rimac is thriving as he pursues a degree in coaching and performance science. He is contemplating getting a master's degree in sports management while considering a future as a strength coach or athletic director. For now, though, Rimac is happy with the decision he made to attend West Virginia. "College is going good," he said. "I personally think that it's a little easier than high school, but some people may have a different opinion. I enjoy it down in West Virginia and am glad I made that choice." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.