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BLACKSBURG, Va. (MCT) — It's been almost two months ago, but Michael Via remembers the words of Virginia Tech offensive line coach Curt Newsome like yesterday.

"At the beginning of the season, Coach Newsome told me I'm a twisted ankle away from starting," Via recalled Monday. "I've always had it in the back of my mind, so I've been ready to go."

The redshirt freshman center had better be ready.

Barring a quick recovery by starter Beau Warren, who sustained a MCL sprain of his left knee five days ago in Tech's 20-17 loss to North Carolina, Via will draw his first college start Thursday night when the 22nd-ranked Hokies travel to East Carolina.

The 6-foot-6, 284-pound Via replaced the injured Warren against UNC with 6:44 left in the third quarter and played 15 snaps. The McLeansville native and Northeast Guilford graduate had played only 24 snaps in the season's first seven games.

"I graded out at 73 percent, so that wasn't too bad," said Via, whose only previous action had come in mop-up duty of routs over Marshall and Boston College. "The chance of starting is very exciting to me. I'm ready."

Warren didn't practice Saturday and Sunday. His official status for the game against ECU won't be announced until today.

"Michael is a football guy, he's a competitor and he has good feet," Newsome said. "I just wish it was next year at this time. I think Michael has the body that he could possibly be a tackle in the future. But that's way down the road. We're trying to get to Thursday night right now with a guy who doesn't have much experience, but cares a lot and works at it. We'll see."

If Via has to come to the rescue, it will be a daunting task. Hokies offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring said playing center is the most difficult position on the field, with the exception of quarterback.

"No question," Stinespring said. "You've got to snap and step, then you've got to go block ... you got to set the scheme on most of your runs, you've got to help set the schemes on most of your protections. You've got to snap from the shot gun, plus you've got to run block and protect. It's just a lot involved to the position."