by JACK BOGACZYK, DAILY MAIL SPORTS EDITOR , Charleston Daily Mail

When they do play so precociously (and so much), however, they seem destined to reach stardom. See recent big 'uns Dan Mozes and Ryan Stanchek - All-America picks as Mountaineers - as examples.

Greg Isdaner could have joined that list in 2009, but the WVU left guard graduated last winter after starting in all three of his college seasons, and made an early NFL bid. He's in the Dallas Cowboys' camp -- and Braun is being counted on as the Mountaineer starting right guard as much because of that as anything.

"Vicariously, it helped me a lot working with those guys (Stanchek and Isdaner, along with another 2008 senior guard, Jake Figner), watching their technique, seeing their toughness," said the 6-foot-4, 307-pound Braun. "I picked up a lot from them, too, just talking after practices and in the weight room.

"There's a lot of work I need to do. The repetitions, getting down the plays ... if I wasn't sure on one yesterday, I need to know it tomorrow. I need to try and perfect everything."

Had Isdaner returned for his senior season, Braun would have spent his redshirt freshman season likely on the second line of WVU Coach Bill Stewart's depth chart at guard behind Isdaner and sophomore Josh Jenkins from Parkersburg.

That said, the Westminster, Md., native stepped up anyway. When spring drills began, redshirt junior Matt Timmerman was penciled in as WVU's starting right guard. Braun won the starting job in spring ball.

Or did he?

"I never ever think I've won the starting job," Braun said after a recent WVU practice.

"If I'm No. 2, I never think I'm ahead of No. 3. Every day is a new day for me. If I'm going to win the job, and keep winning it, I've got to do the little things.

"The big thing is being part of a unit, building to be part of that group. The rest of the (starters) have been out there more than me. You've got to be your own person and play the position the way you can, and develop your own persona, but you do it as part of a unit."

Jenkins is the starting left guard. Nitro sophomore Chad Snodgrass is running No. 2 behind Jenkins. Braun's backup is redshirt freshman John Bassler, a fellow Marylander.

Braun, 19, is the only member of WVU's rebuilding starting offensive front who hasn't played in a college game. What he may lack in experience he makes up with two other e's - effort and education.

"He is a physical player who is excited to play football , always has a great attitude and just loves the game," WVU offensive line coach Dave Johnson said of Braun. "We want our offensive linemen to be characterized by toughness and I can definitely say that about him.

"He is young, who is working hard each day trying to get better. He needs more playing experience, but is heading in the right direction."

Braun said he tries to bring aggressiveness to the practice field as his main ingredient.

"A lot of it is just fighting through it," Braun said. "There are two things I have to keep doing. One is effort. Like Coach Stew says, 'You can't coach effort.' No matter how tired you are or how sore you are, I've got to go out 100 percent or I'll fall behind.

"The second thing is to keep studying film. That's big for anybody. Pay attention and stay awake in meetings. Be conscientious. Don't just watch how you play on film; see what others playing the position do, too. You might learn something."

Braun appreciates the fact that WVU has a long reputation for solid offensive line play, and knows as well as anyone that many prognosticators have labeled the 2009 Mountaineer front a question mark post-Stanchek, Isdaner and Co.

Braun said the unit is past that after the players discussed it among themselves during summer workouts. The redshirt freshman prefers to focus on Johnson's teachings as WVU prepares for a Sept. 5 season opener against visiting Liberty.

"I know I'm still a little young," said Braun, who won't turn 20 until three days after WVU hosts Pitt for the Backyard Brawl on Thanksgiving Friday this season. "Some of my technique isn't perfect. It's getting there.

"But Coach Johnson said to me one day that between someone (with good technique) and a fighter, he'll take a fighter any day.

"That stuck in my head. Sometimes I miss my block. When I do, I've got to find somebody to get on. I've got to hunt 'em down."

Contact Sports Editor Jack Bogaczyk at jackb@dailymail.com or 304-348-7949.

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