Mike Pollak has long understood what it's like to be the center of attention.
The junior offensive lineman for the ASU football team has been filling in during games at center since 2004 when he was a redshirt freshman.
But that's not the reason why Pollak, who is entrenched as a full-time starter for the first time, is a star to his teammates.
Rather it's his musical talent as a guitar player that has Pollak's fellow Sun Devils chanting his name.
"I played in front of the guys during our Sun Bowl week [in December 2004]," Pollak said. "There was a little talent show in El Paso [Texas] and all the guys called me up in front of everyone to play a little bit.
"Then when we got back from Camp Tontozona [this year], the rookies have a little talent show they put on. One of the freshmen brought a guitar and they were all chanting 'Pollak' for me to get up and play, so I busted out a little Metallica for them."
And just like Metallica, Pollak seeks and destroys opponent defenses by making adjustment calls and pointing out blitzes.
"As a center, I got to make sure my offensive line is on the same page," Pollak said. "I also have to make sure the quarterback and the running back are on the same page during our pass protection."
Coach Dirk Koetter praised Pollak for his guidance of the offensive line.
"He is not an outspoken guy, but he is the leader of the offensive line," Koetter said. "He takes his job very seriously - he knows all the calls and basically he is the quarterback of the offensive line.
"He's an excellent competitor and we've had some unfortunate injuries so Mike has really held everything together and has helped bring some of our younger linemen on board."
Pollak, along with junior guard Robert Gustavis, are currently the only remaining linemen from the original five starters that began the season, although junior tackle Brandon Rodd is expected to return this week after missing ASU's past two games.
Players such as junior tackle Julius Orieukwu and redshirt tackle Richard Tuitu'u have been forced into action due to the injuries of senior linemen Andrew Carnahan and Stephen Berg. But helping the line adjust to injuries is nothing new to Pollak.
"We went through something like this last year," Pollak said. "[Offensive line] coach [Brent] Myers does a good job of getting the young guys ready to go in there and know their job assignments. For me, I just got to take them aside and make sure they have that confidence to go and do their job."
And when Pollak speaks to the younger linemen, he speaks from experience.
"I've been in the young-guy situation," Pollak said. "I've been thrown in the mix when people are getting hurt so I know what those guys feel like coming in.
"My first year [in 2004] I came in because [current Houston Texan] Drew Hodgdon got hurt before we went to camp. That really helped develop my confidence to where it is right now - having to make sure I was making the right calls for the O-line, who were all upperclassmen, and of course Andrew Walter was the quarterback then.
"That put a lot of pressure on me, but I had to rise my game up to have the confidence to play well."
Reach the reporter at Christopher.D.Ramirez@asu.edu.
