The Ravens 'Michael Oher to take repetitions at the left offensive tackle position

The Tuohy family, subject of the Michael Lewis book and subsequent film "The Blind Side," are the adoptive family of Michael Oher, an inner-city teenager who transformed into a professional football star.

Sean Tuohy was in Charleston on Tuesday to speak at the West Virginia Statewide Technology Conference at the Charleston Civic Center, where he told crowd members that they, too, can have a positive impact on people if they just try.

Oher was walking down a street in Memphis just before Thanksgiving when the Tuohys pulled over and invited him to stay with them. The family recognized Oher as the new boy in their daughter's class.

Tuohy said it was his no-nonsense wife who insisted the family bring Oher, then 16, into their home and off the street.

As they drove past the boy, "She said two words, two very powerful and simple words," Tuohy said. "She looked at me and said, 'Turn around.'"

After bringing Oher into their home, the Tuohys discovered he had been in and out of foster homes and was doing poorly in school. Tuohy said Oher had attended 11 schools in nine years, and for two years he didn't go to school at all.

As the son of a teacher, Tuohy understood the value of an education and worked with Oher to improve his grades.

"He learned because he knew he had to," Tuohy said.

Tuohy said both the book and the movie have the same message -- that an average family can make a difference in someone else's life. He and his wife have traveled the country to promote the movie and their new book "In a Heartbeat: The Power of Cheerful Giving," and always encounter people who have seen the movie more than once.

The Ravens have been allowing both Michael Oher and Jared Gaither to take repetitions at the left offensive tackle position, but the Ravens might want to get Yanda some reps at right tackle as well.

Because of Gaither's weight loss and time he missed in offseason camps, there isn't a lot of confidence in him right now. If he doesn't show improvement quickly, the Ravens might want to give Yanda, the current starting right guard, more time at right tackle, move Oher to the left side and insert Chris Chester at right guard.

What about backup right offensive tackle Oniel Cousins? Well, what about him?

I'm not sure he can handle the position yet, but Yanda has already performed well at right tackle. The Ravens should give Gaither a little more time, but not wait until the week before the start of the regular season. Hopefully, Gaither has nothing seriously wrong with him and recovers.

• If reserve offensive tackle Joe Reitz (6-7, 320) doesn't make the Ravens roster, he might consider a career in professional wrestling. Reitz got in a fight with defensive end-outside linebacker Paul Kruger in the early morning practice, and hip tossed Kruger to the ground without much effort. Hulk Hogan would have been proud.