The rain began to sprinkle down as Will Overstreet walked away from Hudson Field after practice. Some of the other players were singing and joking around.
Not Overstreet. A serious look was stamped on his face. This was no joke, it was spring practice.
Spring practice is nothing to take for granted since Overstreet missed all of last year’s spring practice with a back injury.
This year is a different story as Overstreet will be looked upon as a senior leader rather than a junior rehabilitation project.
This year, we’re going to teach (the new guys) how to be men and what Tennessee football is all about physical, getting after people and winning ball games, Overstreet said. Just mauling people, that’s what we want to be.
Nobody is going to argue with Overstreet, especially after a frustrating season that ended Jan. 1 when Kansas State mauled the Vols 35-21 at the 2001 Cotton Bowl.
It was more than just that last game, it was the 8-4 season and getting the goal posts torn down on us, Overstreet said, referring to losses at LSU and Georgia. It was an attitude that was building over that whole year.
Last season was a series of shock treatments as the Vols lost three of their first five games, including heartbreakers against Florida and LSU.
After we would lose, we just kind of looked at (the other team) and said, Get ready because we’re coming again next year.’
Well, next year is just around the corner as spring practice concludes Saturday with the annual Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium.
Overstreet is one of the five senior co-captains chosen by the team earlier this spring. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive end has used his work ethic and his leadership on the gridiron to earn the award from his fellow teammates.
I pride myself in being one of the hardest workers and knowing that I’ve got to be the best out there in my work ability, he said. To sit there and to say that I’m not going to work with my talent and I’m not going to use it would be a waste. It would
be a disgrace to what God has given me.
Overstreet may be the perfect example of what the team was looking for in a captain with his outspoken voice and emotional play. The blue-collar workhorse on the defensive line led the team last season with 17 quarterback hurries to go along with 4 1/2 sa
cks.
I think the guys chosen (as captains) were the best at what they do, Overstreet said. Andre Lott leads strictly by example. Big John (Henderson) is a little more talkative and obviously one of the best players in the country.
This was just a good mixture of people who lead by example and lead by voices and talk about what we need to be doing.
Overstreet just happens to be a little bit of both.
Will is certainly deserving and leads by example, as well as vocally, head coach Phillip Fulmer said. He’s a guy that knows how to play the game and he knows how to practice. To me, that’s the ultimate of accomplishments when your teammates elect you t
eam captain.
If the coaches give it to you, that means that you’ve earned their respect. But when you earn the respect of the coaches and the players, it’s a really big honor.
Since Tennessee’s respect was a little tarnished last season, Overstreet said he feels like it’s time for a change.
This season, when the Vols line up against a team like Kansas State, Florida, LSU or Georgia, the serious look on Overstreet’s face will tell it all.
When you come to our field or we go to your field, we’re going to bring a lot of feelings, a lot of pain and a lot of hate because we don’t like you very much, Overstreet said. We’re going to be out to get you.
