Weatherspoon fills Pig's void

By Mike Bushnell

Published Nov. 9, 2007

Before he went down two weeks ago with an Achilles' heel injury that ended his season, senior safety Pig Brown was getting national attention not just for his play, but also for his emotional leadership on the field.

In Brown's wake, a new leader has emerged, although without nearly the same amount of attention. But sophomore linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said he is fine with that.

"I can't worry about accolades," he said. "I'm having a good season, and that's what's important."

A good season might be an understatement. In his first season as a starter, Weatherspoon is leading the No. 6 Tigers in tackles, registering 88 in the first nine games of the season. His 9.4 tackles per game are good for fourth in the Big 12.

But Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus said Weatherspoon has been more important in filling the emotional void that opened on the field as soon as Brown's Achilles' heel snapped.

"Weatherspoon is high energy," Eberflus said. "Personality-wise he's a lot like Pig. He's the kind of kid you want leading your defense."

Weatherspoon said he was always vocal, but when Brown went down, he knew he had to be a leader.

"Pig's still there for us, getting us pumped up on the sidelines," he said. "But when Pig went down, someone had to step up. I wanted to take that on my shoulders."

During his freshman year, Weatherspoon had 17 tackles in 13 games. But coach Gary Pinkel said Weatherspoon, like the rest of MU's defense, has improved dramatically thanks to an increase in playing time.

"Last year, Sean came in without a lot of experience," he said. "He's a lot better player now."

Pinkel said Weatherspoon doesn't overthink too much on the field, and his instincts have carried him well.

"With Sean, it's all reaction," Pinkel said. "You see a guy who is a good leader because he's always so intense. He'll be an even more outstanding player when it's all said and done."

Senior defensive lineman Ziggy Hood said Weatherspoon, who is a native of Jasper, Texas, came to MU already armed with the body of a college linebacker.

"The weight program at his high school must have been good," Hood said. "He came in real strong."

Weatherspoon said the weightlifting regimen at Jasper High School was already on a collegiate level, so the transition to MU wasn't as hard as it could have been.

"It was kind of like a military in high school," he said. "We did free weights, squats, everything that we do here at Mizzou. It was not a big transition."

Junior defensive end Stryker Sulak, who has also improved from his 2006 output, said Weatherspoon has done what Brown did and makes those around him better.

"We've grown, Sean and I, but Sean has done a great job, even as a sophomore, of motivating people," Sulak said. "Brock Christopher is better, Van Alexander is better, and it's because Sean has made sure there's no weak links in the linebacking corps."

But although Weatherspoon has always been strong and a leader, Hood said he didn't foresee such a big year for the sophomore.

"He showed a lot of potential right away," Hood said. "I knew he would be good, but not this good, this soon."