University of Memphis Athletics
Spurlock Displays Intensity on the Field
Nov 08, 2006 | Football
Nov. 8, 2006
BY: CHARLIE GILLINGHAM
University of Memphis senior linebacker Michael Spurlock has earned the reputation as one of the more intense players on the Tiger football squad, and one doesn't have to talk too long with Spurlock to realize how he earned that billing.
"I like hitting, I like making contact," Spurlock says in a very matter-of-fact tone. "Football is a contact sport, why else would I be here if I didn't enjoy it?"
But that's not the only reason he enjoys the game.
"I love the competition, and I love being part of a team," Spurlock added. "The players and coaches we have here are all great guys, and I love being able to go out there with my teammates and try to beat the guys on the other side."
Spurlock now provides a strong veteran presence in the Tiger linebacker corps, however, the 6-1, 228 senior has fought numerous injuries and has been forced to prove himself at every step along the way, which has only served to add to his tough-guy reputation.
The Germantown, Tenn., native was a two-way threat for the Mustangs of Houston High. Spurlock was an all-region selection at both linebacker and fullback his junior season and set his school's record with four sacks in one game and 16 in one season.
After suffering a stress fracture in his leg during his senior year at Houston, Spurlock went unnoticed by most major college programs. He enrolled at the University of Memphis and earned a spot on the Tiger football team as a walk-on. By the start of the 2003 season, his freshman year, Spurlock had earned a spot on the special teams unit. Despite suffering a torn muscle early in the year, Spurlock missed just two games and played in 11 contests to earn his first varsity letter.
Spurlock was proving himself worthy of more playing time by his sophomore season. However, another major injury hit five games into the 2004 season when Spurlock broke his left tibia and fibula in the Tulane game and sat out the rest of the season. He and teammate Cato Mott collided and both were left with broken legs.
After spending the remainder of 2004 regaining strength in his leg, Spurlock had his best season to date in 2005 when he played 11 of the 12 games. He recorded 10 tackles at Tennessee and was looking to be a valuable part of the Tiger defense. However, the injury bug bit again, forcing Spurlock to sit out of the regular season finale with a neck injury.
"It's tough when you're just sitting around on Saturday not doing anything because of an injury," Spurlock said. "The worst feeling was watching the team on TV without being able to actually do anything about it. Some days it hurts, and you have to really fight through it, but you can't let yourself get down."
Each injury, and its subsequent recovery, served to add to Spurlock's intensity, and his teammates took notice as he earned the reputation as one of the toughest players on the team. However, Spurlock tends to shy away from such accolades.
"All I want to do is play hard, the way I've always played and do whatever I can to help the team win," Spurlock said. "I would like to think of myself as pretty tough, but there are a lot of really intense guys on the team. There are a lot of guys on our team who will just keep pushing and pushing through every practice and every game, so I don't know if I'm the most intense guy out there. I have so much respect for my teammates and coaches that I don't want to let them down. I just try to go into each game trying to win my battles and make the most of each opportunity on the field."
Spurlock's team-first attitude served him well as he tried to earn a spot as a walk-on among a core group of experienced defensive players.
"I knew that we had a lot of really good players on defense and that, as a walk-on, I was going to have to show I belonged out there," explained Spurlock. "You have to develop your role as a walk-on. I just tried to keep the mindset that I was going to work as hard as I could every day, and if I wasn't going to start, then I was going to do the best job I could on the second team or on special teams."
By the beginning of his senior season, Spurlock had shown enough to the coaching staff that he had earned a scholarship.
"Coming in as a walk-on and earning a scholarship means the world to me," said Spurlock. "It means you've proved something. I don't really know how to describe it."
Spurlock's commitment to the team extends off the field as well. When he's not playing or practicing, Spurlock can usually be found just hanging out with his teammates.
"I like just hanging out with the guys. There's not a lot of time to do much during football season, but we'll go to movies or just hang out. I'll cook some steaks once-in-a-while," Spurlock says with a laugh.
Spurlock's faith in the team, has him confident that the team can rebound despite a 1-7 start.
"Every day, we come out with the mindset that we need to get better in every area. That's what we're looking to do," Spurlock said. "If we can just put it all together once the game starts, then we can be successful." "If we can get rid of all those mistakes, we'll be all right," added Spurlock. "There is not a single game left on our schedule that we shouldn't be able to compete in. We still have a shot at a successful season. It's just going to take a lot of work."
Fortunately, for the Tigers, that's something Spurlock isn't afraid of.
