When I played at Virginia Tech our football team had long, inter-squad scrimmages which were dubbed the “Christians vs. the lions”. These scrimmages pitted the best players on the team against the worst players, with generally predictable results. They let the older, veteran players show the young upstarts who was in charge.
One hot day in Blacksburg a young, pudgy freshman defensive lineman faced the challenge of his life as he was matched up against a senior offensive guard who was a 4-year starter and had been selected to the All-South team. Did I mention the guard was 6-4 and 280 lbs? It was a complete mismatch, and the coaches planned to take full advantage of it, repeatedly running plays behind the big guard. They anticipated the backs could run for big yardage through the gaping holes that this guard would inevitably create as he manhandled the freshman lineman.
The only problem? The coaches forgot to tell the young lineman, Wayne Mutter, about this plan. He was supposed to be scared out of his mind and cave underneath the physical and psychological pressure. Instead, he turned out to be a lot tougher than anyone anticipated. Yes, they left him out there and ran play after play at him. But with each play his resolve got stronger, and before you know it he was beating his man and making tackle after tackle. Somehow Wayne overcame the odds and single-handedly shut down the first team offense…and basically ruined the scrimmage for the coaches.
Afterward, Head Coach Bill Dooley called everyone over and acknowledged Wayne by saying, “If we can get everybody playing as tough as Wayne Mutter, we are going to be quite a good football team.”
Wayne went on to be a heck of a player at Tech as an offensive tackle. His physique didn’t change much as he never liked working out. He ended up 6’ tall and 250 lbs. You would never have picked him to be the player who would receive game balls for outstanding performances against teams like Alabama and Florida State, who were the number 1 and 2 teams in the country at the time.
The thing that set Wayne apart couldn’t be measured on a scale or yard stick. It was a heart the size of Lane Stadium. No doubt Wayne had talent, but it was that giant heart that took him to the highest levels.
It’s another great example of how you have to get in the arena and give it a shot, because you never know what could happen.
Have a great weekend,
Ro