Lion Linebacker Had to Prove Himself

Senior Austin Cox has always faced an uphill battle. He’s always had to prove that he could play, no one could ever take his word for it.

Like most kids that grew up in Hillsborough County, he started out with TBYFL, playing for the Carrollwood Cadrinals. He made the move to linebacker when he was about 13 years old in TBYFL.

It was a good move.

“I always liked linebacker more,” said Cox. “It feels like there’s more action.”

Cox came to King his freshman year a measly 5 foot 6 inches and maybe 150 pounds.

“That first year was pretty tough,” said Cox.

He would have to earn any respect he was going to get.

He earned it in just the second week of practice.

Cox lined up with the kickoff team, in the middle of the line, next to the kicker. Defensive coordinator Bass Dillard said, “whoever makes this tackle, I’m buying them a cheeseburger after practice”.

The kick went deep to a kid they called, “Load”. According to Cox, he was a 230 pounder.

“I ran around the first guy, swim moved over the next guy, then dove airborne at him,” said Cox.

Cox made the tackle and exclaimed, “where’s my chesseburger?”.

Little would he know that he would have to earn that respect all over again.

He injured his ankle against another player called, “Frog” later that season and had to miss two games while he hobbled around on crutches. The Lions had settled him in to outside linebacker but just as Cox cracked the lineup, he was injured and lost his spot.

He would have to earn it all over again his sophomore year.

Yet again, in his sophomore year, he sustained another injury. This time was during a running back drill against, oddly enough, Frog. This time he broke his wrist and fell out of the starting lineup again.

Finally, he had an injury-free year in last season, his junior year. He compiled 86 total tackles, 39 solo, recovered two fumbles and caused three.

No doubt Cox will have a lot to prove this year too.

“I never did get that cheeseburger,” he said.