Lee Renfro is not the typical college football player.
Renfro ' 5-foot-10 ' is an undersized linebacker, head of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and a leader of the team Bible study. Nothing about him fits the football label, which is OK with him.
I've never really been the stereotypical football player
Renfro said. I've tried not to limit myself to just football. I just enjoy doing so much.
Although most linebackers on the college football level are taller than 6 feet, Renfro's lack of size hasn't affected him. He is the starting weakside linebacker.
He is a unique individual linebacker coach Ross Els said. He's extremely intelligent. He knows his assignment and everybody else's.
Renfro said that he has never let his size get in the way. The redshirt junior is tied for second on the team with 35 tackles in his first year as a full-time starter.
His reaction time is very good Els said. You can be smart as a wick and do it on the board
but if you cannot react quickly then you'll be in trouble.
Middle linebacker Michael Brown echoed Els' sentiments and added that Renfro has great instincts on the field.
He's always in the right spot at the right time
Brown said. When I'm out there with him
I don't have to worry about covering up for one of his mistakes.
Renfro is from Burnside, Ky., which is a small town in the southeastern part of the state with a population of less than 1,000. He attended Southwestern High School, where he starred as a running back, rushing for 4,101 yards during his career.
When he made his official visit to Ohio, he assumed he would play running back, but there was a shortage of safeties and the coaches shifted him to defense. During his redshirt season, he moved once again. This time it was to linebacker.
Sometimes you miss having the ball in your hands and all the glory of playing offense
Renfro said. I love playing defense
and I love the defense we have.
Els said that he saw Renfro break out at the end of last season when he became an integral part of the linebacker core.He's developed into the role that makes him tough to take out of the ball game
he said.
Renfro does not limit himself to just football. He's president of SAAC, a committee of student-athletes that provides insight on the college-athlete experience. He also works in the Ohio University School of Business Self Center and is active in Campus Crusade for Christ and Athletes in Action.
As a member of the band throughout high school, Renfro said being heavily involved is all he knows.
There really is so much more to life than just football and school
he said. I definitely try to apply that spiritually to my life.
Els said Renfro is the type of leader any coach would love to have on a team.
He's one of the first guys to volunteer and say
'Hey
