Sean Weatherspoon scooped up more tackles per game than any player in the Big 12 last season. This year he's still fast, runs a 4.4, but now he's even bigger. Weatherspoon is now 250 pounds of defensive pressure. His 2008 numbers are supersized: five sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss, and 155 tackles.

"It's unbelievable man. He's a freak. Anything you want him to do he can do. It doesn't matter if it's running, pushing weights, making plays on the field. Everything," Junior linebacker Luke Lambert said.

Weatherspoon's success almost took him to the pros after three seasons at Mizzou. but the number "three" from the NFL has him coming back.

"They said I got a third round grade and so Coach Stec called me and said if it was first or second round I'd probably tell you that's what you should do. But they said third round. Let's come back and prove them wrong. Let's win the Butkus," said Weatherspoon.

The Butkus Award goes to the best linebacker in college football, and Weatherspoon was a finalist in 2008. His enthusiasm is constant and contagious.

"We were stretching this morning and he was yelling and screaming and singing. He's like that in the meetings in the afternoon when coach Stec lets him. He always has a positive attitude. Enthusiastic," said Lambert.

"Just always talking whenever I'm doing something. It's something that I'm used to so I don't really have to find energy for it. It's kinda natural," said Weatherspoon.

But it didn't always come naturally. Weatherspoon had to deal with a storm from linebacker's coach Dave Steckel in pre-season camp last season.

"He was not going as hard as he should have been going. 'Sean, get it together. Do this, do that,'" Junior defensive back Kevin Rutland said.

Steckel's message made an immediate impact.

"Told me to get off the field in front of all my teammates and coaches and it kind of embarrassed me. So I went to the sidelines and got my focus right," said Weatherspoon.

Teammates noticed an immediate change in their defensive leader.

"From then on he was flying around hitting guys. It was not a good practice to be on the other side of the ball from him," said Rutland.

And it was a tough season for opponents also. Along with the tackles, Weatherspoon tied for the team lead with three interceptions. Weatherspoon says he's not focused on the personal numbers, just following "The Law."

"We have this thing called the law of the big picture. The big picture has nothing to do with one's own agenda. I gotta put my agenda to the side and focus on what the team is all about," Weatherspoon said.

"Whatever he wants to do he can do it. He holds the key to his future right now," said Lambert.

According to Weatherspoon, that future includes sitting on top of the Mizzou all-time tackle charts. He is currently 14th on the list with 302 career tackles, making him 132 away from Mizzou's all-time tackle record of 434 set by James Kinney. Weatherspoon says he also looks forward to passing assistant coach Barry Odom who is fifth on the all-time tackles list with 362.