In 2008, Sean Spence was the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year.
In 2009, the Miami linebacker did not really come close to the level of production that earned him the award the year before.
While it would be easy for Spence to blame injury -- he missed three games due to a leg issue -- or a position change, the LB has taken the “The Buck Stops Here” route and says last season’s decline was all on him.
“I have to go out there, make plays and help my team win. I didn’t do that,” Spence said according to the Miami Herald. “I can’t say it was a lack of maturity. I can’t say it was my knee. All I can say was it was a lack of production. Last season just made me hungrier to want it even more this year.”
Spence is 100-percent healthy and looking “fast and physical” in spring practice according to one teammate, and a return to his 2008 form would be a big boost to the Hurricanes’ defense going forward.