Witherspoon Uses Farm To Prepare For Camp

By Phil Brame July 26, 2010

When the Titans OTA practices ended, the majority of the players scattered across the country for a month long break before training camp begin July 31. 

Veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon also left Nashville, but for an unusual destination: his 500 acre farm outside the small town of Owensville, Missouri.   

“I spend a lot of time on my farm,” Witherspoon said.  “I do a lot of other things to check out my business stuff and make sure I get that together before camp.”

Owensville, with a population of around 2,500, sits in central Missouri; an hour and a half drive southwest from St. Louis.  The city itself occupies only two square miles, the sort of small town tailored for someone to escape from the pressure cooker NFL environment.

Witherspoon serves as the owner of the farm, as well as a part time worker. 
 
“There’s a lot of stuff that needs to get done,” Witherspoon said. “Tightening the fences, cutting down trees and figuring what got struck by lightening this year.  They’ve already got the hay down and I’ll miss the next cut, but I still feed the animals and make sure things are done and help around the farm.”

After nearly a decade in the NFL, Witherspoon said he has an established method for maintaining his fitness level before training camp. 

“That’s what’s great about being in this game as long as I have,” Witherspoon said.  “It’s given me the opportunity to learn exactly what I need to do to prepare myself for camp.  . I probably spend four days a week in the gym making sure that I work out and get a run in so that my cardio is up to par.”

Witherspoon said he focused on avoiding bad habits during the break. On a spread such as his, the distractions tend to be few and far between. 

“You need to have your body up to par and make sure you’re not becoming someone who is eating bad and doing the things that aren’t going to have you ready for training camp,” Witherspoon said.  “I know I have to take care of myself so that’s exactly what I do.”

Witherspoon signed with the Titans, the fourth team of his career, four days after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles in early March.  His services on the field at outside linebacker will be needed in 2010.  His influence in a changing locker room may be equally as valuable, especially now that the team will be without Gerald McRath for the first four games of the season due to suspension.  Witherspoon said the team must make the best of its circumstances.

“You really can’t say exactly what will happen with every situation,” Witherspoon said.  “You play it out.  You look forward to it and say ‘We’ll make the best out of it and we’ll do what we need to do’.”

Witherspoon said he has felt more comfortable with Chuck Cecil’s defense as the offseason has progressed, partly due to the help and advice of David Thornton. 

“Dave’s a great vet leader,” Witherspoon said.  “He’s been around long enough and he knows this system.  He’s always willing to help.  He’s out there critiquing us as we go.  I even ask him questions about some of the things he sees that I do.”

Although Witherspoon enters his first season with the Titans, his production has remained consistent throughout his nine-year career.  He averages just fewer than 83 tackles per season with a career best of 113 tackles with St. Louis in 2006.  He has also racked up nine interceptions and twenty sacks.

While his teammates have not played with him under game conditions yet, fellow linebacker Jamie Winborn said Witherspoon’s reputation preceded his arrival with the team.

“Will is a well respected guy out there,” Winborn said.  “He’s always been a guy who has done well.  I’ve followed him ever since college and I thought highly of him then and now with his work and work ethic.”

Witherspoon, already a main leader of the linebacker group, will also be expected to fill the void left behind by Keith Bulluck. The former Titans draft pick signed with the New York Giants, and even though the Titans never made a major play to re-sign the 10-year veteran, a gap has been left behind in the linebacking corps when consistency and experience are mentioned.

With Witherspoon’s experience, the Titans have high hopes that the free agent signing will become the new tyrant of the defense.