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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Defensive End's Hard Work Pays Off
7/14/1999 | Football
July 14, 1999
By Peter Ross
Daily Mississippian
U-Wire
UNIVERSITY, Miss. - A good example of how hard work pays off is junior defensive end Shane Elam.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 245-pound defensive lineman was a walk-on from Tennessee that transferred to Ole Miss before the start of the 1997 season. Elam had to sit out his first year at Ole Miss due to the transfer rule.
During that season, he learned to adjust from playing linebacker to defensive end. Elam's hard work on the scout team caught the eyes of the Ole Miss coaching staff, and he was rewarded a scholarship before the start of last season.
"It was always one of my dreams to be a scholar athlete," Elam said. "There are always a lot of walk-ons who contribute that deserve scholarships and I was fortunate to be one."
Elam did not disappoint in his first season at Ole Miss. Elam started three games and played in all 12 games last year.
He recorded 22 tackles, two sacks and seven quarterback pressures last season, but Elam will be remembered for three huge plays last season.
In the Vanderbilt game, Elam intercepted a screen pass from his defensive end position and returned it 87 yards for a touchdown to break open a close game. The 87 yard interception return was the second longest in the SEC last season.
The following week against Southern Methodist University, Elam forced a fumble that was recovered in the end zone to tie the game in the second quarter. Later in the same game, with the Rebels leading by a touchdown in overtime, SMU faced a fourth down and long. Elam rushed the quarterback from the side causing a quick pass that was incomplete to end the game.
For his efforts, Elam was selected as Quarterback Club Defensive Player of the Week against Vanderbilt and SMU.
Elam was also rewarded as the CommuniGroup Lineman of the Week versus Vanderbilt.
"Last year I was fortunate to make several big plays, but that was all in the past," Elam said.
"All that matters is helping the team win this year. It does not matter who makes the plays on defense."
The Covington, Tenn., native believes that this year's football team has the chance to be very successful.
Elam also plans on meeting each of the opposing quarterbacks at least once each game.
"I want us to go undefeated and win the SEC West. After that we control our own destiny," Elam said.
"For us to be successful we have to take it one game at a time and not over look anyone. My personal goals this season is making hits on every quarterback we play, and getting sacks from my position."
Although every preseason publication thinks the defensive line is the weakness of the defense, Elam believes that the line will surprise a lot of people.
"We do not look as good on paper like some other schools and we don't have the 6-foot-5, 6-foot-6 defensive linemen, but we have a lot of speed that other teams do not have. Coach (Art) Kaufman has built the defense around our speed, and I believe that this defensive line will cause a lot of trouble for the teams we play."
Some of Elam's assets this year are his speed (4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash), and quickness. One of Elam's weaknesses is his lack of size, but he makes up for it with his strength. Elam bench presses close to 400 pounds and would also like to improve on reading offenses.
"The most difficult part about playing defensive end is recognizing the blocks and formations of the offensive line," Elam said.
"I want to improve on recognizing what the offense is going to do. Being able to recognize offenses is what separates a great player from a good player."
While at Tennessee, Elam looked up to fellow walk-on Bill Bates. He believes that Bates helped Elam become the player he is today.
"Bill Bates was a walk-on who got a scholarship at Tennessee. He was a hard worker, and he was someone that I looked up to," Elam said.
"I learned a lot from him by watching the things he did."
Elam knew Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe while he was an assistant at Tennessee.
"Coach Cut seemed like a nice guy when I was on the scout team at UT. I have always respected him.
When he talks to you, he talks to you as a friend and not as a coach," Elam said. "He gets a lot out of his players, and it showed in the Independence Bowl. He knows how to fire up a team before a game."
Elam looks forward to playing all the SEC teams this year, but one game in particular is on September 25.
"Every game is important and I am really excited about football season," Elam said. "The defense will definitely be fired up for the Auburn game. It will be one of the most physical games of the season."
