It’s hard to catch passes when you have a broken hand.

That’s why Ole Miss redshirt freshman TE Willie Hibbler discovered this spring. So, in order to stay on the field and help the team, he switched to middle linebacker.

Now, as the 2016 season approaches, Hibbler finds himself as the No. 2 middle linebacker on the Rebels’ depth chart.

Hibbler told The Clarion-Ledger he made the move for the good of the team:

“If I would’ve tried to play the season on offense, it would’ve been kind of selfish,” Hibbler said. “Coach (Hugh) Freeze teaches us the right thing, to sacrifice. To win championships, you’ve got to be willing to sacrifice for the team. I think staying on defense was the right thing.”

Hibbler said he’s had to make a few adjustments while switching positions, most importantly working on his communication:

“Coming in at tight end, I didn’t have to communicate,” Hibbler said. “But when you’re in the middle, you’ve got to get the D-line set up and the secondary set up. If somebody has a busted play, it’s going to come back on you for lack of communication.

“That’s my biggest area (in need of improvement) and just reading with my eyes basically, just seeing the backfield and the right places to read.”

Hibbler will be a part of the Rebels’ middle linebacker mix alongside graduate transfer Rommel Mageo from Oregon State and redshirt sophomore Detric Bing-Dukes.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 14 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.