Joseph Peterson is tired, so very tired, of losing.
In his first two seasons at Georgia State, the team has one win. He has yet to experience a victory in the Georgia Dome, but will get another chance when the team opens the season by playing host to Abilene Christian on Aug. 27.
“Right now, I’m just begging, asking, praying for a win,” he said.
So, Peterson is doing everything he can to try to improve the team’s chances at victory. He has put on more than 20 pounds to better handle the rigors of linebacker, particularly late in the season when players shed pounds.
He, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and a few other players convened a leadership council during the spring in which they discussed how to set positive examples and dissected quotes from some of the NFL’s greatest leaders.
He also is reading books on leadership — his father, Joseph Sr., said he has given him at least five from “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” to “How to win Friends and Influence People” — so that he can further establish himself as the team’s undisputed team leader, an important ingredient in winning programs that Georgia State hasn’t had.
“He sets an example every day,” coach Trent Miles said. “He’s doing things the right way.”
Leading is something that Peterson has been doing since his days in pee-wee football in Dothan, Ala. Joe Sr. told him that leaders aren’t born. Peterson said his father stayed in his ear, consistently preaching to do things the right way.
“He’s been doing it since,” Joe Sr. said.
Peterson earned a starting spot in 10th grade and finished second on the team in tackles. He led the team in that category as a junior and senior. He wasn’t highly recruited, possibly because he weighed around 200 pounds, not ideal for a gap-plugging run-stuffer, even on the FCS level in which Georgia State played when he signed.
Despite his stature, he worked his way into the starting lineup as a freshmen, led the team in tackles and earned the respect of the veterans, some of whom identified him as the team’s future leader.
“Most guys would be jealous, but I became cool with them,” Peterson said. “They kept me motivated, kept pushing me.”
They saw Peterson’s humility. They saw him throwing his body into every play for a team that went 1-10 with a long list of bad losses. Those are some of the reasons they thought he would one day take over the team. Perhaps it was also because the team lacked leadership and focused on one of the guys that seemed to inspire others.
He began to assume more of the mantle last season, Miles’ first in charge.
“I’ve seen him put his arms around guys, sitting with and talking to guys at lunch or breakfast,” Miles said. “All the things you need to do to reach out to guys.”
Despite Peterson’s efforts in again leading the team in tackles, the losses continued to pile up in an 0-12 season. His father said he could see his son’s frustration in how he talked and carried himself, but the feeling wouldn’t last past Sunday night. Peterson learned from Miles, the coaches and the books that you can only focus on what’s next and that it takes 100 percent of focus to make sure things go right.
“Going into the tank can’t be done to be as a leader,” Peterson said.
Peterson is again trying to lead by example. He’s gained 20 pounds in the offseason and is up to 225 pounds so that he can better withstand the rigors of the game. Last year, he was down to around 200 pounds at season’s end.
With Peterson in front, this season’s team has a different feel. Like last year, the freshmen are listening and putting in maximum effort in the film room, weight room and classroom. Groups of players are mingling and enjoying each other’s company while playing paint ball, organized by Ronnie Bell, or other activities.
Peterson’s goal is a win. He is tired of losing.
“Pretty much any win would be great right now,” Peterson said, before finishing his thought like a leader thinking of others:
“A home win would be great for our fan base.”
About the Author
