Spencer's leadership invaluable for Eagles

Sep. 2—ZIONSVILLE — Luke Spencer isn't built like your stereotypical offensive linemen.

In fact at a listed 6-feet, 211 pounds, the Zionsville starting center is one of the smallest offensive lineman on the Eagles' roster.

But while he may not have the size, Spencer has picked up more than a few tricks over the years to be a key piece of the Eagles' roster and one of their leaders.

"I'm undersized, but I use what I can," Spencer said this week. "I know my strengths and what I'm going up against. I will be going up against some 300-pound kids, but I know my speed and I know my strength; I know the steps I need to use to get in the right positions. The big thing I have is the trust I have with the guys next to me. I trust them, and they trust me. All the coaches I've had, coach (Jim) Uland, coach Kraig Roederer, coach (Dylan) Gandy, they have all helped me be the best I can."

Spencer first started playing center in fourth grade.

Early on, he admitted, he wasn't overly thrilled with it and just wanted to "run the ball."

But the more he watched some of the older high school players play, and then once he got to high school himself, he knew it was the place he was supposed to be.

"I came to some games growing up, and saw (former Eagles) Bennett Clark, Bryce Vasvari and seeing them work was awesome," Spencer said. "When I got here in high school, seeing the pride we all had together was special. It's a brotherhood. Coach Uland always tells us we are a family within a family. And that family has kept me going."

Things haven't always been easy for Spencer, especially on the injury front.

Last year, he played with a torn labrum in his right hip, and rehabbed that in the off-season. This year, he is going through a similar issue in his left hip, and gets to practice early each day to ice and get in some extra stretching so he can be out there with his team.

"I don't want to be out here and take any days off because that could mess up the whole team," Spencer said. "I'm just out there doing what I can before practice to do what I can for them. The hard work I put in over the summer, just to get back on this field is great. I'm so happy just to get to play with the brothers next to me. So I'm pushing through that but I want to be here for the team. No person is bigger than the other, we're a team."

Zionsville head coach Scott Turnquist said Spencer's teammates see what he does to get on the field for them, and that serves as motivation throughout the program.

"He is willing to fight through discomfort and do whatever he can to be on the field with his teammates," Turnquist said. "That's invaluable to a program. Other guys see that and want to emulate that. When they see what he is willing to go through for them and the team, they are going to fight right back as hard as him."

It is just one of the traits that makes Spencer one of the big leaders on the Eagles.

With a bulk of their offense lost to graduation, Spencer has been one of the leaders of the group and is like another coach on the field.

Even in practices, when he is not in on a rep, he is near the coaches helping out the players that are working.

"Being the starter last year, I learned a lot from that, especially from my peers around me," Spencer said. "I'm taking things that Joey Tanona had last year with the leadership to help bring these guys up and coach them any chance I have. Just to make sure they get the right steps or roles right. I take that very seriously and I want us to be the best we can."

Spencer learned a lot from some of the Eagle greats before him.

His freshman year, Gus Hartwig was the center and then his sophomore year, it was Joey Tanona. Both players went on to become high school All-Americans.

Spencer said he learned a lot from watching and playing with those players, and it helped him be a better player.

His head coach agrees.

"He saw the way that those guys carried themselves more than anything," Turnquist said. "His stature and the type of player he is is different than those guys, but he was able to take the things he could, and translate that into his game. He's always been technically sound, and very assignment aware. He took those things from Gus and Joey, and that's the most important thing. He has to play that way, because he is undersized a little bit, but he doesn't let that bother him and he goes in expecting to be successful every game."

That leadership has helped the Eagles to a 2-0 record, and more importantly a big improvement from Week 1 to Week 2.

After turning it over four times and giving up 10 sacks in Week 1, the Eagles turned it over just once and didn't allow a sack in Week 2.

They also rushed for twice as many yards.

Spencer said that as a linemen he takes responsibility for the Week 1 struggles and said when things don't go well, it's "on them."

But while they can't go back and change that, they can learn from it, which is what the Eagles are doing with the help of his leadership.

"He's been huge," Turnquist said. "Having a guy like him who went through it last year, and learned a lot. He was able to help the other guys and impart that knowledge to them. It helps those guys develop faster and play faster, having a guy like that that can be a coach on the field and direct things out there. He has done a fantastic job."

Spencer said that the goal is to keep on improving into Friday's Week 3 game against Westfield.

"We lost a lot last year, but we didn't let that effect anything," Spencer said. "We are communicating better. Our first game wasn't too good, but we bounced back for Lebanon. We are just building on that.

"We haven't beaten Westfield for a while, and that's one of our goals. It would take a huge step in the right direction and we will do what we can."

There is still a lot of season left this year, but Spencer knows his days of donning the Zionsville green and silver are numbered.

So while he still has the opportunity to represent his team and community, he wants to leave and legacy that future Eagles can look at and aim for.

"I'm not going to be known as this huge guy that came through and was ballin' and pancaking every kid," Spencer said. "But I want to do all the little things to be successful and show the trust I have with these guys. It's a brotherhood here are Zionsville and the team is bigger than just yourself. That's how I want to be remembered."

Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.