Loyd Star’s Adam Speeg simply loves football.

Loyd Star’s Adam Speeg simply loves football. Speeg has beenplaying at Loyd Star through his junior year.

Speeg, an inside linebacker, said that he always wanted to seehis name in the Daily Leader . He read about the Players of theWeek during previous football seasons and said he always wanted tosee his name there.

Monday afternoon at the Loyd Star field house, Speeg received apleasant surprise when he was informed that he was selected as theDailey Leader’s first Defensive Player of the Week for the year2000 and the new millennium.

Against Franklin County in last Friday’s season opener,Speeg led the Hornet defense with 15 tackles on their way to 15-13comeback victory over the visiting Bulldogs.

“I’m surprised,” said Speeg. “It makes me feel good. I’vewanted to be in the paper.”

Speeg, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs a solid 210 pounds,runs a 40-yard dash in 4.7 and bench presses 280 pounds.

“He (Speeg) is a very good person,” said Loyd Star headcoach Anthony Hart. He is doing a fine job. His strong point as aplayer is his strength.”

On Coach Hart, Speeg said, “He has helped me a lot; not onlyin football. He’ll tell you what you’re doing wrong and correctit.”

Speeg looked back at the season opener against FranklinCounty. “We were not playing as a team in the first half. At theend of the game, it started clicking.”

“We had been working on a new offense,” said Speeg. He playsfullback on offense.

Although he was the leading tackler for Loyd Star, Speegwasn’t satisfied with his contribution.

“I thought I cold have done better,” stated Speeg.

This week, Loyd Star is home again. The Hornets will hostthe Salem Wildcats at William E. “Sambo” Smith Field.

“We have to play as a team,” Speed explained, in order tobeat Salem. “We don’t have any superstars. We have to play as ateam.”

After high school, Speeg said he would like toplay at thecollege level. “I would like to play football,definitely.”

Speeg also played for Hart in baseball. Last season, Speegplayed catcher and batted .387, hitting 5 home runs.

Speeg’s favorite college football team is the Purple andGold Tigers of Louisiana State University.

In the professional football ranks, his favorite team is theJacksonville Jaguars.

In Speeg’s spare time, he likes to fish and hunt.

Speeg has been a member of the FCA (Fellowship of ChristianAthletes) since the 7th grade. “Coach (Roe) Burns and Coach Hartencouraged us to go to church.”

He is currently attending church at Philadelphia and Mt.Zion.

Speeg said he wanted to share his Player of the Week honorswith his teammates.

“I couldn’t have done it without my team,” said Speeg. “Theyall should have been players of the week. We’ll play more as a teamon offense and defense.”