Without the helmet or his No. 5 jersey, many Mississippi State fans may not be able to recognize Gabe O’Neal. And they certainly wouldn’t realize he plays linebacker.Most football enthusiasts would describe the attributes of a linebacker as a fierce, intimidating presence, who takes great pleasure inflicting pain on quarterbacks and running backs alike. And most importantly, they should be big. But for the 6-foot 2, 220-pound O’Neal, that’s not the case.
Just how much of a size difference is there?
Look at how some of O’Neal’s linebacker brethren from across the Southeastern Conference size up: Luke Sanders, linebacker from LSU, 6-foot-5, 242 pounds, Georgia senior linebacker Brandon Miller, 6-foot-4, 257 pounds, and Kentucky’s Johnny Williams, 6-foot-3 240-pounds. O’Neal stands in a group of intimidating company to say the least.
However, while playing outside linebacker, O’Neal has been able to show that it’s not all about brawn. He’s been able to use his speed as well as his brain to achieve success on the field.
“I guess since I’m a little bit of a smaller-sized guy, I try to be smarter and quicker than the other guy,” O’Neal said.
O’Neal said being smaller does have its advantages and that it allows him to get to the ball carrier a lot sooner than some of the bigger linebackers can.
“For a lot of the bigger linebackers, the offensive linemen can see you coming,” O’Neal said. “But for me, if they’re coming at me, I’ll cut behind the linemen to make the tackle. A lot of bigger guys may not be able to backdoor like that.”
It’s not only at the point of attack where O’Neal puts his brains to use; it’s also before the snap.
Middle linebacker Jamar Chaney says that while it’s not his duty, O’Neal knows every defensive call.
“On the field, Gabe pretty much knows everyone else’s job,” Chaney said. “That’s a huge advantage when two people on the field know what to do. If I don’t know something, he knows and vice versa.”
O’Neal is really no stranger to cutting behind linemen.
While at Columbus High School, he rushed for more than 900 yards and scored 10 touchdowns his senior season, but when he began the recruiting process, he realized his success would come on defense.
“Yeah, at those other spots on offense, you get the fame and the glory, but as a defensive guy you stand out a little more,” O’Neal said. “Now I get to make the big hits and interceptions which aren’t always so common, so when you do it’s a big accomplishment.”
Getting the opportunity to achieve those accomplishments is something that hasn’t come so easily for O’Neal.
Since he arrived in 2004, O’Neal has dealt with a series of nagging injuries which caused him to doubt if he would ever be able to show his true skill.
First it was a left knee injury, which would eventually require surgery. The knee soon became his shoulder, although not requiring surgery, it was troublesome none the less.
“My knee bothered me for awhile,” O’Neal admitted. “It just nagged me, and then it was my shoulder. It seemed like every time I got back from an injury, I’d get another injury.”
O’Neal said he’s now healthy and is ready to continue to accomplish great things during his final season.
He’s already got one award under his belt.
O’Neal was voted SEC Defensive Player of the Week following State’s 38-17 win over Tulane.
In that game, he returned an interception and rushed 47 yards for a touchdown on Tulane’s first possession.
“That’s big,” O’Neal said of the honor. “As a senior, when you get an award like that; that’s what you play SEC ball for.”
But it’s the touchdown O’Neal says he’ll always remember.
“I had flashbacks,” he said. “Who ever thought I’d score a touchdown on defense?