University of Tennessee Athletics
Instincts sense good year for Peace, Vols' defense
September 24, 2003 | Football
Sept. 24, 2003
Robert Peace calls it instinct -- the ability to know which way a play is going before it starts.
Patrolling the heart of Tennessee's rapidly developing defense, the senior middle linebacker must anticipate what's coming next: run or pass, left or right, inside or outside. According to assistant coach John Chavis, the Vols' defensive wizard, Peace's forecasting abilities would make a weatherman jealous.
"He's got a tremendous nose for the football and making plays," said Chavis.
Whether that ability is inborn or developed over time, it likely can be traced to Peace's father, John Peace, a football coaching veteran who served as head coach at Louisiana Tech University from 1990-95.
"I think in some ways it does, just from being around the game my whole life and being around his players," Robert said. "I grew up around it."
Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer saw early evidence of the linebacker's advanced football education when the elder Peace brought his Louisiana Tech club to Knoxville for a game with the Vols in 1993.
"Robert must have been in the eighth grade or so when his dad and I played against each other, and he brought Robert by to visit," Fulmer said. "You could just tell, he was asking questions that weren't typical eighth-grade questions. He's a bright guy."
Diligent study is paying off for Peace. He earned his bachelor's degree in business in less than four years. And he's helping lead a rebuilt Tennessee defensive unit that leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing defense, surrendering just 53.3 yards per game. Peace has 20 tackles in three games, including a game-high 10 stops in a 34-24 triumph over Marshall Sept. 6.
"I think my instincts are working really well right now as far as being able to tell what's coming," Peace said. "I think that also comes with playing more. The more experienced you get, the better your instincts are in a game. I've also studied a lot of films and that helps a lot in knowing in certain situations what a team will be doing."
Peace's father is now a real estate agent in Ruston, La. He's put away his whistle, but as far as Robert is concerned, he hasn't stopped coaching.
"We talk every day," Robert said. "I'd say half the conversation is a typical Dad conversation and the other half is a football coach conversation. He's definitely still in the game and still sharp on the Xs and Os, so it's always good to talk to him because he can give you some tips."
Peace said that even from long distance, it's good to hear from his personal coach, particularly following a workout sprinkled with missed tackles or blown assignments. "He knows everybody has a bad practice and he knows, as a coach, how to get you back up and get you going again," Robert said. "He's been a lot of help. Through my career I've had some ups and downs going through some injuries and all that. He's always been there for me and has always been able to pick me back up."
The highs have outnumbered the lows in the current campaign. Peace missed most of last season with a broken ankle, then sat out spring practice following reconstructive left shoulder surgery. But when the Vols took the field against Fresno State Aug. 30, Peace was in the starting lineup, a spot he's not relinquished.
"I love Robert and the way he goes about his business," Fulmer said. "Academically, he's done a great job. And as a football player, he's a tough guy who plays in the middle and runs the show."
Larry Happel
