Rib Eating Contest Sprung Butler's Move to Defensive Line
Senior defensive lineman Adam Butler is only guaranteed two more games in his career at Vanderbilt. Butler reflected, Tuesday, on the event that saw him switch from the offensive line to defense. A rib eating contest. Butler was asked about the reason why he switched sides of the ball and he took us back through […]
Senior defensive lineman Adam Butler is only guaranteed two more games in his career at Vanderbilt. Butler reflected, Tuesday, on the event that saw him switch from the offensive line to defense.
A rib eating contest.
Butler was asked about the reason why he switched sides of the ball and he took us back through a hilarious story leading up to the BBVA Compass Bowl in January of 2014.
"I don’t wanna say there was an altercation, but there was a rib eating contest. Coach (Bob) Shoop was watching," Butler recalled of the former Vandy defensive coordinator.
"For some reason the judge voted that we lost the rib eating contest, and I stood up and argued with the judge and said that that was false. They were counting the bones, but (the other team) had ribs on their plate without a bone in it. Which means they just took the bone out of the rib and threw it in the tub. I said “no, you’re not about to count that rib” and I fought against it."
Leaving the media waiting on the punch line and reason he actually switched positions, Butler delivered.
"Coach Shoop loved that and he wanted to add that kind of attitude to the defense, or at least that’s what he told me," he said as laughter came from the media.
There is a moral to this story. It's that Adam Butler will do what ever is best for the team. He said James Franklin asked him if he wanted to move to the defensive line from the offensive line and Butler went were the team needed him: to defense.
As his Vanderbilt career winds down, Butler is still focused on his team. The ultimate goal for this senior class is to get back to a bowl game. Vandy would need to win both of their final games, against Ole Miss and Tennessee, to guarantee that.
"I think I have a lot of passion for the game. That passion in the rib eating contest, I know that’s weird to talk about, but that’s a good parallel to my attitude. I don’t take no for an answer and I always fight for my teammates."
Oh, and how many ribs did Butler put down during the contest?
"I think the challenge was a 60-second challenge… and if I remember correctly, I ate 23."
Anchor Down.
WATCH: Butler's rib eating contest story:
Whenever his football playing days come to an end, Butler might have a future in story telling. Watch his rib eating contest story at the 3:38 minute mark and again at the 8:00 mark.
