UT’s Ja’Wuan JamesKNOXVILLE – Though he’s a 6-foot-6, 323-pound offensive tackle, Ja’Wuan James exudes an unassuming personality.
With different moments from his Tennessee career in mind, the Volunteers’ senior has his eye on becoming a leader in his unit’s meeting room, the huddle with the other 10 offensive players and for his entire team.
Some of his closest teammates will tell you James is anything but quiet, yet for the Vols’ right tackle, it’s simply about speaking up more consistently.
“[It’s] probably talking a lot more,” he said after one spring practice last month. “I’ve never really been one to talk and yell out and correct somebody and stuff like that in the meeting room or whatever, but I feel like that’s where I’ve stepped up a lot. I feel like [it’s] talking, letting people know when they’ve messed up, letting people know they need to pick it up and letting people know when they did a good job as well.
“It’s different. When I was younger, I was playing and trying to listen to the guys, and right now I feel like I’m supposed to be that guy talking for somebody to listen to. I just want to be a leader, and if anybody needs something, I want them to be able to come to me with any questions.”