Vanderbilt DL Adam Butler owes position change to a rib-eating contest

Vanderbilt fans can thank a rib-eating contest for Adam Butler’s switch from offensive line to defensive line.

In speaking with the media on Tuesday, Butler, a standout high school offensive lineman, recounted a story about a rib-eating contest prior to the 2012 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. Butler was finishing his freshman season redshirting as a backup at center and guard, but was showing his prowess as an All-American eater against North Carolina State.

And he wasn’t about to lose to cheaters.

The story goes a little something like this:

“For some reason, the judge voted that we lost the rib-eating contest, and I stood up and argued with the judge,” Butler said. “(The judges) were counting the bones. But (North Carolina State players) had ribs on their plate that didn’t have a bone in it, which means they just took the bones out of the ribs and threw them in the tub.”

Butler ate 23 ribs in 60 seconds and was still lucid enough to fight for his win. That caught the attention of then-defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, who liked what he saw out of the young freshman.

“I fought against it (in the rib-eating loss),” Butler said. “Coach Shoop loved that, and he wanted to add that kind of attitude to his defense — or at least that’s what he told me.”

That spring, Butler moved to defense where he has played 46 games and made 33 starts during his career. The season, Butler, now a redshirt senior, has started 10 games this season and is second on the team with 5.5 tackles for loss.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday