His eyes light up. His hands shake. He excitedly speaks fast with an upbeat tone and an optimistic smile. He’s always very direct and knows what he’s talking about.
The Tigers’ three-year starting linebacker just reeks of passion for the game and isn’t afraid to show it.
“The one thing he’s got that you want out of kids is his passion,” said Belton coach Rodney Southern, whose team will host Bell County rival Temple at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Field. “In everything he does, he wants to be the best. We’ve had to run him out of the weight rooms at times and we’ve had to run him out of the offices when we go home because he’s always here.”
Ever since he set foot on the field as a sophomore for the 2006 season opener against Boerne, Voss has been a fixture on the Tigers’ defense, starting 28 consecutive games and registering 319 tackles.
Even while opponents design plays that go away from Voss, he’s still managed to lead the team this season with 84 tackles, including nine for loss and three sacks.
When thinking of the state of Belton football, it starts with Voss, whose leadership and knowledge, along with his passion on and off the field, have made him a key cog in the Tigers’ rebuilding process.
During his final period of school, he can be found dissecting film of the upcoming foe, a big reason why No. 44 always seems to have his head in the game.
“I try and see what everybody is doing on each play,” said Voss, the District 13-5A Newcomer of the Year in 2006. “I have to know what the defensive line stunts are. I have to know who is blitzing and what the coverage is.
“Once you get reps in practice, it’s really not that hard to manage that. I look at the (offensive) guards, read and react and go make a play.”
That ability to consistently make plays, whether it’s as an outside or middle linebacker, might help Voss realize his ultimate dream of playing major college football. So far, Baylor, Texas Christian, Kansas and other schools have expressed interest but none has made a scholarship offer.
Away from the field, Voss also understands the bigger, underlying picture of what’s happening at Belton.
After Belton went 0-10 in 2006, Southern took over the program in the hope of building the Tigers into a perennial powerhouse like the one he helped Jack Welch form at Copperas Cove before leading Marshall to a pair of Class 4A state title games.
Belton was 3-7 last season and is just 2-6 this year, but in Voss’s mind Belton is developing beyond what its record indicates.
“It’s grown in all aspects of the game and we have changed pretty drastically,” Voss said. “The game itself hasn’t changed but the things you do off the field have changed drastically - our time in the weight room, our time in the film room. We understand what it takes to win.
“Before Coach Southern got here, we were all individuals. We were all selfish. He has taught us how to come together and be a team. If we do our job every play, we’ll be successful. That’s the biggest thing.”
The results haven’t been immediate, but Voss promises they are coming.
Before the season began, he said, “This isn’t same ol’, same ol’ Belton. This year it’s different. It’s changing. I can see it.”
With all the battles he has endured during three seasons, there isn’t a player who better understands that than Voss.
Though Friday night will be his final game at Tiger Field, Voss, whose team is 5-23 in his career, will best be remembered for playing a cornerstone role in helping the Tigers try to turn around their program.
When asked where he sees the Tigers being in five years, the confident Voss didn’t hesitate to answer.
“State champions,” he said. “Coach Southern has what it takes. This team has what it takes. These coaches have what it takes. I know they can do it."
Belton fans sure hope Voss’ encouraging prophecy becomes reality.
