Steven Smigelsky doesn’t want this summer to go quickly. But he does want to get quicker this summer.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga linebacker is trying to lose some weight in the football team’s summer workout program, which began Monday under the direction of Scott Brincks, UTC’s strength and conditioning coach.

“I talked to Coach Brincks before the summer, and he wanted me to lose some body fat and work on my hips and get a little more speed and agility,” Smigelsky said. “My strength’s always been there; it’s just the speed.”

The need for more speed comes in part due to a position change in the Mocs’ new 4-3 defense. Smigelsky backed up Chris Johnson at inside strongside linebacker last season, but in the defense installed by new coordinator Dick Hopkins, the pre-med junior from Gainesville, Ga., will be backing up Joseph Thornton on the outside.

Smigelsky, who had 14 tackles last season, including two for loss, said the position change was difficult to master during spring practice.

“I struggled and looked like I didn’t know what I was doing, but it’s just a learning scale,” he said. “I really like my new position; I think it’s a good spot for me.”

A leaner, quicker Smigelsky will make the adjustment even easier, which is why this summer’s workouts are so important. However, Smigelsky has to have a special, atypical workout plan because of a degenerative back condition known as spondylolysis.

Spondylolysis is typically caused by a stress fracture of the bone and is not uncommon among football players and weightlifters. Because of it, Smigelsky isn’t able to do certain exercises that are staples of a lifting program.

“He is not allowed to fully squat or power cling, so he is on a totally different kind of program,” Brincks said. “Anything that doesn’t load the spine (he can do).”

Brincks said Smigelsky has already dropped about 10 pounds from his playing weight of 227 last season, due in large part to a major change in his diet.

“He’s eating the same amount of food. He’s just changing the type of food that he’s eating and really working on his lean body mass,” Brincks said. “Speedwise he’s not where he used to be. With not being able to squat and do some (other) things, he’s losing a little of his leg power, but we’re trying to change that.”

Smigelsky said his condition won’t keep him from getting to where he needs to be physically by the end of the summer.

“It’s more of a psychological thing than anything,” he said, “because I want to be able to do squats and clings, but Coach Brincks has got me on a good plan to do substitutes for it. He’s got a bunch of things in store for me, and it’s going to be exciting.”

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