Spring workouts are beneficial for a number of reasons: players moving to new positions get a crash course in their new jobs, players earn individual coaching on their playing technique, and in some cases, players sit out while recovering from injuries.

SMU freshman Randall Joyner will get plenty of the first two, but doesn’t have the luxury of the third.

Freshman Randall Joyner played in all 14 games as a freshman, mostly on special teams (photo by Travis Johnston).

Recruited to SMU as an athlete, Joyner began his SMU career working at safety. A week and a half into the Mustangs’ preseason workouts, however, he was moved to linebacker. He played mostly special teams in his first season, but enters spring workouts as Taylor Reed’s backup at the “Mike” linebacker position in the Mustangs’ defense.

Joyner acknowledged that he hadn’t played linebacker “since little league,” but says he likes the position.

“The way our defense works, the ‘Buck’ linebacker (the other inside linebacker) does the dirty work, he takes on the blockers, so the ‘Mike’ can run to the ball and make tackles,” Joyner said. “Pete Fleps didn’t get the attention he should have, because he was great playing the ‘Buck’ position. He was very important to the success of the defense. (Reed) led the team in tackles, but part of that was because Pete did such a great job at the ‘Buck.’”

Coaches have said Joyner’s future at linebacker is bright, raving about the speed and hitting power he packs into his 5-10, 223-pound frame. But before he show off his tackling prowess, he has to get healthy first.

Joyner has spent the last couple of weeks with his right hand in a soft cast after fracturing a bone in the knuckle where his index finger and middle finger meet. When asked if his ailment was the result of extraordinarily heavy lift in the weight room during the Ponies’ offseason conditioning work, or perhaps from a mishap in an offseason pickup basketball game, Joyner smiled, a little embarrassed.

“I was playing a video game,” he said. “When I got up, I threw the controlled down, and the back of my hand hit the wall.”

While his injury might not have come in the heat of on-field battle, Joyner did get some good news: the hand will not require surgery, he is continuing to lift weights with his teammates (“nothing too heavy, though,” he said) and he plans to take part in all drills with his team when the Ponies begin spring workouts April 4.

“I’ll be ready to go,” Joyner said. “I’ve got a lot to learn. It’s good to know the ‘Mike’ and ‘Buck’ positions, to be a more complete linebacker. I played a lot of special teams last year. I started on the kickoff team, but then I got on kickoff return and punt return, too.

“It’s the same thing on defense. I’m backing up T-Reed, but I want to learn both spots. The more I learn about how the defense is designed and get used to playing closer to the line (of scrimmage), the better I’ll be.”