Trey Tutt is not a guy who gets riled up too easily.

Unless he’s playing football, that is.

Tutt, a junior left tackle/nose guard at Southridge, is eager to help the Suns make an impact in the new Mid-Columbia Conference.

Last year, Tutt started on defense and came in on offense as a reserve.

When Dylan Maurer injured his hamstring early in the season, Sam Barnes moved to center and Tutt took over at left guard. In 2012, Tutt will be a two-way starter and one of the veterans on the line.

“This season, I’m trying to be more aggressive and get more energy on the field when I go,” Tutt said.

That’s music to the ears of Southridge head coach Tony Reiboldt.

“It takes a lot to light his fuse,” Reiboldt said. “Coach (Jason) Woods, our D-line coach, is always trying different things to get him fired up and does a good job with Trey and also the rest of our D-linemen. (Trey) is really soft-spoken, but when the whistle blows, he is all business.”

At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, Tutt appears to be an immovable force, but Reiboldt said it was a struggle last year to keep him on his feet.

“It was kind of a joke his coaches would have with him is he spent a lot of time on the turf,” Reiboldt said. “His acceleration and his get-off on the ball has always been there, but his overall body strength just couldn’t support that frame.”

Tutt, a former running back who entered high school 60 pounds lighter, has spent a lot of time in the weight room this offseason.

“With his development strengthwise, he’s become a much better football player, not just on the snap of the ball, but all the way from sideline to sideline,” Reiboldt said.

Tutt also is becoming more well rounded off the field.

Not only does he play basketball and compete in the shot put for Southridge, but he also joined the leadership program at school this summer.

“My teacher wanted me to, so I said I’ll do it,” Tutt said. “She wanted more football players in leadership, more guys.”

Tutt doesn't mind going with the flow, even when he's getting a little bit of ribbing in practice.

His positive attitude has earned him the admiration of his coaches and teammates.

“I definitely wouldn’t be the running back I am without him,” junior Kaden Diaz said. “He’s definitely a big asset to the team. He’s just a big teddy bear, but on the football field, he’s an animal.”

Diaz, who also plays at outside linebacker, says his friend always tells teammates to think about the next play if they make a mistake.

“The kids look up to him, not just because of his physical stature. They look up to him because of the type of person he is, the things he stands for, the character he has within him,” Reiboldt said. “He’s just one of those kids that is about doing the right thing, and that’s what we try to develop in all our kids, but specifically in our leaders.”