"His actions really speak on the field," said coach Charley Molnar, who described Colton's performance against the Wildcats as "absolutely outstanding."
"I think the guys, whatever Joe says, they listen. I listen when he talks. He just has a real command about himself on the field."
You're probably familiar with Colton's inspirational story by now. A standout player at Westwood's Xaverian Brothers High School and Avon (Conn.) Old Farms, Colton received little attention after his senior year, due largely to his less-than-Football-Bowl-Subdivision stature (5-foot-8, 195 pounds).
Undeterred, he wound up walking on at UMass last season. And despite his perceived shortcomings, Colton appeared in 11 games (starting two), finished fifth on the team with 50 tackles and earned himself a full scholarship in the process.
He was the quintessential "Made in Massachusetts" player.
Joey Colton emerging as a leader on struggling UMass defense | masslive.com