It was the first practice of the season for the Pittsburgh Colts, when a fullback and several offensive linemen approached head coach Ed Brosky with puzzled looks.

The group had just seen a stocky, muscular linebacker blow through their blocking scheme with ease to make a tackle, and they eagerly wanted to know who the unfamiliar face was.

"The first thing they said was, 'He's strong, coach,'" Brosky said.

The player in question was Greg Eberhart, a Northgate High School and Geneva College graduate, who simply exudes the words "football player." Tough, knowledgeable and instinctive, Eberhart starts at linebacker for the Colts, and has quickly become one of the team's best overall defensive players in just his first season.

"Greg has a throwback attitude, a lunch-pail attitude. From my standpoint, I love having guys like him around," Brosky said.

Eberhart plays on the weak side of the Colts' defensive alignment where he is flanked by a pair of fellow Western Pennsylvania players in Wade Brown (Duquesne) and Kwame Shelton (Oliver). After playing in what was mainly a 3-5 alignment at Geneva, Eberhart has had to transition to 3-4 and 4-3 defenses with the Colts, but he said the transition has been seamless.

"It's not the same, but it's not really anything brand new, either," said Eberhart. "I didn't take me very long to feel comfortable."

That comfort level has translated into instant success on the field. Eberhart is one of those players who seem to always be around the ball. Whether he's coming up in run support or dropping back in pass coverage, Eberhart makes plays.

His intelligence has allowed Brosky to implement more sophisticated schemes, as well, and it has also helped offset Eberhart's size -- 5-foot-11, 205-pounds -- which is typically viewed as being small for his position.

Said Brosky, "It's that old adage ... 'It's not the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog.'"

One thing Eberhart doesn't do is "dog it." Whether it's a game or practice, his motor is always running full steam. Brosky said that work ethic is by far Eberhart's greatest attribute, and is something his new teammates respected him for from the start.

"He doesn't miss any practices because he knows how valuable practice is, not only to him but to the team as a whole," Brosky said. "Having him, he knows what it takes to make a program successful, and he knows what he has to do to be a leader."

Becoming a leader from the start was a facet of the game Eberhart was uncertain of when he joined the Colts this summer after graduating from Geneva in May. A four-year starter with the Golden Tornadoes, Eberhart was a team captain his senior year and has a history of assuming such leadership roles. But with a new set of teammates, questions loomed.

"We have a lot of established players who have put in time, and I didn't want to step on any toes," Eberhart said. "I didn't know if I should step into a leadership position immediately, but naturally, I have it embedded inside me to be a vocal person."

His actions, though, spoke much louder than any of his words in the Colts 30-20 season-opening win against Penn-Ohio. In that game, Eberhart was outstanding, with his actions being highlighted by a pair of sacks.

"After that first game he played, he was accepted 100 percent by those other guys. They came to not only accept him, but to support him," Brosky said.

The Colts (3-1), who host New Castle at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cupples Stadium on the South Side, look to be in the midst of yet another strong season, and Eberhart appears to be one of the primary players leading the way.

"I told myself I would play the game until I was unable to play, but I'm a realist to the fact that I'm not going to be able to play until I'm 80-years-old," Eberhart said.

"It seemed like a good idea [to join the Colts] and I am happy I did it."