BANGOR – Tyler Libbey enjoys nothing more than throwing his weight around on the football field.

At 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, that can be a relatively easy chore for the Lincoln native, who is a fourth-year starter this season at Husson College.

While Libbey’s beard and shoulder-length hair give him an even more menacing appearance, the former Mattanawcook Academy standout is adept at utilizing his considerable physical attributes in a more soothing setting.

During the offseason, Libbey moves people around, in a gentle and compassionate fashion, as a Certified Nurses Aide.

There is more than meets the eye to Libbey, a jovial senior who will lead coach Gabby Price’s Eagles into Saturday’s 2006 season opener against Pace.

“Tyler, most of all, is an extremely kind person,” Price said. “It seems like a contradiction, being a football player, but he’s also very manly when it comes to football. He’s extremely tough.”

Libbey is completely comfortable with the stark contrast between his athletic endeavors and his vocational pursuits.

He was a two-way football star and an All-LTC performer at Mattanawcook Academy, where he earned a spot in the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic all-star game. With Husson having started a football team, and offering a nursing program, Libbey didn’t have to look far for a college that fit his needs.

“I really enjoy football, so I knew I was going to be able to get right out on the field and play the game that I love,” he said, “and the nursing part was in there, too.”

Libbey has been a consistent force at defensive tackle. In 23 games over three seasons, he has registered 106 tackles, including 16 resulting in negative yardage, with six quarterback sacks and four fumble recoveries.

“It’s a great position to play because it’s a war,” he said. “You’re against one guy. The offensive and defensive line, that’s where you win the games.”

Despite the uphill climb the Eagles have experienced, Libbey has helped set a positive tone.

“He’s been a rock,” Price said. “We’ve had our ups and downs starting a new program, but Tyler realizes there’s no magic pill to success and he has shown up every day. Not once in four years have we had to talk to Tyler about effort.”

Libbey’s strength and tenacity make him a handful for opponents. Price believes Libbey possesses Division I tools.

“Tyler’s as good as anybody we’ll play against,” Price said. “He could play at a higher level.”

When Libbey takes off the helmet and pads in November, he’ll focus on completing his nursing studies and starting a career in healthcare. He is keeping the door open to the possibility of becoming a doctor.

“Ever since I was little, it was just a passion of mine to take care of people,” Libbey said. “I’ve got two aunts and a cousin that are in nursing right now and my grandmother was a nurse, too.”

For the last year and a half, Libbey has worked part time as a CNA at Westgate Manor in Bangor.

“He’s a kind spirit,” said Brenda Cough, the assistant director of nurses at the facility which specializes in caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Libbey’s size and strength, along with his compassion, make him a valuable asset at Westgate.

“I don’t know how much he weighs, but he’s certainly a lot stronger than some of our little 100-pound CNAs,” Cough said. “A lot of these folks need lifting up in bed, they need positioning, they need transfers out of bed. When you’ve got somebody that’s as strong as Tyler, it takes the load off a lot.”

Libbey finds the work tremendously rewarding. He also provides hands-on care such as bathing, feeding and dressing patients, and he also takes vital signs, all under the supervision of a licensed nurse.

“It’s hard stuff,” Libbey said of the psychological aspect.

“It’s [Westgate] a good place,” Libbey said. “Hopefully some day they’ll get a cure for [Alzheimer’s], because that is a terrible [disease].”

Libbey has three semesters of school left, then hopes to start out as a cardiac nurse. He did clinical work in that area last semester at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

“He does a tremendous job putting everything into perspective,” Price said. “The characteristics and intrinsic values that Tyler possesses are everything you’d want in a student-athlete.”

In the meantime, Libbey hopes to spark the Eagles to their best season yet and end his career on a positive note.

“We’ve got a very difficult schedule and everybody’s excited for it,” Libbey said. I think it’s going to be really good for the program. We’ve come leaps and bounds since the first year.”