By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com

When Washington coach Chris Petersen asked his players to read “The Energy Bus,” Danny Shelton wasn't quite sure what to think of the assignment.

After three successful seasons, the defensive lineman thought he had things figured out, at least when it came to football.

The more he read, though, the more he realized what he could accomplish if he added the right energy to his combination of size and strength.

“I loved the book,” Shelton said. “It was great. As a senior, you don't really think there's more to do. After reading the book, I feel I have so much more to give to this team.

“This change that coach Pete has brought in, I really feel like my level of play is almost where it needs to be. I'm really thankful for what coach Pete and his staff are doing.”

Shelton said the book pushes people to bring positive energy every day.

“It's the people who can rally up and continue to bring that consistent, positive energy who will lead the team,” he said. “That's been my main emphasis this whole camp, trying to change from the player I was to the player I can be. Hopefully, if I make it to the league, I can continue with this positive energy.”

In the past, Shelton was focused on simply getting his job done. He wants to get more out of his senior season.

“Now it's doing my job, exceeding what I'm doing and bringing the other guys around me up with my positive energy,” Shelton said.

While Shelton believes he has unlocked a secret that will fuel his success, he believes he can continue to get better as he tries to “dig out what I need to learn” from camp.

Shelton never expected to find inspiration in a book, but Petersen showed him that, if you look in the right place, a few turns of the page are capable of sparking life-changing inspiration.