Nashville, TENN-- "Football, football, football."

As Vanderbilt safety Marlen Sewell made the three hour trek back home to Birmingham, Alabama, for his Christmas break in 2022 that's what his time was defined by. Sewell was known as a football player, his life was filled with football and another dose of football.

Sewell's journey back to Nashville after his sophomore season came with a different feel and a new passion, though.

The Vanderbilt safety spent his time away from football, his teammates and Vanderbilt studying. The two-time SEC fall honor roll student was used to that, but not in this way.

This type of studying wasn't going to help Sewell get on the honor roll or on the field. The Birmingham native sat on YouTube and watched haircuts.

"It’s something I watch videos on every day," Sewell said. "It’s just like watching film, I watch haircut videos."

Those videos allowed Sewell to take a glimpse into what he believes could be a focal part of his future and to develop a craft.

"It’s something I want to do down the road," Sewell said of cutting hair. "I want to have my own barbershop after college as well as playing football so it’s just something I could see myself having a career in.”

A life in the barbershop doesn't appear as just a career for Sewell, not if you see his face light up when he's asked about it.

The senior safety loves this, he loves all of it. He loves getting better at it, he loves the future it could create, he loves the people it connects him with.

"I appreciate what it’s given me other than just doing it for fun," Sewell said. "Sometimes even going back home I’ll cut some guys hair, build relationships with people I don’t really talk to and like even on the team it helps me build relationships talking to guys as I cut their hair, learning their story and learning who they are."

In a similar way to Sewell, Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea also lights up when he refers to what his veteran safety has built for himself.

"He’s really good, He’s talented," Lea said. I think it’s really cool that he becomes the team barber and that we don’t have to go outside the building to bring someone in, we have someone here who can do it."

Over half of Vanderbilt's roster has been "sliced by Lo," which Lea feels is a testament not only to Sewell's ability to cut but also his ability to connect.

"They love him. There’s a line [to sign up for a haircut]," Lea said. "Marlo is such a contagious spirit and energy and a positive light for us in our program and when you think about your players you think of what their long-term success looks like you always want to channel that through an NFL experience but the idea that he would build a community around a barbershop and become a successful entrepreneur that way, I can see it probably as clearly as he can."

Sewell feels as if he's been embraced for what he's learned to do by Lea as well as others around Vanderbilt's program.

That embrace has come in the form of a barber chair that's been featured in the Vanderbilt locker room, good words put in and recognition throughout McGugin Center.

"They’re real supportive," Sewell said. “Coaches, man they put me on the team room, they put me on the board. Coach Lemanski [Hall] got me to meet with some barbers down in Tennessee, around Nashville so a lot of the coaches have been helping out and getting me in contact with some great guys. Some of my teammates are telling people on campus that I’m the barber."

"I’ve gotten him connected with some guys I know in the business world," Lea added. "We’ve gotten him connected with other barbers just to talk and to grow his understanding of what awaits him when he’s finished and we want to help that guy in every way we can."

The hope for Sewell is that those connections continue to develop and pay dividends.

That's because the Alabama native wants to continue to be there for the guys that have invested in him.

"I’m gonna always be for these guys," Sewell said. “My vision just like I talked to some of the coaches, some of these guys, down the road wherever they end up at like ‘let me be y’all team barber, you can always call on me, I’ll be your team barber, I’ll come travel cut your guys' hair.’"

Sewell has found his outlet, he's changed what he's defined by to some and he's pushed himself through what started as a hobby but has turned into more.

“It opened my eyes to doing things I never thought I’d do."