Lonestar
12-20-2009, 12:44 PM
:
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/20/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Some say you've got to be a little crazy to love playing special teams.
You've also got to be crazy fast.
Luckily for Broncos rookie David Bruton, he's a little of both.
Bruton, one of the Broncos' two fourth-round draft picks last April, has emerged as a special-teams standout as one of the team's gunners — the players asked to run downfield on punt and kick coverage to have the first chance to make the tackle. He's made eight special-teams stops this season.
Because of injuries to safeties Renaldo Hill and Darcel McBath, Bruton has a good chance to play on defense today against the Raiders.
Bruton, who graduated from Notre Dame last spring with a double major in political science and sociology, was raised in Miamisburg, Ohio, where his parents and his 4-year-old son, Jaden, still live.
Q: I've heard you say before you think you might be the fastest player on the team. Where did you get your speed?
A: I'm a track guy. Track's in my blood. In high school, I ran the 400, the 200, the hurdles. I ran four events at the state meet and almost died. At the combine, I ran a 4.4.
Q: What do you mean it is "in your blood"?
A: My cousin is (Olympic sprinter) Tyson Gay. We're related through the Bruton family in Kentucky. He's my third cousin. I used to see him at family reunions and stuff when I was younger. I'm not sure if he goes anymore because I haven't been to any. I want to be hooked up with his trainer, so when football's over I still have a chance.
Q: Did you try to run track in college?
A: Coach (Charlie) Weis wouldn't let that happen. But we tried hard my freshman and sophomore years.
Q: How does that speed translate to football, especially special teams?
A: It's a chance to open up and run full speed. Its 22 crazy guys, just going down full speed, trying to make a play. It's a one-play series, and it's very competitive for that one play. Holding a good returner to no yards and helping the defense, it's momentum, and hopefully it can translate into points someway, somehow.
Q: What was your childhood like in Miamisburg?
A: I had both parents at home, both were very active part of my life. Just school, sports, just trying to be active and stay out of trouble. My mom worked for GM. My dad was a truck driver.
Q: So that meant he was gone a lot? A: Especially when we were younger, he was hardly home. That was tough, but all in all we understood that he did that to provide a roof over our head. It's kind of similar to what I'm going through now because I'm not around my son. But I know that me going to school, getting an education, and now me being here, it will provide a better opportunity for him.
Q: Tell me more about your son, how old is he?
A: He turned 4 on Nov. 9. He came up to South Bend quite a bit when I was there. I would keep him for a week at a time because it was only four hours away. It's tough now, though. He was out here for Thanksgiving, but I won't be able to spend Christmas with him.
Q: Without your family here, how do you keep yourself busy away from football?
A: My dog, a Siberian husky. I've had him for three weeks. He's 11 weeks old now. I named him Ni'cko. I found it online, and it means "guardian of children." I have no idea what language, I just found a list of dog names, and I saw that and I liked it. It was between that and Cato or Demon, cause he's got the black around his eyes. So now it's pretty much just puppy and video games.
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
About Bruton
Position: Safety
Height: 6-feet-2
Weight: 211 pounds
Year: Rookie
College: Notre Dame
Hometown: Miamisburg, Ohio
Season stats: Bruton has played in 11 games, primarily on special teams, and has eight special- teams tackles.
College stats: Played in 48 games with 24 starts for Notre Dame. He made seven interceptions, forced three fumbles and recovered three fumbles in his final two seasons.
I saw him chase down a couple of runners this year and thought that this guy is fast..
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/20/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Some say you've got to be a little crazy to love playing special teams.
You've also got to be crazy fast.
Luckily for Broncos rookie David Bruton, he's a little of both.
Bruton, one of the Broncos' two fourth-round draft picks last April, has emerged as a special-teams standout as one of the team's gunners — the players asked to run downfield on punt and kick coverage to have the first chance to make the tackle. He's made eight special-teams stops this season.
Because of injuries to safeties Renaldo Hill and Darcel McBath, Bruton has a good chance to play on defense today against the Raiders.
Bruton, who graduated from Notre Dame last spring with a double major in political science and sociology, was raised in Miamisburg, Ohio, where his parents and his 4-year-old son, Jaden, still live.
Q: I've heard you say before you think you might be the fastest player on the team. Where did you get your speed?
A: I'm a track guy. Track's in my blood. In high school, I ran the 400, the 200, the hurdles. I ran four events at the state meet and almost died. At the combine, I ran a 4.4.
Q: What do you mean it is "in your blood"?
A: My cousin is (Olympic sprinter) Tyson Gay. We're related through the Bruton family in Kentucky. He's my third cousin. I used to see him at family reunions and stuff when I was younger. I'm not sure if he goes anymore because I haven't been to any. I want to be hooked up with his trainer, so when football's over I still have a chance.
Q: Did you try to run track in college?
A: Coach (Charlie) Weis wouldn't let that happen. But we tried hard my freshman and sophomore years.
Q: How does that speed translate to football, especially special teams?
A: It's a chance to open up and run full speed. Its 22 crazy guys, just going down full speed, trying to make a play. It's a one-play series, and it's very competitive for that one play. Holding a good returner to no yards and helping the defense, it's momentum, and hopefully it can translate into points someway, somehow.
Q: What was your childhood like in Miamisburg?
A: I had both parents at home, both were very active part of my life. Just school, sports, just trying to be active and stay out of trouble. My mom worked for GM. My dad was a truck driver.
Q: So that meant he was gone a lot? A: Especially when we were younger, he was hardly home. That was tough, but all in all we understood that he did that to provide a roof over our head. It's kind of similar to what I'm going through now because I'm not around my son. But I know that me going to school, getting an education, and now me being here, it will provide a better opportunity for him.
Q: Tell me more about your son, how old is he?
A: He turned 4 on Nov. 9. He came up to South Bend quite a bit when I was there. I would keep him for a week at a time because it was only four hours away. It's tough now, though. He was out here for Thanksgiving, but I won't be able to spend Christmas with him.
Q: Without your family here, how do you keep yourself busy away from football?
A: My dog, a Siberian husky. I've had him for three weeks. He's 11 weeks old now. I named him Ni'cko. I found it online, and it means "guardian of children." I have no idea what language, I just found a list of dog names, and I saw that and I liked it. It was between that and Cato or Demon, cause he's got the black around his eyes. So now it's pretty much just puppy and video games.
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
About Bruton
Position: Safety
Height: 6-feet-2
Weight: 211 pounds
Year: Rookie
College: Notre Dame
Hometown: Miamisburg, Ohio
Season stats: Bruton has played in 11 games, primarily on special teams, and has eight special- teams tackles.
College stats: Played in 48 games with 24 starts for Notre Dame. He made seven interceptions, forced three fumbles and recovered three fumbles in his final two seasons.
I saw him chase down a couple of runners this year and thought that this guy is fast..