When Davontae Bronson was in eighth grade, Amanda Elzy head football coach Morris Bush couldn’t help but notice the size of Bronson for his age.
When classes got out and students were making their way to the buses, Bush saw the football prospect towering over fellow students and knew he just had to get him onto the field.
“When I saw him, I thought, ‘Man, that’s a big kid to be in eighth grade,’” Bush said.
Bronson, a sophomore defensive end at Elzy, started playing football in the seventh grade but didn’t become a starter until this year — and he has worked hard for it.
“In seventh grade, I found out I really liked playing football, so I started playing harder,” he said. “Once I got into ninth grade, I wasn’t starting, so I started going even harder, and now in 10th grade, I get to start.”
Bush said Bronson (6-2, 220) is “quiet and a little introverted,” but all of that washes away when he is on the football field.
“I get to do a lot of physical things, and it makes me happy,” Bronson said. “When I’m out there, I smile, and I enjoy doing it.”
One of Bronson’s favorite parts of playing football, specifically defensive end, is sacking the quarterback.
“When you get a sack, they lose yards, and they get farther away from scoring a touchdown,” he said. “That’s good for defense, and that’s good with me.”
Still fairly early in his football career, Bronson said he still has some things to learn. These include keeping his head up while staying low and learning new ways to get past big offensive lineman. Luckily, another player on the team who has experience at defensive end is willing to give out some secrets.
“Detrick Munford, my defensive end duo — he teaches me a lot of stuff,” said Bronson. “He taught me the ‘swim move,’ and it has been really useful.”
Bronson and Munford have been friends since seventh grade. “I’m not as good as him yet, but I will be,” Bronson said. “I’m aiming to be better than him, really.”
The swim move is a technique commonly used by defensive lineman to get past offensive lineman. One of Bronson’s favorite players, Super Bowl-winning Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald, uses the move to great effect.
Bronson also draws inspiration from current Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Bud Dupree. In fact, Dupree is the reason Bronson wears number 48.
Bush said it’s great to have two defensive ends who work together and learn from one another.
“It’s priceless,” he said. “Munford hasn’t fully reached his peak potential yet, but any time you have a guy that is playing at a high level and he’s able to go back and pull up another guy that plays the same position as him, you love situations like that.”
Bronson has been solid in his role this year. In Elzy’s 38-0 win over M.S. Palmer two weeks ago, he picked up two solo tackles, three assists and one sack.
Bronson said he plans to continue playing football and learning new skills. He has enjoyed this season and thinks his team, now 5-3 overall, can finish strong.
“This season has been bumpy, then exciting, then amazing,” Bronson said. “We started to step up and finally win some games, and that makes me happy.
“I’m positive that we can win the rest of the year and become even better,” he added enthusiastically.
-Contact Jared Conerly at 662-581-7237 or jconerly@gwcommonwealth.com.
