By Joe Scalzo
scalzo@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
In the days leading up to last Friday’s opener against Michigan State, Youngstown State receiver Christian Bryan kept reminding himself that the 11 guys on MSU’s defense, the 75,000 fans in the stands and the thousands watching on the Big Ten Network were going to look at Bryan and see a 5-foot-10 true freshman and think, “Eh.”
“All week I was preparing myself for the underdog role, that it was me against the world and everyone thinks I can’t do it and this and that,” Bryan said Tuesday. “But on the way there, I just hit this confidence that nothing was gonna stop me.
“I fully expected to step on the field and for my heart to be pounding and start shaking a little bit on that first play. It didn’t happen.”
That’s not to say things went smoothly. Take warm-ups, for example.
“I was dropping everything in pregame,” he said, smiling. “A couple coaches had to tell me to calm down.”
Bryan caught his first pass on the game’s fifth play and added five more for 45 yards, becoming YSU’s first freshman wide receiver of the FCS era to catch six passes in a game.
The Penguins played eight receivers on Friday. None played more than Bryan’s 63 snaps.
“He’s got a chance to be special,” YSU coach Eric Wolford said. “He’s come in here and done a really good job. I think he’s kind of a leader of that [freshman] class.
“He does it by example, though. He doesn’t necessarily talk about it all the time.”
That’s been Bryan’s M.O. for most of his career. He was a four-year starter at Norwin (Pa.) High and a team captain his senior year. He learned YSU’s offensive playbook in a few days. The Penguins had a seven-on-seven practice session on the second day of summer and one of the seniors, Ely Ducatel, pulled Bryan aside and taught him the signals.
“I caught on right there,” said Bryan, who turned 19 on Monday. “I knew it right after that. Once I see it, I can just remember it.
