QB Bryant puts drama behind him
It was a difficult offseason for Lyons quarterback Ben Bryant. His dream commitment to Wisconsin ‘‘ turned into a nightmare.’’
Bryant, a 6- 3, 195- pound senior, committed to the Badgers in December. In May, he received a scholarship offer from Georgia and tweeted about it, which is a totally normal occurrence.
What happened next wasn’t normal, though. The Wisconsin coaching staff informed Bryant that he no longer had a scholarship.
‘‘ My dream of becoming a Badger turned into a nightmare. This was literally one of the worst days of my life,’’ Bryant said in a long, heartfelt and sensible statement on Twitter.
Bryant said he informed theWisconsin coaches that he was totally committed to the Badgers the night before tweeting about the Georgia offer. But he also admitted that things had seemed off withWisconsin for a while.
‘‘ Communication with UW and my feeling of being part of the family has been subpar at times and during several visits,’’ Bryant said in the statement.
But the nightmare ended in June, as Bryant committed to Cincinnati. Looking back, it was fortunate for Bryant and Lyons that the Twitter controversy played out during the offseason.
‘‘ Thankfully it isn’t happening now, and I can focus on the team,’’ Bryant said before practice Monday. ‘‘ I’m over it, honestly. I’m happy with where I’m committed now, and I’m 100 percent focused on this year and this team.’’
Bryant is the 13th- ranked player in the state and the top- rated quarterback, according to Rivals. com. His presence gives Lyons, the No. 5 team in the Sun- Times’ preseason Super 25, a legitimate shot at the Class 8A state title.
‘‘ We have really high goals this year,’’ Bryant said. ‘‘ We have a lot of guys returning on offense, but the defense has improved a lot this summer. I expect really big results.’’
Eight starters return on offense and four on defense. The offensive line is expected to be especially strong. Three players who have been playing varsity since their sophomore year make up the soul of the team: Bryant, receiver Brandon Fischer and defensive tackle Mickey Brown.
‘‘ We are bringing a lot of leadership,’’ Brown said. ‘‘ We’ve matured a lot in the past three years. I’ve seen it in the way we push each other and the way we push ourselves. We are ready to mess things up on the field and hopefully win a state championship.’’
Bryant and Fischer have been playing together since seventh grade. They are good friends and train and work out daily during the summer.
‘‘ They definitely have a connection,’’ Lyons coach Kurt Weinberg said. ‘‘ We have a good, tight- knit group in general, but those guys have a bond, for sure.’’
The Lions were 8- 3 last season and lost to Palatine in the second round of the playoffs. The pieces are in place for a much deeper run this season. Weinberg singled out junior cornerback Hareson Willis as a possible breakout player. Also, keep an eye on running back Bryce Moskiewicz. He was the backup last season and will benefit from the experienced offensive line.
‘‘[ Bryant] was very good last year,’’ Weinberg said. ‘‘ But his anticipation, his knowledge of the game, his understanding of defenses and what they are giving you and what you can take has gotten even better. I’m excited. I think he’s going to have a great year.’’