Receiver Ventell Bryant turning heads at Temple
Spring football is for the benefit of players such as Temple redshirt freshman receiver Ventell Bryant and it shows that jobs can indeed be won with a good showing in March and April.
Spring football is for the benefit of players such as Temple redshirt freshman receiver Ventell Bryant and it shows that jobs can indeed be won with a good showing in March and April.
There is plenty of time until the Sept. 5 opener against Penn State, but Bryant stands to be the starter based on his performance in the first 10 spring practices.
At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, he has displayed the size, speed and toughness in giving the Owls a threat at a definite need. Temple must replace leading receiver Jalen Fitzpatrick, who had 53 receptions for 730 yards and six touchdowns.
"I knew he would be talented but didn't know he'd be this sort of tough and grown-up," Temple coach Matt Rhule said of Bryant Tuesday after practice. "He is the starter right now for us at wideout and will only get better and better as his body continues to develops as a young kid.
Bryant, who attended Jefferson High in Tampa, Fla., admitted that it was frustrating last year when he redshirted. "It got me down a little bit," Bryant said. "I had to learn from it, come in every day and work hard and prove to the coaches I could play next season."
Next season is nearly here and Bryant hasn't let up this spring.
"He ended Saturday's practice with a slant for a touchdown to win the red zone scrimmage," Rhule said. "That not only required talent but required some toughness to catch it across the middle."
Bryant, who had 34 receptions for 756 yards and 11 touchdowns as a high school senior, said he realized that he needed to get physically stronger and that he has benefited this spring from his added strength.
"I feel a lot stronger, more explosive off the line," Bryant said. "My hands are a lot stronger and blocking is getting easier."
Bryant has great leaping ability, which makes him an especially imposing red zone target.
"He has great ball skills and can go up and make a play when you need it," quarterback P.J. Walker said. "You can put the ball anywhere around him and he will make a play."
The key for Bryant is to maintain this pace in the final four practices before the April 25 Cherry and White game. At least for now, he has been among the more pleasant surprises.
"The biggest thing for him is hitting [Tuesday's practice], he hasn't hit the wall," Rhule said. "He is fighting right through it."
@sjnard