Freshman linebacker emerging for Kennesaw State

Quarterback Chandler Burks (3) is taken down by Bryson Armstrong (42) and Izzy Sam (49) during the 2017 Kennesaw State University spring football game. -- Cory Hancock photo

Credit: Cory Hancock

Credit: Cory Hancock

Quarterback Chandler Burks (3) is taken down by Bryson Armstrong (42) and Izzy Sam (49) during the 2017 Kennesaw State University spring football game. -- Cory Hancock photo

It’s been an odd start to the season for Kennesaw State.

Through it all, the Owls are 2-1, which is right where many people expected them to be after a tough opening matchup with Samford followed by two favorable games. Still, the process in getting there has been strange in more than one way, and the quality of play hasn’t satisfied coach Brian Bohannon.

“It’s really been an odd year to be honest with you,” Bohannon said Thursday as KSU heads into a weekend off. “We open up and ended up with a three-hour delay at halftime of the first game. We came back home and made things a little more interesting than we needed to in the second half. And then we go over to Alabama State and sit for an hour before that game with a weather delay and didn’t play particularly well.”

The Owls have been unable to put together a full game with offense and defense playing well. The defense -- which received credit before the season for its improvement and play in scrimmages -- has lived up to the hype at times, though it had a rough stretch against Tennessee Tech. The offense has struggled to replace key spots on a unit that was one of the better rushing attacks in the nation the past couple of seasons.

“We didn’t play well defensively in the Tennessee Tech game. We didn’t play well offensively in the Alabama State game. You’ve got two games you’d hope we got out and handle business a little better and we didn’t. Now, we won … and at the end of the day that’s what’s important. We have a lot of work to do to get to where we need to be as a football team. Right now we’re not there.”

The hero so far for Kennesaw State has been an unexpected source. On a defense with experience and accolades, redshirt freshman linebacker Bryson Armstrong has been bringing in all the honors for the Owls through three weeks. After his performance against Tennessee Tech, the Big South named Armstrong as the Conference Freshman of the Week. He one-upped himself a week later with a 15-tackle game against Alabama State and was named the STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week and Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

“I love it,” Armstrong, a Kell High School graduate, said about how crazy his first three games have been. “I think the best thing about it is making my parents proud and seeing them smile and just being able to play for Kennesaw State. I love it. I think when you play fast, good things will happen … just always being around the ball. You never know when it’s gonna pop out or someone is gonna drop it.

Even as a first-year player, Bohannon hasn’t been surprised in the slightest about the quality of Armstrong’s play.

“The kid comes to work the same every day,” Bohannon said. “He’s never too high, he’s never too low. He’s one of those real instinctive football players that just understands the positions and where to be, and he’s always around the football. But the best thing about him is his disposition and his attitude. He deserves all of it. What’s so great about him is he really doesn’t like it. He’s appreciative, don’t get me wrong, but that’s not what he’s about. I really can’t say enough good things about him right now.”

Armstrong hasn’t jumped into the spotlight all alone, though. With plenty of leaders and established players coming back on the defense, he’s had numerous options to learn from as he’s quickly made a name for himself in the Big South and all across the FCS.

“Taylor Henkle …” Armstrong said when asked about someone he’s viewed as a leader for him. “I’ve known him since high school, playing with him my freshman and sophomore year at Kell, so definitely coming in I’ve always looked up to him. Izzy Sam is another guy … really the whole defense, they’re all great guys.”

In Henkle and Sam, Armstrong mentioned two players who have All-Big South Conference honors to their names -- something that the 5-foot-11 linebacker could be on his way to joining if he keeps up his current pace. Through three games, Armstrong has registered 31 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. He credited the coaching staff and a fast and physical play style to the defense’s success.

With a week off to improve and get healthy -- including quarterback Chandler Burks, who sat out the end of Saturday’s game after being banged up -- Bohannon has challenged the team to pick up its consistency heading into a home game with North Greenville on Sept. 30.

“Just every kid to go out there and focus on his job on a consistent basis,” Bohannon said about what he’s looking for in practice. “We’ve put in our game plan for North Greenville (this week), but really I just challenged our guys, pick a couple things you’ve got to go get better at and go get better at them. We can beat ourselves better than anybody in America with penalties and turnovers and missed assignments and doing things that are self-inflicted and not necessarily opponent-inflicted.

“The biggest thing is getting all 11 guys doing their job on a consistent basis. I call it popcorn. There’s glimpses where we look like we know what we’re doing and then all of the sudden something happens, and it goes sideways. At times we’ve looked like a really good team, but there’s really no consistency in it right now.”