11/19/2002 - Football
Bryce McDonald: A Fierce Ground Warrior

By virtue of growing up in a military family, Bryce McDonald was groomed at an early age to be prepared for conflict. Although never pressured into the military by his family, he always felt he would be prepared for any type of combat, including football. He received much of the fire and intensity that he carries with him onto the playing field from his brothers, Scott and Wayne. "Wayne is the one that really got me into football," Bryce said. "He's two years older than me and used to knock me around. It made me perhaps less scared of getting hit and more scrappy. He went on to play a couple years at Southwest Missouri State. I've always tried to follow in his footsteps." After bouncing from city to city, the McDonald clan settled in Springfield, Mo., when Bryce was entering the third grade. He quickly established his roots in the local sports scene by beginning his football career in fifth grade and has not looked back since. "It all started when I played for the Mighty Mites, with uniforms similar to the Miami Dolphins. The first position I ever played was tight end. Then, through middle and high school, I continued to play. I was a linebacker and was named team captain my senior season in high school," noted McDonald. Upon graduation from Kickapoo High School, he was faced with the dilemma of where to continue his academic and athletic careers. His family allowed him to make his own decision about the next step in his life; however, it was his grandfather who first implanted the idea of a military academy into his mind. "During my junior year of high school, he mentioned to me the idea of playing football at West Point," said McDonald. "I thought about it, but it just did not seem appealing to me. Then, it became my mission to try and play football for Navy." After a year at the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, R.I., McDonald came to Annapolis hungry to contribute to the football team. Day in and day out, he has lived and breathed Navy football. "I told myself that I'm not going to have any regrets," McDonald commented. "I'm not going to leave anything on the field. I'm going to go out and play every game like it's my last. Football is what my life is centered upon right now. Sometimes, people say I get too focused on it, but I'll make that decision when it's over with. I wake up in the morning and think about it, sit in class thinking about it and throughout the day, I think about it. It's basically my hobby, as it is definitely something I enjoy doing." McDonald is currently having his best statistical season of his career, accounting for 211 yards on the ground on 30 carries. His playing time this season may have decreased due to injury compared to last year, but his passion for being on the playing field has not. "In my young coaching career, he probably practices as hard as anyone I've seen out there," said Navy assistant coach Ivin Jasper. "He goes hard in practice, the same way he does in the game. He goes hard every single play. To me, that means a lot. You always say in the coaching business, you want to get a young man that practices with the same intensity as the game. He does that. It sets an example for the rest of the team to take it to his level because he's always busting his butt." Head coach Paul Johnson agreed with Jasper. "I think Bryce is a warrior," remarked Johnson. "He's one of the coaching staff's favorite people on the team. He gives you everything he's got. (He is a) tremendous competitor and just has a great, great attitude when it comes to work ethic and playing football. Bryce is going to be successful no matter what he does. He is a hard-nosed, grind-it-out person. I can't say enough good things about Bryce." In Coach Johnson's spread-offensive system, the fullback is often characterized as the most important player on the field. McDonald tended to disagree when he said, "the fullback is important, but I think everyone on the offense is important in their own way. If a back-side guard misses a scoop, the play can be stopped at the line of scrimmage. It requires all 11 guys to stay on track and make the right reads." "Coach Johnson is much more intense (than past coaches)," McDonald said. "He knows this offense more than any other coach I've known. I compare it to eating. Before, we were running to McDonald's to eat, but now, we are running to some fancy restaurant to eat. He knows the ins and outs. There probably is not anything he does not know about it. He's very knowledgeable." Being a senior has helped Bryce put this season into perspective in relation to his final year in Annapolis and on the gridiron for the Mids. McDonald has been hampered by a toe injury throughout the year that possibly will require surgery once the season is finished. "It's a chronic toe injury," said associate head athletic trainer for football, Dee Jones. "It's very similar to turf toe and may require surgery following the year to strengthen the joints. Mainly, players get it from wear and tear over the course of their playing careers, and Bryce is no different in that regard." He is not letting the injury stand in his way of producing on the field as much as he can to help the team win. "He goes out every single day and does it," continued Jasper. "He leads by example. He's a leader on the field. By his presence on the field and going hard, and maybe not playing as much this year, he's still the same player. It would be easy for him to just pack it in, but he continues to come out every single day and bust his tail. That's something I really appreciate. I've told him that. With a few games remaining, he's gonna continue to work hard regardless of how much playing time he'll get. I have nothing but respect for that young man." McDonald had originally planned to enter the United States Marine Corps following graduation; however, the toe injury and possibility of subsequent surgery may set him back in those plans. As he presents himself on the gridiron, McDonald has similar plans for ground-level combat, with his ambition focused on becoming a member of the infantry division. Through the good and bad times, McDonald can always count on his strong faith to carry him through to the next step. He noted religion is the No.-1 influence in everything he does, but added family and friends are close behind. "That is how I live life, in and out of the Book," said McDonald. Life at the Naval Academy certainly carries extra meaning to those who are a part of the day-to-day operation, which is primarily composed of the Midshipmen. Without their presence, the Academy would not be an important part of the daily American life. "Being able to preserve and protect our country and freedom," said McDonald, when asked what the Academy means to him. "I like to be able to say I attended the United States Naval Academy. It's a great four-year experience." In May 2003, McDonald will graduate and leave Annapolis. However, throughout his four years by the Severn (River), he will not lose what has meant most to him. "I'll always have friends, ones I have made for life," McDonald noted. "Also, learning how to handle things under pressure, a wonderful education and Navy football. Those are things I'll never forget. "This is a wonderful place. There's wondeful academics, wonderful sports and everyone finds a place to fit in. But you have to have the drive to do it. If you don't have the drive, then get out of town. I owe everything I have to God and my family." Navy football will never forget the impact McDonald has had on its program either. A true, hard-nosed player that never quits is an understatement for McDonald. "I have a three-year-old son," concluded Jasper. "If I could pick anybody that I'd like him to be like, it would be Bryce McDonald. Also, if I had to go into a dark alley with somebody, it would be him. He's a class act and busts his tail no matter what. If you have 11 kids like him, then all your problems are solved."