Bryson Luter hopes to be the next “Bryson” to star at quarterback at West Point.
The freshman signal-caller, who spent last season on the Army Prep football team, hopes to follow in the footsteps on the last Bryson to star at Army. That would be Bryson Daily, the Black Knights quarterback who collected 41 total touchdowns last year in leading Army to a 12-2 record last season, including winning the American Conference championship in its first year. Daily graduated in May and is graduate assistant at Army Prep
For now, Luter, a 5-foot-11-inch, 206-pounder out of Lawrence Center High School in Indianapolis, is just hoping to learn as much as he can from his coaches and teammates to get himself ready to contribute to the program on the football field as soon as possible.
“The first practice was definitely intense,” said Luter, at the conclusion of the first freshman practice on a blistering hot Tuesday morning. “(Offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Cody) Worley and head coach (Jeff) Monken had us getting after it. From the minute we stepped on the field it was intense, from the stretches all the way to the FRC (functional range conditioning). I am just excited to be here.”
While Luter is eager to show his talents, he is also well aware that as a freshman, and with a number of quarterbacks ahead of him on the position chart, he has a lot to learn and a long way to go.
Monken said this week that three quarterbacks, senior Dewayne Coleman, junior Cale Hellums and sophomore Ethan Washington, are the current favorites, at the beginning of camp, to get the starting nod when Army hosts Tarleton State on Aug. 29 at Michie Stadium. Only Coleman has game-day experience, completing 11 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown and running for 136 yards on 38 carries and one touchdown last year. He did lead the Black Knights to a 20-3 victory over visiting Air Force in November when Daily was out with an injury.
The crowded quarterback room is not dampening any of Luter’s excitement. To the contrary, he is eager to learn as much as he can from the upper classmen.
“I just want to get in there and learn from the veterans in the quarterback room,’ he said. “Just take as much notes and gain as much knowledge as I can and just prepare myself for the future. I just want to be able to help my team in anyway.”
“D. Cole, E. Wash, Cale and Zach Mundell have already homed in on the leadership role over the rookies and guided us and helped us with the ropes. Especially, E. Wash is giving me the playbook and is helping me out.”
Luter had several Division II offers, but chose West Point because of the opportunity to play at the top college level and to attend West Point. “It was the ability to play Division I football,” he said. “But it was also the leadership, the institution and to be around great people and just be able to improve myself and become the best person I can.
“Hey family, I am here, hopefully to make you guys proud and I am just excited to get after it.”
