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Tumwater High School adopted an idea introduced by former Georgia football coach Vince Dooley in the 1970s – the “Get After Their Attitude” (GATA) mantra.
The Thunderbirds’ starters on defense don “GATA” on the back of their practice jerseys, with stylistic nicknames.
The attacking players don characterizations such as “Renegade,” or “Torpedo,” or “Assassin.” A receiver-hunting safety tagged himself as “Rambo.”
Then there is the teenager – junior Jaimie Bryant – occupying the middle of the defensive line. He is appropriately regarded as the “Stopper.”
“It is a pride thing to have that. It means you have made … the starting defense,” said Brennen Hinkle, who lines up next to Bryant at defensive end. “Jaimie is a stopper. That is his job.”
At the end of last season, Bryant was a one-man wrecking crew.
As Tumwater prepared for its Class 2A semifinal game against East Valley of Spokane, the coaching brain trust – coach Sid Otton, defensive coordinator Pat Alexander and defensive line coach Rick McGrath – noticed on film that the weak link in the Knights’ blocking scheme was the center.
So, they shifted Bryant – all 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds of him – to noseguard for that game, which turned into a 63-27 triumph for the Thunderbirds.
The next week, the task was much greater – Archbishop Murphy and its gigantic offensive line, which included University of Washington recruit Taniela Tupou at tackle.
Again, Tumwater coaches thought defensive push up the middle would be the key, and they kept Bryant at noseguard.
“They just told me to be the center’s worst nightmare, and make him not want to snap the ball anymore,” Bryant said.
Bryant was practically unstoppable, pushing ATM linemen into the backfield, tripping up running backs – even quarterback Austin VanderWel.
“I was with my teammate, and we would look at each other star-stuck (on these plays) because we were both thinking, ‘How is this happening right now?’ ” Hinkle said. “It was fun to watch him go. Our belief was on him.”
Tumwater forced five turnovers, and limited ATM to 56 rushing yards in a convincing 34-14 victory to wrap up the 2A championship.
Bryant is now on the move again this season, and is expected to get snaps at defensive end this season.
He spent much of the offseason working on speed. He says his weight is down to 265, and that his footwork is much improved.
“Worked on lots of speed and explosiveness,” Bryant said. “Everything starts with that six-inch power step on the drive (into the backfield).”
It is a lesson he heard constantly from Tumwater coaches – and his older brother, Hank, who also played with the Thunderbirds from 2004-07 before going on to the University of Idaho.
The bottom line is Alexander expects this Bryant to be the school’s fifth NCAA Division I recruit in the past 50 years.
“If you move him outside, those (college coaches) can see how he runs as a bigger kid, and that is going to open up opportunities at the next level,” McGrath said. “He is going to have to step up and do some things ... but if he really taps into what he can do, he is going to be a pretty good football player.”
Todd Milles: 253-597-8442 todd.milles@thenewstribune.com
