Arizona’s Bryant Steps Up In New Role
Brian Knapp
Monday April 19, 2004
“If you want to talk about an unsung hero for the past four weeks, it’s Orshawonte,” Rattlers’ head coach Danny White said. “He’s not getting his name called as much because he’s not playing offense, but he has agreed to go to defense and be a DS, and he might be our best DB.”
Bryant has accepted the switch with open arms, and is willing to play wherever he is asked to help the team win. “I’m having a lot of fun and I’m just happy to be on the field and be part of a win,” Bryant said.
Bryant played a large role in the Rattlers’ most recent win over the Dallas Desperados with eight solo tackles and an interception.
“He’s like a missile out there, running around hitting players,” White said. “If I had three game balls to give out today, they’d all go to him.”
It’s no secret that the Rattlers have a lot of work to do as they make their push for the playoffs, and most of the guys in the locker room agree that success starts with the defense. The Rattler secondary has been hurting all season due in part to nagging injuries to DS Ricky Parker and Clarence Lawson. The Rattlers also lost DS Hamin Milligan, who was released because of inconsistent play.
Bryant admits he still has some work to do, but knows that he can be an important asset on defense for the Rattlers.
“It’s a slow process and I’m still making some mistakes,” Bryant said. “I’ve played defense before, but this is a different mentality. I’m just trying to make sure that I’m in the right places at the right times and play aggressively.”
Bryant has been overshadowed a bit this year with the emergence of OS Siaha Burley, and the continued success of the Rattlers’ offense. Despite not sharing the limelight on offense, Bryant is on the verge of making his name better known on the other side of the ball.
The Rattlers have quickly turned a dismal 3-5 record into a promising 6-5 record, and will look to continue their success in every aspect of the game, especially defensively. Arizona must view every game as a must win from here on out and every player, including Bryant, knows that they must treat every game as if it were a playoff game.
“The time is here,” Bryant said. “We either win out or go home, and that is going to keep us focused and ready to go.”
Brian Knapp was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2003 to 2005.
