Frederick Douglass defensive back/running back Ty Bryant (right), a UK commit and son of former UK defensive back Cisco Bryant, is this year's Paul Hornung Award winner. (Chris Zollner Photo)
Frederick Douglass junior defensive back Jeremiah Lowe has known teammate Ty Bryant, a senior and University of Kentucky commit, since middle school.
“We went to the same school. He played with my brother,” Lowe said. “He is a great guy, a great leader on and off the field. Everybody on the team looks up to him.”
Lowe said there’s one thing that always impresses him about Bryant.
“He’s just got that dog in him. Whatever it takes to win, that’s what he’s going to do,” Bryant said.
That is one major reason Bryant has been named the Paul Hornung Award winner given by the Louisville Quarterback Club to the state’s most outstanding player. Hornung was a former Notre Dame All-American and NFL standout who was a versatile player.
Bryant was recruited as a defensive back but is a safety, running back kick returner for Douglass. He ran for 106 yards and the go-ahead score in last week’s Class 5A playoff win over Woodford County. He has rushed for 458 yards and 11 scores, returned three punts for touchdowns, made 17 tackles and intercepted one pass this season.
Lowe and Bryant are part of what has been an overpowering Douglass defense that has the Broncos in the Class 5A state semifinals against Owensboro tonight.
“Me and Ty have also played high school baseball together,” Lowe, who has a Kentucky football scholarship offer, said. “He’s a really good baseball player too.”
Lowe and Bryant both had to practice against current UK freshman receiver Dane Key.
“It does not surprise me at all what Dane has done because we have seen him doing it for years. He’s that good,” Lowe said.
