Last year, Kirk Elsworth was the big man on campus at Goodrich, sporting the familiar #5 jersey each Friday night during football season.
This year, he’s starting from scratch as a freshman running back on the Western Michigan University football team, and he is trying to learn the ropes at the Division I level.
He also won’t be wearing the familiar #5 at Western. Those people looking to spot Elsworth at a Broncos football game will find him wearing #40.
‘Things are a little more fast-paced here,? Elsworth said via phone from Kalamazoo, where he is currently in preseason camp with the Broncos. ‘The coaches expect you to know the plays real quickly, and you don’t want to fall behind, because it’s tough to get back in the groove.?
Brian Rock is the special teams coordinator and running backs coach at Western. In his 13th year with the Broncos, Rock is also the man who recruited Elsworth to Western.
‘He’s a talented young man who is learning a new offense and is playing Division I football for the first time in his life,? Rock said of Elsworth. ‘He’s not going through anything any other freshman isn’t going through.?
Rock said one of the main adjustments Elsworth is undergoing is getting used to the ability of the players at the college level.
‘He’s surrounded by other talented players, where in high school, he was probably the most talented player on the field,? Rock said.
As far as expectations for Elsworth’s first year are concerned, Rock said he could not predict how much playing time Elsworth would see during the season, but he expects Elsworth to ‘work hard, learn as much as he can, and do his best.?
The Broncos are looking to recover from a 1-10 season in 2004, which led to the firing of Gary Darnell as Western’s head coach.
Bill Cubit, former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Stanford, was tapped as the Broncos? new head coach. This is Cubit’s second stint at Western, having served as the Broncos? offensive coordinator from 1997-99.
Rock said including walk-on players, there are about seven or eight running backs in the Broncos? camp.
Two of those players, sophomore Mark Bonds and senior Trevon Riley, have previous game experience for the Broncos, but Rock said that does not guarantee anything.
‘The best player will be the starter,? he said. ‘There are no guaranteed spots.?
Rock said the Broncos will use multiple offensive formations and many different personnel this season. He said he expects Western’s offense to be about 50-50 between running and passing.
Last season, Elsworth set a Genesee County record for most rushing yards in a season (2,867, second most in state history) and set a state record for touchdowns in a season with 52. He was selected to the Class B all-state team.
Elsworth said he is adjusting ‘pretty well? to his new surroundings, and is spending his entire day with the Bronco football team, practicing and spending time in meetings.
He said a typical day will find him meeting the team at 7 a.m. for breakfast, and spending the entire day at practice until he arrives back at his dorm around 9:50-10 p.m.
‘There’s lots of reps and lots of meetings,? he said. ‘It’s just a long day. We have team meetings and position meetings.?
He said the rest of the Broncos have made him feel a welcome part of the team.
‘They’re very nice,? Elsworth said. ‘I met some of them during orientation and during my recruiting visit. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys.?
Rock said while Elsworth’s level of success at Western will be up to him, he is high on the Goodrich native’s potential.
‘He’s a very intelligent young man who’s shown a great work ethic,? Rock said. ‘He’s picked up a new offense pretty well. I think he has a chance to be a very good player. He’s a very high character kid. I’m impressed with him as much as a person as well as a player.?