According to himself, Ashton Broyld possesses an almost mystical calmness in the midst of chaos when the game is on the line. When others see danger and turmoil after the snap, Broyld sees order and opportunity — he wants it no other way.
“When the game is on the line, I want the ball in my hands,” says the 6-foot-3, 225-pound senior quarterback. “I like the pressure, but at the same time, I feel there is no pressure. I would call it more adversity, and that I overcome it. Every down of every game, no matter the time, quarter, or situation, I am trying to score, or help my teammates try to score. All the situations are the same for me.”
Broyld did just that last season — his first with Rush-Henrietta after transferring from Marshall — passing for 10 touchdowns and rushing for another six while guiding the Royal Comets to an undefeated regular season at 7-0 before losing in the Section 5 Class AA semifinals to Webster Schroeder. Broyld finished the season completing 72 percent of his passes for nearly 1,000 yards, and on the ground, picked up more than seven yards per-carry.
“I work really hard to be as versatile a player that I can be,” Broyld said. “I do the little things. I am in the weight room a lot, and when I am at home I do a lot praying — that’s where it all begins. I do footwork drills to keep my lower body stable. I am loyal, and am going to give you everything I’ve got to win a game no matter how I am feeling. I have the will to win.”
That will-to-win attitude has caught the attention of many football universities. For months, Broyld has been sitting on offers from Akron and Louisville, who all look at him as a dual-threat field general. Virginia and Pittsburgh — schools Broyld camped at this summer — have also been knocking at the door, as have Syracuse, Maryland, and North Carolina state. At this stage in the game as he enters his final high school campaign, most of these colleges have told Broyld they would like to see his senior film before making any decisions.
“I went to a bunch of camps this summer that were coached by professionals, and got invited to the Top Gun camp but was unable to attend,” Broyld said. “This is my last season to impress any colleges, but if what they’ve seen so far; if they haven’t seen it yet they probably won’t. What they need to know outside of my abilities on the field is that I am a hard worker, I am motivational, and I am a fun guy.”
