January 9, 2019

From selling game programs outside of the Rose Bowl to now having played in the 105th edition of “The Granddaddy of Them All,” Myles Bryant ’16 spoke to us about his homecoming experience and how Loyola has helped him throughout his collegiate career as a starting defensive back for the University of Washington.

 

Q: Being a Pasadena native and having attended so many Rose Bowl games as a fan, what did it mean for you to actually play in the Rose Bowl Game?

A: It was very meaningful to me. Playing in the Rose Bowl was something I’ve wanted to do since I was young, so to be able to participate and take part in it was pretty amazing. I had about 40-50 people in the stands cheering me on and it was a great feeling to be playing in my backyard.

Q: How did you prepare for the game back on New Year’s Day?

A: Knowing the magnitude of the game, I practiced very deliberately and took every rep at full speed, giving it full effort, because I knew what the stakes were. The Rose Bowl is also something I’m very familiar with, so I was just trying to enjoy the moment and playing to have fun.

Q: Talk about your story of perseverance, having joined Washington as a walk-on to now becoming an All-Pac-12 Second Team selection for a Top-15 team in the country.

A: I have learned the importance of hard work and perseverance in order to earn the things that you want, and knowing that not everything is going to turn out the way you want or think it will is just part of the journey. I have to make sure that I work hard to put myself and my team in a position to succeed.  

Q: How do you think your time at Loyola helped prepare you for college and beyond?

A: The foundation that Loyola laid down with the idea of being Men for Others helped me realize that there’s a bigger purpose than just doing things for myself. Rather, doing things for people propels you to inspire others and share what you have with them. For me, I have a bunch of kids who hit me up on social media that seem to look up to me and love my story, so being able to reach out and inspire them is pretty rewarding.

Q: Now that the Rose Bowl is in the rearview, what’s next for Myles Bryant?

A: I plan on going back to the University of Washington and getting ready for my senior season, finishing school and graduating. I have just a few more credits left to take, and I think 2019 is going to be one of our best seasons yet.

 

Cubs in College Football Recap:

David Long ’16/CB/Michigan • Earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and received Michigan’s Defensive Skill Player of the Year Award after a standout season for the No. 14-ranked Wolverines. Long has declared for the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft in April.

Nico Evans ’14/RB/Wyoming • Had a breakout senior year for the Cowboys, amassing 1,325 yards rushing with eight touchdowns and finishing third overall in the country in yards per game. Evans, a team captain, was named First Team All-Mountain West Conference.

Chris Brown ’14/OG/USC • Started all 12 games this season for the Trojans and was named to the PFF All-Pac-12 Team and AP All-Pac-12 Second Team. Brown was awarded USC’s Lineman of the Year award for the second consecutive year and appeared in 53 career games.

Stefan Flintoft ’14/P/UCLA • Finished his career with a 43.68 yards per kick average, which is third on the Bruins’ all-time list. Flintoft also earned Honorable Mention status on the All-Pac-12 Team and All-Pac-12 Academic Team.

Aaron Castillo ’15/OL/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute • Named team captain and started all 12 games for the Engineers, earning All-Liberty League Second Team honors. Castillo was also selected to the Liberty League All-Academic Team.

Kevin Quisumbing ’15/DL/Tufts • Started on the defensive line in all nine games for the Jumbos, garnering All-NESCAC Second Team honors.

Reuben Peters ’14/LB/USC • Saw action in all 12 games for the Trojans, earning USC’s Special Teams Player of the Year Award and Lifter Award at the annual USC Football banquet.

David Tolbert ’16/DB/San Diego • Played in 11 games for the Toreros, earning a Pioneer League Defensive Player of the Week nod in early September. Tolbert concluded the season with Honorable Mention All-Pioneer League status.

Christian Rector ’15/DE/USC • Started all 12 games for the Trojans and was named to the PFF All-Pac-12 and AP All-Pac-12 teams.

Cade Moffatt ’17/DB/Claremont-Mudd-Scripps • Played in 11 games notching 32 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 TFL, 2 interceptions, and 13 pass break-ups. He was named 1st Team All-SCIAC and on the D3 National Football Team of the Week after his performance vs. Cal Lutheran.

*Photo courtesy of Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures