The ball rockets high into the sky off the foot of the opposing punter and Brandon Ezell's mind starts to race. He finds the ball floating through the air, scans his surroundings and makes multiple split-second decisions all at once.
Oh yeah, there are also 11 angry men racing down the field with the sole purpose of stopping his momentum and bringing him down.
This is the life of a punt returner, a role that Ezell cherishes despite its difficulty and danger.
"You get used to it but it's always a little nerve-wracking," says Ezell when asked about the position. "You have your blockers but it's up to you to make something happen. I love the adrenaline rush that comes with it."
AN ALL-AROUND ATHLETE
For those that knew Ezell five years ago, it's not a shock to see him succeeding out on the field. What may come as a surprise, however, is the sport he's playing on that field.
Ezell didn't begin playing football until his senior year of high school, shining instead for the Los Alamitos High School lacrosse team. The midfielder was a natural in lacrosse and was named as his team's Offensive Player of the Year in his final two seasons in the sport.
He made the switch prior to his final season with the Griffins and fell in love with his new one instantly.
"I would play pickup games with my friends on the weekends and they saw I had some potential," Ezell recounts. "The coach said I could try out and I got my shot. I've been playing football ever since."
EMBRACING ADVERSITY
The challenge of switching focus to a new sport with just one year remaining until college may have been tough for some, but adversity is nothing new to the Spartan senior.
Ezell grew up with divorced parents and was one of seven brothers in his family. A challenging living situation growing up required him to often take care of his three younger siblings, giving Ezell less time than he would have liked to focus on athletics.
"I am still the best athlete in the family though," says Ezell.
The Southern California product took his talents through the junior college route after high school and it didn't take long for him to produce on the next level. While still learning the game, Ezell set his sights on a goal of becoming the first member from his father's side of the family to go to a university.
Through extra drills and additional work in the weight room and classroom, Ezell turned the dream into a reality.
"Getting a scholarship at a D1 school, that was my way out," Ezell said. "I had a couple of good seasons and San José State contacted me. I immediately liked what they were pitching and the direction the program was going in."
A BRIGHT FUTURE
Now in his senior season, Ezell has helped lead the Spartans to their best start since he arrived in Silicon Valley.
The cornerback is making a difference both defensively and on special teams, where his potential for electricity was displayed with a 25-yard punt return in San José State's season opener.
He tallied three tackles in each of his team's first two games of the season, then made two interceptions helping San José State to a 32-21 Mountain West victory over New Mexico two weeks ago in CEFCU Stadium.
Ezell added one more interception and a season-high four tackles in last week's game at Nevada. It was a tip-toe dance along the sideline to haul in the takeaway and share the team lead with Nehemiah Shelton and Bobby Brown II.
A business management major, Ezell is slated to graduate in December, after which he will pursue a career in football at the next level before going into real estate.
It's safe to say the switch to football is looking like a good one for the former lacrosse star.
