Football: Northwestern's Braydon Brus looks to jump into Mike linebacker spot

Donning black and white practice jerseys on a chilly Saturday morning in Martin Stadium, Northwestern provided a plethora of potential precursors at its sole open spring practice. Coach David Braun's offensive and defensive units duked it out on the team's temporary home field, highlighting players primed to push for an elevated role next season. A former Iron Man athlete who rose to national prominence within the San Gabriel Mountains' foothills, then-sophomore linebacker Braydon Brus built the foundation for future success on the kickoff unit. Like a heat-seeking missile, Brus barreled toward opposing returners, racking up two forced fumbles on kickoff coverage last season.