Zak Browning always dreamed of being one of the high school football stars of his day. He quickly realized that it would take more than a dream.
“I had the mind-set that I was going to make it happen,” said Browning, a senior Mr. Everything for the Union Titans. “You’ve got to work for it. I came to enjoy lifting. I have guys around me working hard, too, and that’s pushing me. You have to surround yourself with the right people who are working hard, too.”
Today, it just looks like Browning fell from the sky and landed on a football field, automatically one of the best at whatever position he plays.
Known around Southwest Washington for his linebacker skills, he made the All-Region team last season as a junior. Respected on his team for his willingness to sacrifice his own touches on offense, as a fullback he became the lead blocker to two All-Region running backs the past two seasons.
And now, as a senior leader for a team with a lot of new starters, he has made a name for himself in the boxscores. Browning has three consecutive 100-yard rushing games, including a 285-yard, four-touchdown performance in Week 3. He followed that with four more touchdown runs in Week 4.
“This is the first year I’ve broken the 70-yard barrier (in a game),” Browning said. “The first thought that comes to mind is I’m tired. It’s definitely fun. It’s makes film session a lot more fun. But it’s definitely tiring.”
It’s not as if he was getting any rest the past couple of years. He has been on the field as a linebacker and a fullback. But dishing out punishment on defense or as the main blocker of offense is a lot different than being the target, with the ball, for opposing defenses.
Plus, if all goes well, a player with the ball runs farther than the blocker.
“With the way our line sometimes blocks, you’re breaking off 20-yard runs all the time. That gets tiring, too,” Browning said.
Then, with a mischievous smile, he adds: “But I’m not complaining about long runs.”
Of course not.
Browning has always believed he could perform this way on offense, but, quite frankly, there was no need for him to do so with Titans. He was too valuable in another spot.
“Part of the deal is he is the best fullback I’ve ever coached,” Union coach Cale Piland said. “There are a lot of plays we run that if the fullback is really good, it makes the play that much better. He loves to block. He loves taking on linebackers.”
Browning would get a carry here or there on a trap play — and it would usually go for big yardage — but those were just flashes. His reward the past two years was seeing all the yards that Blake Russell gained in 2008 and Nathaniel Penaranda gained in 2009.
“There has never been an ounce of belly-aching from him,” Piland said. “I think he could care less how many times he carries the ball in a game.”
This season, the plan was for Brandon Brody-Heim to become the next great running back for the Titans. It still could happen, too, but injuries forced the Titans to turn to Browning in Week 3. Then he demolished Westview with that 285-yard game.
“I feel like I’m good at creating arm tackles, and you can break those easily,” said Browning, who is 5-foot-11, 215 pounds.
Browning said his seasons as a fullback has made him a better back with the ball and more appreciative of what the offensive linemen do.
“You don’t know what goes into it until you do it yourself,” he said of blocking. “I found out I was good at it. Me and the O-line, we all knew the good things coming from our running backs was in part from our blocking.”
Now, with Brody-Heim healthy again, the two will share the carries. The Titans believe it is a good problem to have, two quality running backs.
Besides, Browning still considers himself more of a linebacker than a running back, even if he is making bigger plays with the ball this season.
Due to his reputation on defense, and the fact that he is one of three returning starters for the Titans, opponents are shying away from his side of the field. Browning said it is frustrating, even if it is flattering, when teams game-plan around him.
But a little secret the Titans are starting lose to control of is this defense is still pretty darn good — even with the new starters.
Union gave up three touchdowns to perennial power Bellevue in Week 1, when the unit was playing its first game together. In Week 2, the team gave up a late touchdown in a blowout victory. In Week 3, it was one touchdown allowed by the defense against a ranked team from Oregon. The Titans followed up with back-to-back shutouts.
Browning calls inside linebackers Sam Ferenchak and Sam Lowe the generals of the defense.
“They always know what’s going on, and they can tell everyone what to do,” he said.
He added that the defensive line is the surprise of the squad so far, as they pile up impressive performance after impressive performance.
The defensive secondary is untested this season. That should change tonight when Union takes on Heritage in the Titans’ first game in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League.
“This group has done a really good job all year long,” Piland said of the defense. “Confidence is definitely growing.”
And while Browning called others the generals of the defense, his coach said Browning is the complete player. Put him in any position, and his football intelligence will make him one of the best.
Piland just read a story in Sports Illustrated that quoted Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, referring to his two-way player, Owen Marecic.
“He said, ‘Vince Lombardi would love Owen Marecic.’ Well, Vince Lombardi would love Zak Browning,” Piland said. “He is a complete football player.”
