How Tyler Summers likes to play football is twofold.
There’s the free-spirited, have-fun mindset “like we’re playing on the playground,” the Union High School junior said.
Then there’s the side with an edge the linebacker plays with every down on defense.
The one when “everyone gets dialed in at the same time,” Summers said.
Defense never used to be Summers’ strong suit. But that was before personnel moves last year meant Summers learned a new position in less than a week and got his first varsity start in a position he now thrives in.
And that was before a season-ending injury freshman year meant another transition, this time a permanent move from offense to defense.
It’s all come together at the right time: Summers’ junior season. He leads the Titans in total tackles at right outside linebacker going into Saturday’s 4A state championship game against Lake Stevens.
In last week’s state semifinal victory over Puyallup, Summers made 12 tackles, including seven solo, to help send the Titans (13-0) back to the state championship game for the first time since 2008.
Union’s 3-4 defense could be on the cusp of being a state championship-caliber defense come Saturday night. Senior all-leaguer Josh Joo is the veteran of the linebacking corp with three juniors — Summers, Justin Chin and Jack Eggelston.
Defense is how Summers earned time on Union’s varsity roster last fall as a sophomore a year after missing most of freshman year breaking a bone in his left knee. His role, though, expanded from safety on junior varsity to starting his first varsity game at outside linebacker in a 56-6 win over Heritage. He made six tackles learning the position that week.
Not bad for a former slot receiver, and as the season progressed, so did Summers crediting current teammates such as all-leaguer Alex Vallejo.
“As I got bigger,” he said, “it became more natural.”
When it comes to big plays, Summers has made plenty of those, too, in all 13 games of Union’s run to its first state championship appearance since finishing second to Bellevue in 2008 in Class 3A. Of his 95 tackles, 11.5 are for loss with four sacks and two caused fumbles. He made a crucial block that led to Darien Chase’s 80-yard punt return for a touchdown against Chiawana in Week 4.
But no play is a highlight for Summers quite like the 70-yard scoop-and-score on a fumble return for a touchdown against Bothell in what turned into a 49-35 state quarterfinal win.
That play still brings a smile to Summers’ face. That was his first varsity score.
“I haven’t had the ball in my hands the whole year,” he said.
But what he has been is all over his side of the field. By comparison, coach Rory Rosenbach looks at Summers’ 95 tackles in 13 games covering less ground than, say, a middle linebacker does. Last year’s 4A GSHL defensive MVP, Riley Miller, totalled 100-plus tackles in 11 games at the middle linebacker spot.
Summers’ motor, Rosebach said, flat-out never stops.
“He plays full speed all the time,” the coach said.
For Summers, that always is a must.
“It’s not worth taking a play off,” he said. “Everyone is depending on you. Everyone looks at you to make a play.”
