NEDERLAND — Peyton Devries has loved playing linebacker this year for the Nederland Bulldogs.
Last Friday against Crosby, he came up with one of the highlights against the Cougars.
A pass from Crosby’s Tristan Cotton bounced off the helmet of junior defensive back Ty Sheppard and landed in the open, waiting arms of Devries. Devries played the ball right and took off for the endzone. He ran the ball in for a 43-yard touchdown.
“It was amazing,” Devries said. “It was one of those things and one of those plays I love to make. We were down and the team needed a play.”
It was not the first touchdown of Devries’ career. Last year the then-safety returned a fumble for a touchdown.
“I have to give the assist to Ty’s helmet,” Devries said. “He made his play perfectly and because of how we all played, it helped me score. I was just in the right place at the right time.”
Being in the right place at the right time is no accident for Devries, according to Nederland coach Larry Neumann.
“Peyton has always been an opportunistic player for us,” Neumann said. “This year with his move to inside, he has been very consistent and he is always productive. He makes the tackles and seems to always be in on the action. It has been his MO since Day 1 to be in the action.”
Devries made the move in the offseason to linebacker. He has enjoyed the switch from the secondary and has already seen his new position lends itself to more hits.
“I am certainly a lot more in the action than at safety,” Devries said. “Everyone waits for that one true moment for a big hit. My job, though, is to do my job. I can’t sit and seek it out. I have a job to do and if an opportunity comes to make a huge hit, I will gladly take it.”
Nederland defensive coordinator Delbert Spell had no resignations on moving Devries to linebacker. He knew Devries would do anything and everything to help his team.
“He has taken the move well,” Spell said. “He is a very coachable kid and does everything you tell him to do. He is strong and quick. He was the best player for that position this year with what we had on the roster.
“He showed great instincts on the touchdown. We had other guys doing their job and he made the play when he saw the opportunity.”
Devries is not worried with Nederland’s 0-1 start to the season. He trusts in his coaches and teammates and knows the real measuring stick comes when District 22-5A play begins against Vidor.
“We know how to respond to a loss,” Devries said. “Like Coach (Neumann) says, it is another rung on the ladder of life. We lost but it is only nondistrict. All we can do is come out here and work as hard as we can.”