It’s not often that a lineman gets to carry a football during a game, but there was Minnetonka’s Bryan Carlton, the ball in his hands after opposing team Becker had squibbed a kickoff right to him on a warm August night.

The defensive end, who also provides blocking on the kickoff return team, didn’t hesitate, heading straight upfield along the sideline. As he approached midfield, the Becker defense converged, forcing Carlton toward the sidelines. Before stepping out, however, he lowered his shoulder and delivered a blow to a Becker player with the full force of his 6-3, 250-pound frame, driving the would-be tackler 5 yards backward and directly onto the seat of his pants.

“That was the first time I’ve ever touched a ball in a game,” said Carlton, who has committed to play at North Dakota State next year. “As a lineman, you stay up at night and dream about those opportunities. I wasn’t going to pass it up.”

Staff writer Jim Paulsen talked with Carlton about his future, the Skippers’ gradual improvement and how he views the issue of concussions in football.

 

Q After losing to Hudson [Wis.] in your first game, your team has won two in a row. Why?

A We’ve been slowly getting better. In the first game, we had a lot of mistakes and penalties, but since then we’ve been eliminating those mental mistakes and turnovers and it’s showing up in the scores.

 

Q As a future college football player, you’re visible to a lot of people. What’s it like to have people know who you are?

A You look at Twitter and you see followers from middle school on down to elementary school. It’s always in the back of my mind that I’m a role model. You’ve really got to watch what you say and what you do, but it’s nice to have people look up to you.

 

Q Do you remember when you were that age?

A I see the faces of the kids who line up when we run out from the tunnel. I remember doing that and how cool it was when someone gave me a high-five. And now I’m running through the tunnel.

 

Q Concussion talk is big right now. What are your thoughts?

A I’ve never had my bell rung, so I’ve been lucky that way. A lot of credit goes to my youth football coach, Roger Lenahan, From third grade on, we were taught to tackle the right way, with your head up and leading with your shoulder.

 

Q Why North Dakota State?

A They liked how I play, how I carry myself on the field. I’m not the fastest or the strongest, but I’ve got good instincts. And I liked that they play smash-mouth, blue-collar football.

 

Q Winning national championships can’t hurt.

A No, that had quite a bit to do with it. When I was there, I was surrounded by players like me. Everybody is willing to shoulder their share of the load.

 

Q Where do you go when you need a break from football?

A I’d say the weight room. I go there when I’m stressed with school, stressed with football. I like to work out there in the peace and quiet, just me getting some work done.

 

Q Is football the center of your life?

AIt’s a big part of my life, but not my whole life. We have this Men of Character series at Minnetonka, where every couple of months someone comes to talk to us. We had Matt Birk, who’s one of the greatest offensive linemen to ever play come talk to us.

 

Q What was his message?

A That football is great and it was a big part of his life, but it wasn’t his whole life. That made sense. Football is just a game, but it’s a game you can use to make lasting impressions.

JIM PAULSEN