Special to KRSL.com: Russell's Pfannenstiel Eyeing Big Season

RUSSELL - Roman Hernandez was one of the best pass rushers in Russell High history. He became a sack machine for the Broncos with his 22 career sacks.

Hernandez is off to Fort Hays State this fall to pursue a nursing career, but talent remains at defensive end. Talent that’s being noticed at Big XII schools Kansas State and Iowa State.

“I think he’ll go D1,” Hernandez said of incoming sophomore Brody Pfannenstiel. “He works hard in the weight room and he listens to his coaches. He’s also aggressive and you can’t really teach that.”

Hernandez and Pfannenstiel each recorded seven sacks last year as Bronco defensive ends. Hernandez was third on the team with 58 tackles, 44 solo, and led the team with 14 tackles for loss.

“He’s physical and is really quick. Being 220 pounds it’s hard to stop him,” Hernandez said of the 6-foot-3 Pfannenstiel. “And it’s pretty hard to get sacks in the league we’re in. A lot of the teams run the ball about 90% of the game.”

“It was definitely more of a learning year and going from middle school to high school was very different,” Pfannenstiel noted. “My first game I had a couple sacks vs Ellis and I learned what I need to do to make plays.”

“He started to really get a feel for high school football,” older brother Peyton Pfannenstiel said. “He started learning and paying attention, his nerves weren’t as bad and he settled down more. He really got mentally tougher, and I think that’s the reason he’s so dedicated.”

This summer has seen a rapid increase in his weight lifting program.

“My clean went up significantly from 225 last summer to 285 this summer,” said Brody, who runs a 4.8/40.

“He has great aggression and a strong drive to succeed,” senior lineman Teagen Pfeifer said. “It’s well practiced and very deliberate.”

“He is a kid with an amazing battery that is constantly working hard at his physical frame,” senior quarterback Mason Rohr said.

Peyton said his brother has lowered his 40 time from 4.95 last summer to the current 4.8 clocking.

“He’s gotten a lot bigger and quicker since, he will have a lot of improvements,” Peyton said. “When you keep learning, you don’t want to stop.”

“I’ve gotten a lot more explosive, put on more size and better technique,” said Brady, who has attended camps at K-State and I-State this summer. Both schools have shown interest in Pfannenstiel already.

“It was good seeing other competitors, they were that very skilled,” he said. “I like competing, I want to go against the best. That’s how I can get better.”

“He’s a big and strong kid who has great speed for his size and can win in any way,” junior receiver Walker Middleton said. “His IQ is great for how young he is and he knows what to do in certain situations.”

The younger Pfannenstiel is especially effective when he employs his spin move.

“I would say it is one of his go-to moves and for sure his bread and butter move,” junior Ian Strobel, the other DE assailant, said.

“He has a good spin move. It’s fast,” senior receiver Landon Robinson said.

“His spin move is always on time, but if he does not get it he always has a plan B,” junior fullback Xzephren Donner said.

“He (doesn’t) need it he will run you over,” junior safety Trey Zorn said.

The key to getting the sack begins with his first step, Brody said.

“If you have a quick first step you don’t have to deal with the linemen as much,” Brody, who also registered eight TFL, said.

“Brody is very good at what he does. He may not get through the line every time, but when he does he makes an amazing play,” sophomore receiver Dakota Sullivan said. “He is way above me in skill level, but I look up to him.”

“I think it’s great to have him at DE. He works harder than a lot of people,” junior linebacker Max Evans said. “He’s a pretty big kid and he is still pretty fast.”

“He has a very rare talent when it comes to skill and actual dedication,” the older Pfannenstiel said. “I’ve never seen someone work harder than him and I used to work out three times a day if that kinda gives you an idea of his work ethic. His actual potential is higher than anyone that has come out of a Kansas school. And I’ve seen these Jaren Kanak-type of guys play before you know, so I kinda know what the ceiling is.”

Brody isn’t allowing the accolades to get into his sack-machine frame.

“I have just put my head down and grinded the whole offseason and excited to see how the season plays out,” he said.

“He is a workhorse who is not afraid to tackle,” Strobel said.

“He is fast off the ball and has good length to get to the backfield quickly,” junior tight end Alex Krug lamented.

“So I don’t usually watch him very much because I’m either playing defense or with the DB group,” junior Sam Thielen said. “But he just seems like he is unblockable. He is extremely strong and he’s very quick and explosive for his size. He loves contact, he’s never going to go around you.”

“He has great potential and works hard in the weight room along with on the field,” Donner said. “He is always showing what he can do on the practice field. But when he is not practicing or working out, he is leading by example and he is doing all the right things.”

“I think it was a good start and I can build off of it to put into this year,” Brody said   “But I’m just gonna keep grinding.”

The season kicks off September 6 for Russell when they host TMP. All Bronco football games will be broadcast on KRSL 95.9 and streamed on KRSL.com.