Derby’s Brady Rust leads with actions

The day after Brady Rust led Derby back to the Class 6A championship game, he volunteered at a retirement home, serving the elderly a Thanksgiving dinner.

His neck was so sore that he could barely get out of bed that morning, but that kind of stuff never stops Rust from doing what he loves.

“It’s just what we’re called to do as Christians,” Rust said. “We’re called to serve and I’m just trying to do a good job with that.”

Rust’s faith is the No. 1 priority in his life, so of course it spills over into his duties as quarterback for a team trying to win its second state title in third years when the Panthers take on Blue Valley on Saturday in Emporia.

But not every player on Derby is Christian, nor does every player on the team want to hear about something they don’t feel as passionate about. But instead of dividing the locker room, Rust has found a way to unite it and lead the Panthers to a 12-1 season.

“It’s rare that you see players in that high-profile position be that upfront about it,” Derby coach Brandon Clark said. “But Brady is a special kid and he uses that platform to not only show that he is a really good football player, but he also wants to show how great of a Christian he is.”

Rust doesn’t follow the ultra-masculine rules of football. He will help players up from the other team and he shows compassion. But it doesn’t make him a soft player on the field, a notion that rankles Clark.

“Being caring and compassionate does not mean you are soft on the football field,” Clark said. “He is a hard-nosed, tough football player. Most of his yards that he has on the ground are yards after contact.”

It’s that toughness that earns the respect from his peers.

And when his teammates see Rust, a star quarterback, take the time to drive freshmen home after a practice or volunteer his time to help rake leaves in front yards in the fall, it makes an impression.

“Who wouldn’t want to play harder for someone like that?” Derby safety Jesse Mark said. “He’s definitely one of the best leaders that I’ve ever met in my life. Everyone knows he’s a Christian, but he’s not going to go up and force someone to come to church.”

While not everyone may not believe in the same religion as him, Rust finds the right balance to relate to every teammate.

“There’s always going to be some uncomfortable moments,” Rust added. “But my job is to lead by example and I want to show them love because you never know what kind of impact you can have on them.”

It also doesn’t hurt that Rust has elevated his game to another level this season, which in turn has made Derby’s offense a force. He can grind out yards on the ground and make all of throws through the air.

But what has impressed Clark the most about his senior quarterback this season has been the confidence that he’s playing with.

“All of the good quarterbacks I’ve been around in my life, the one thing they all had in common was that they were confident,” Clark said. “They never doubted themselves and Brady is that way this season. It’s been pretty fun watching him mature this season.”

This story was originally published November 26, 2015 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Derby’s Brady Rust leads with actions."