Bucknell University Athletics
From Special Teams to Defensive Starter
9/6/2006 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 6, 2006
By Todd Merriett, Bucknell Athletic Communications
When compared to the five-star recruits that go to football factories like Penn State, Michigan and Texas, Bucknell players are typically unheralded. Bison head coach Tim Landis and others at the I-AA level must find the diamonds in the rough during the recruiting wars. David Frisbey is one of those diamonds.
Unheralded even for a Patriot League recruit, Frisbey flew below the radar coming out of high school. He actually looked at Gettysburg as a possible place to play football at the college level. Luckily for Bucknell fans the soft-spoken senior defensive back skipped the battlefields of Gettysburg for the football field in Lewisburg.
Frisbey, who also considered playing football at Penn or staying close to home and going to Delaware and ending his football career, did not see much playing time his first two seasons, but did appear in 19 games over that span, mainly on special teams. He also earned time as a reserve defensive back and tallied 11 total tackles through the end of his sophomore campaign.
A starter in last weekend's season-opening overtime win against Duquesne, Frisbey blossomed heading into his junior season and became one of the few Bison defensive players to start all 11 games last year. He led the team with four interceptions and placed fifth on the squad with 54 tackles while also deflecting a career-high seven passes.
While Frisbey's defensive performance was solid, it was his play on special teams that gained him notoriety. The program's 2005 special teams player of the year, Frisbey earned the Lewisburg Touchdown Club Special Teams Player of the Week award following the Marist and Colgate games last fall. While the Marist contest, which featured him totaling a career-high 13 tackles to help the Bison to their lone win of the season, seems like it might rank as one of his most memorable performances, Frisbey does not see it that way.
"The Colgate game sticks out more in my head," says Frisbey of Bucknell's close 16-10 loss to the Raiders last year. "I had an interception and a blocked field goal, which was especially nice against a tough opponent like Colgate."
Fans waiting to hear Frisbey's secret to his recent success may be disappointed. There is no moment where it all clicked or an interesting workout routine or a magic pill. Instead it is just a byproduct of hard work, a natural progression of his abilities.
The first step to Frisbey blossoming in Orange and Blue may have been the decision to move him to the defensive side of the ball before he had donned his familiar No. 26, even though he rushed for more than 2,600 yards and 31 touchdowns in high school.
"Moving to the defensive side of the ball was a big transition for me," remembers Frisbey, who should merit consideration for All-Patriot League honors this season. "It was something I had never done before and it was a challenge. Playing behind the likes of (former Bucknell defensive backs) Joe Glenn, Dante Ross and Jerome Acy for a couple of years definitely helped me. The teaching of (former Bucknell assistant) Coach (Steve) Perry and Coach (Ryan) Crawford has really helped me develop my game into what it is now and hopefully it can continue to expand."
Nervous was the key word for Frisbey during his early days trying to prevent touchdowns rather than score them. He quickly found out how much better it was to dole out the hits rather than absorb them.
"Learning the whole defensive mentality and scheme was probably my biggest struggle," comments Frisbey. "I am strictly a defensive-minded individual now. I do miss scoring touchdowns, but hopefully I can get a couple this year off of interceptions."
Just like his easy adjustment to defense, Frisbey had no problem integrating himself into Bucknell's strict academic program. A management major who has made numerous appearances on the Dean's List and Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Frisbey earned a spot on the prestigious ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team in 2005.
"Academics have always been important to me," says Frisbey, whose grade-point average is well above a 3.5. "My mother was very strict when it came to doing well in school and it has become second-nature for me where I expect myself to do well.
"I tell freshmen if they put their priorities straight they will have time. It isn't going to be easy, but it is as hard as they choose to make it."
With classes underway for more than a week and a bevy of academic honors on the horizon for Frisbey, it can only mean the close of preseason football camp and the start of the season. Coming off a difficult 1-10 campaign, Frisbey cannot wait to get going, especially with three consecutive night games at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to kick off the year.
The increased emotion and intensity of the games under the lights appeals to Frisbey, who has continued a bursting pipeline from his hometown of Newark, Del., to Bucknell. Recent Bison football graduates from Frisbey's hometown include fellow defensive standouts Brandon Bailey, Kevin Ransome and Virgil Rush.
After just 11 more regular season games Frisbey will follow his fellow Delaware natives and become an alumnus of the Bucknell football program. Of course Frisbey aims to delay that as long as possible. Despite not winning a game in Patriot League play last year, and being picked sixth in the preseason poll this fall, the team's goal is clear - win the Patriot League title.
"Being here for four years I have experienced what it felt like to come close to the Patriot League championships and last year coming nowhere near it," explains Frisbey with hope in his eyes. "We know where we struggled last year and what we need to improve upon, and I think we have done that. We are going to have a big year."
Whether the Bison go undefeated and win their first league title in 10 years, post a .500 record, or worse, Frisbey has been happy with his choice of Bucknell. Not a lot of other schools were looking to take the chance on a quiet kid from Delaware four years ago.
