“Cool Head, Hot Heart”: Reflections Of An Army Quarterback

Bryson Daily was born in 2001 in the panhandle of Texas, growing up in Abernathy, a small town north of Lubbock. His family is full of coaches and teachers. His grandfather on his mother’s side coached his youth football team, his father was the head high school football coach and athletic director, and his mother taught government and history while coaching basketball and track. Bryson grew up with two older sisters. Abernathy high school is a small school with about 250 students in each class. Often, the kids play multiple sports, and Bryson played football, baseball, and basketball, and competed on the track team. He credits his father with teaching him a strong work ethic, noting his guidance was to “outwork your opponent every day.” Bryson has a great relationship with his father, who still reviews his game film and offers coaching and mentorship from Texas. Bryson was recruited by Mike Viti, who was honest about what he would find at the Academy. After a visit to West Point, Bryson fell in love with the team (many of whom shared a similar mindset), the facilities, and the focus placed on education. In the spring of his high school senior year, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, he was competing in a track meet before spring break and his dad told him “run your hardest because it might be the last” meet he would experience. During lockdown, both of his sisters returned home and the family enjoyed good quality time together. Since his dad was the school’s athletic director, he brought a squat rack and weights home so Bryson could continue to work out. In July 2020, he reported to the Prep School and everyone was wearing masks. The Cadet Candidates were restricted to the USMAPS grounds for the first semester, and Bryson recalls it “felt like prison,” but he became very close to his classmates. Unfortunately, all but three of the Prep School football games were cancelled, and it seemed that the team was practicing for nothing. The highlight for that season was beating the Air Force Prep team. Academically, it was a step up from high school and he liked being able to get used to the systems at USMAPS. When he reported for R-Day at USMA, he had the first time slot and was in his room by 1000. He was not sure what to do with the rest of the day, so he started getting his room organized and was able to help his roommates when they arrived. Academically, his goal was to maintain above a 3.0, majoring in Engineering Management. He enjoyed CLDT (Cadet Leader Development Training), CFT (Cadet Field Training), and CTLT (Cadet Troop Leader Training) at Ft. Drum, which led him to branch Infantry. He also enjoyed DPE courses, highlighting mil-move, survival swimming, boxing, and combatives. He also earned the IOCT (Indoor Obstacle Course Test) Tab. He feels that his experiences on the football team helped mold him and he has grown as a man while at the Academy. He says that many of his most memorable experiences are with the other players in the locker room, eating meals, and on the plane after the game. He describes defeating the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs as a junior as the game that laid the foundation for a successful season and a half. He is most proud of wining the CIC (Commander in Chief) trophy Cow year and the ACC Championship in a home win during his Firstie year. He was honored to be named a contender for the Heisman Trophy and to be counted among all those other players who were drafted for the NFL. He discusses the NCAA Transfer Portal, and although he says it hurts to lose good players to the portal, he says those who remain are tight and committed, noting “we win as a team.” He cites “toughness” as the key to the culture on the football team, where they may not always be the most talented team on the field, but they are the toughest. When he was named starting quarterback, Rollie Stichweh, USMA ’65, reached out to him and has been a great mentor over the past few years. He branched Infantry because the Infantry are the type of people he wants to be around, and he plans to post to Ft. Cavazos after the Basic Course. His advice to young people considering the Academy is to think about what you want to get out of your college experience. Reflecting on what West Point means to him, he states “this place means everything,” noting that “I’ve grown as a man and leader” here at the Academy.