Great Profiles

Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and 289 pounds with bulging biceps and broad shoulders and long shaggy hair, Brent Russum looks intimidating both on the field as an offensive lineman for the Grizzlies or off the field, but appearances can be deceiving. Anyone who spends any time with Russum finds him to be a friendly, down to earth guy always laughing or smiling and trying to get everyone around him to do the same. “He is one of the nicest guys on the team,” says former Grizzly manger Jared Uncles. He further describes Russum as, “A hard working guy always looking to improve, yet he jokes around and can have fun at the same time.” When you ask anyone who has encountered Russum to describe him, a similar opinion is usually echoed, always starting with, “He’s the nicest guy,” followed by an anecdote of some nice action or gesture he had performed.

It was not always Russum’s goal to play college football. Growing up in Lewiston, Idaho, Russum dreamed of playing college basketball. During Russum’s sophomore year of high school, however he started to look toward a future in football.  His high school’s head football coach Emmett Dougherty told Russum that he might have a chance to earn a  scholarship in the sport. “He has put people into college through football before,” said Russum, “so I trusted him.”

Russum still held on to his dream of playing college basketball until halfway through his junior year. “That’s when I really started to put on the weight for football which canceled out my chances for basketball,” said Russum. At the start of his junior year Russum weighed about 210 pounds and ended his junior year at 270 pounds. “I was consuming between 7,000 and 9,000 calories a day. It was sometimes painful to eat that much, but I knew that with as much as I was lifting my body needed it and I was trying to gain weight.” Russum was a captain for his high school football team both his junior and senior year and led his team to the Idaho State Final his junior year. He received the Bengal Award for his leadership on the football team during his senior football season.

Besides basketball and football Russum also participated in track and tennis. Russum was successful in track, placing second at his high school state meet with a shot-put throw of over 50 feet. Out of all the sports Russum played he found tennis to be the most fun. “It was different than any other sport. Football was the most rewarding,” said Russum, “but basketball will always be my favorite.”

Russum achieved his goal of gaining a football scholarship at Arizona State University. Russum red-shirted his freshman year at ASU and was latter dismissed from the team over some controversial photographs. Following his dismissal from ASU, Russum looked to Eastern Washington University, University of Idaho, University of Massachusetts and University of Montana as possibilities for transfer. He chose UM because he recalled liking the school during his recruitment in high school and knew players on the team. Russum says he misses the bigger conference, higher profile bowl games ASU played, as well as the academic resources of his previous school, but enjoys being closer to his home.

During the height of the football season, outside of his daily two to three hours of class, much of Russum’s day is devoted to football. The day is packed full with weight lifting, meetings discussing new plays and reviewing film followed by three and a half hours of practice.

Like most athletes Russum has his own pre-game rituals and superstitions. “This year it was tardiness or procrastination. I’d show up late to everything, not because I wasn’t on time, but because I felt I had to be the last one in a room, the last one somewhere. I started it at the beginning of the year. We kept on winning, so I kept doing it,” said Russum. He also described about a pre-game ritual he shares with fellow offensive lineman Levi Horn. They only suit each other up, tightening each others shoulder braces and adjusting pads.

Russum has reason to be superstitious. He described a ritual that was broken before the Grizzlies final game in which they were knocked out after the first round of the playoffs. In the pre-game meeting there are assigned seats. Dan Carpenter was called up by coaches to sit in the seat left open by Terran Hillesland, who was not playing due to injury. Despite protests by Russum and fellow lineman, J. D. Quinn, Carpenter sat in the seat. “Maybe it makes the wind blow differently when people are kicking field goals,” said Russum in reference to Carpenter’s missed field goal that cost Montana the playoff game, “As a team it (the breaking of rituals) could affect us. That is why we do the quirky things we do.” Russum explained.

Versatility is a main theme in Russum’s life. Head Grizzly football coach Bobby Hauck, in an interview with the UM Athletic Department, described Russum as having, “enough versatility to play almost any position on our offensive line.”

Russum shows this same versatility in his spare time activities. He has a competitive streak off the field as well. He enjoys playing basketball at the reccenter. “I always enjoy the atmosphere basketball brings.” said Russum. Russum also enjoys the occasional golf game and bowling because of the ways they differ from football but still maintain a competitive nature.  Russum also takes interest in other sports, helping at kids sport camps for basketball and football and attending friends sporting events.

At his girlfriend’s intramural volleyball game Russum cheers while analyzing all the players in the game, describing what their skills are and giving almost a play by play commentary.

Russum also enjoys playing cards. Cards are a big part of Russum’s life. He spends most of a meal out with friends talking about previous games. While planning his future games the dinner conversation is totally taken over by talk of poker. He has a job dealing cards as well as playing competitively. Russum began playing cards at a young age. He often played cribbage with his grandfather, which is still one of his favorite games. Russum also enjoys poker, “I’ve been to Las Vegas multiple times and like to think I’ve played with the best of them,” said Russum.

Russum has shown this same versatility in his work. Besides dealing cards. Russum works the desk at a local gym. He also works for a local general contractor. “I don’t really work any job regularly but float around as needed,” says Russum.

Russum is majoring in business and marketing. Upon graduating from the University of Montana, Russum plans to move to Seattle where he has family. There he hopes to gain an entry position with a corporation to see how a successful business is run. “My ultimate goal is to be an entrepreneur and to have my own business with a new idea or niche market that I find,” describes Russum.

For now, Russum is looking toward his senior football season. His goal for next season is to win another conference championship, and then a national championship. His personal goal is to make first team Big Sky for the second year in a row. With Russum’s work ethic and versatility, he may transform these goals into reality.