Breida’s breakout garners spotlight
Nature Coast grad Matt Breida has gained national attention as a sophomore running back for Georgia Southern, totaling 1,434 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground this season. COURTESY PHOTO
From obscurity last season as a freshman running back at Georgia Southern University – totaling one carry for 15 yards – Spring Hill’s Matthew “Matt” John Breida has catapulted into stardom in his second season for the Division I Eagles.
The former Nature Coast Technical standout, who was Hernando Today’s Football Player of the Year in 2012, was injured in spring practice, but after an arduous summer of preparation has blossomed within GSU’s revamped spread offense.
The Statesboro, Ga.-based Eagles are currently 8-3 and on a bye week prior to their final regular-season tilt at cozy Paulson Stadium on Nov. 29 against conference foe University of Louisiana-Monroe.
With a win, the Eagles would improve to 5-0 at Paulson and more importantly lock up the Sun Belt Conference championship.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Breida has been at the center of GSU’s current rise.
To understand where the older of two sons to Mike and Terri Breida has come from, consider the ex-Shark toted the football that one time last season against lowly Elon last season.
He caught the coaching staff’s attention, however, behind his stellar work on special teams whisking 13 kickoff returns for 266 yards, for a 20.5 average. The four-year track sprinter at NCT broke off a long of 43 yards.
According to the 19-year-old Breida, prior to this fall, GSU switched from its triple option to a spread offense to better accommodate its running and passing weapons.
After dropping two of its first three games to North Carolina State (24-23) and Georgia Tech (42-38), the Eagles reeled off seven consecutive wins.
The win streak abruptly ended on Nov. 8, as GSU was crushed by the Naval Academy, 52-19.
In a nine-game span beginning with the Sept. 13 loss to Georgia Tech, Breida sparked the Eagles with seven 100-plus-yard rushing efforts. He nearly added an eighth, finishing with 96 yards on 15 carries in a 36-28 nod Oct. 4 over the New Mexico State Aggies.
Two of Breida’s breakout performances are a 21-carry, 187-yard effort with two touchdowns against South Alabama and his career-best 210-yard effort on 17 attempts and two scores against the Midshipmen.
In all, the Brandon-born Breida has turned heads and earned mounting media attention behind his 1,434 net rushing yards on 152 carries – averaging nearly a first down per tote at 9.43.
His 16 touchdowns haven’t hurt his candidacy, nor his explosive 88-yard touchdown run against Navy, to complement his dazzling 130.4 yards per game average.
To punctuate his breakout performance this season, on Wednesday Breida was named as one of 10 national semifinalists for the prestigious Doak Walker Award.
Walker, the former three-time All-America selection out of Southern Methodist, is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Other nominees include: Ameer Abdullah from Nebraska, Javorius Allen from Southern California, Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne, Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon and Miami’s Duke Johnson.
On simply being named a Doak Walker semifinalist, “He was a great player, who did it all on the field,” explained Breida. “It’s nice to be named in that company, but I don’t want to get a big head. I just want to be humble and stay on the path I’m on.”
Since Day 1 with the Eagles, Breida has felt he’s found a second home.
“Statesboro is a lot like back home,” noted Breida. “It’s a big football community. And the players are held to high standards. Little kids really look up to you, so you don’t want to slip up.
“Weather-wise, it’s colder during the winter, but the summers in Statesboro are just as hot as Brooksville,” he added.
In making the adjustment from Nature Coast to GSU, “Looking back, there have been a lot of changes in my life,” said Breida. “I’ve really had to adjust my time management. Out here in college, you’re on your own and I feel like I’m growing up.”
Breida was quick to acknowledge the selfless efforts of his current O-line.
“They’re a great group of guys,” he said. “They really don’t get enough credit for what they do. Trust me, without them none of what I’ve done is possible.”
The shift to a spread offense has given GSU’s opponents something more to chew on.
“Last year, we really didn’t use our wide receivers,” described Breida. “Now, we have countless options and we’ve passed the ball more behind our two quarterbacks. The offense hasn’t just helped me; it’s enabled the entire team to get better.”
In retracing Breida’s success this season, “I wanted to get used to the speed of the game,” he said. “I really improved in the offseason on my work ethic and being a better teammate. I’ll admit I took football more seriously.”
In elevating his game, “There’s always something I can get better at,” he said. “Like my pass blocking, my footwork and understanding film study. To me, great backs are also great pass blockers.”
Breida, who carries a 3.0 grade point average, aspires to someday play in the NFL.
“That’s really been my dream since I was a little kid,” he said. “But my studies are important, too. I want to get my degree; that’s my backup plan if the NFL doesn’t work out. Right now, I’d like to be a CPA (certified public accountant) or work in accounting in the business world.”
Breida, who’ll return home for Thanksgiving before heading back for the Monroe game, was asked what advice he’d dispense to prospective football players.
“I’d tell them, don’t count yourself short,” he said. “Do well in the classroom and if you do well on the football field and in your classwork, you’ll be fine. Put all your love and heart into both.”
By the numbers: Georgia Southern University’s Matt Breida (2013-14)
– Compiled by TONY CASTRO
Rushing
YR ATT YDS. AVG. LG TD
2013 1 15.0 15.0 15 0
2014 152 1,434 9.43 88 16
TOTALS 153 1,449 9.47 88 16
Receiving
YR ATT YDS. AVG. LG TD
2014 8 97 12.1 28 1
TOTALS 8 97 12.1 28 1
Kickoff Returns
YR ATT YDS. AVG. LG TD
2013 13 266 20.5 43 0
2014 2 24 12.0 21 0
TOTALS 15 290 19.3 43 0
