Wilson Brott sets his alarm for around 2 a.m. every night before he goes to sleep. When he wakes up, it’s not to lift weights or go to practice or to study for an exam.
When the Montana State fourth-year junior wakes up before dawn each day, he mixes a shake made with whey protein and water. The ritual, just like his seemingly endless trips to MSU’s fueling station at Brick Breedin Fieldhouse and his stomach stretching meals each and every day, are all part of his sacrifice for his Bobcats.
Former MSU tight end, tackle Wilson Brott (89)
“You have to think about the team before yourself in situations like this,” Brott said earlier this month.
Once upon a time, Brott was a 6-foot-6, 200-pound all-state quarterback and basketball forward at Billings West. He was a versatile athlete as a prep senior but somewhat of a ‘tweener when it came to a Division I prospect.
He elected to accept a preferred walk-on spot offered by former MSU head coach Rob Ash, who recruited Brott as an athlete. He quickly shifted into tight end, making what many thought would be a similar transition as former Columbia Falls two-sport star Austin Barth made at MSU.
Brott cracked the depth chart as a redshirt freshman, traveling to a handful of games for the 2015 Bobcats. But last spring, depth issues caused for the Bobcats to move Brott, then a 245-pounder, to move to left tackle. The move stuck, sparking the need for Brott to pack on as much mass as possible in order to compete in the trenches.
By the beginning of last season, Brott put on 20 pounds to get up to 265 but still lacked the girth needed to truly compete. Still, his athleticism helped his footwork develop quickly as he became one of eight offensive linemen MSU took on all its road trips.
MSU tackle Wilson Brott (79)
As he enters his fourth year in the program, Brott continues to pile his plate high with food. He stops by the fueling station that has become a crucial addition to the program under second-year head coach Jeff Choate whenever he can. He grabs a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a Gatorade protein shake, a variety of fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, bananas and carrots or other snacks like hummus, beef jerky, protein bars and cereal. He estimates he eats between 4,700 and 5,000 calories daily plus his 2 a.m. shake.
“I’ve been trying to pack on as many calories as I can throughout the day,” Brott said. “A lot of times, you eat until you feel like you are going to puke. It’s not a lot of fun eating sometimes.
“You just have to push through it, take breaks and look at the big picture.”
The former slasher and gunslinger now has a noticeable different appearance, from his thicker limbs to his more broad torso. It’s been an adjustment getting used to the extra weight both physically and mentally.
MSU tackle Wilson Brott (79)
“People give you a hard time sometimes for gaining so much weight and I definitely look different,” Brott said. “But it’s not really that bad and being with all these guys is great. Overall, I’m enjoying it.”
Brott is the oldest of Curt and Gina Brott’s two sons, the one younger brother Mitch calls Wilson “the athletic one.” Mitch himself has always been the more stout of the Brott boys, a 6-foot-6 right tackle who earned Freshman All-American honors last fall and is now up to 295 pounds. He has watched as his once-svelte brother has transitioned into lineman life.
“It’s different having him with us,” Mitch said with a laugh. “He was the athletic brother and I was just the aggressive younger kid. He’s definitely getting a lot better at line. He’s improved his footwork and everything. I’m excited to see him continue to improve.”
Wilson Brott said he likes left tackle better than he thought. He notices the footwork he used to be a good hoops player translate into playing on the blind side of the offensive line.
The position switch didn’t come naturally at first, he said. But he has honed in footwork and his hand placement, developing into senior Dylan Mahoney’s backup.
Brott’s sacrifices are not unique to college football, especially at the FCS level. Far from it, in fact. Many players switch positions and pack on pounds with no real guarantee of consistent playing time. Yet Brott’s specific situation does not go unnoticed.
MSU tackle Wilson Brott (79)
“Tight end, tackle, all those things, former quarterback, good athlete, smart kid,” Choate said. “It’s hard to play that position if you are not at least in that 280 range. For Dylan, he struggles with keeping the weight on. That’s always been a challenge for him. That’s an important piece. We do appreciate that Wilson has been willing to jump in there, butt heads with those guys and has done some nice things for us, become a valuable member of our team.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
