Even at 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, Nixa junior Broden Mabe wasn’t gun-shy upon making the move to outside linebacker last week.
“I’m closer inside the box now where all the big guys are at,” Mabe said. “It was fun. I love getting dirty and putting myself on the line so I can make plays.”
Mabe’s debut at outside linebacker was a resounding success. In the Eagles’ 29-15 Class 6 District 3 semifinal win versus Ray-Pec, he had season-highs across the board while recording eight tackles, including six solo stops and a tackle for a loss.
All this from a former cornerback who had 19 solo tackles in Nixa’s first 10 games.
“I knew it would be a bigger role for me, being out there against the running game a little more,” Mabe said. “I rose to the challenge and had a great time.”
“He has made us better moving down there,” coach John Perry said. "He’s a tough kid who has a knack for getting to the ball.”
What Mabe did best was keep Ray-Pec’s elite ball-carriers from breaking free on edge runs toward his side of the field. He’ll look to do more of the same opposite Lee’s Summit North’s talented skill-positions players in Friday’s Class 6 District 3 title tilt.
“At corner, you have to worry about the receivers,” he said. “I still worry about receivers at outside linebacker, but you’ve got to be worried about the outside run and not let anything get outside of you.”
Mabe quickly realized he has less time to react in his new surroundings to the offense’s play-call.
“It’s more of a mental discipline at outside linebacker than at corner,” he said. “At corner, you have a lot of time to make a decision. At outside linebacker, you have to be quick in reading the run or pass and getting to where you have to be to make the tackle.”
Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise for Nixa to move Mabe 10 games into its season. He had already proven himself versatile, making the move from offense to defense over the summer in preparation for this season.
A year ago, he was a running back and wide receiver for the Eagles’ junior varsity and took part in special teams on the varsity.
When Perry approached him about the prospect of playing defense. Mabe was immediately receptive to the move, given the enticement of playing time.
“It was new to me,” Mabe said of defense. “But I was just glad I got to see the field more.”
“He was in a logjam (at running back and wide receiver),” Perry said. "He took to playing defense to make sure he could get his butt on the field. He’s happy and is a team-first guy. He’s going to do whatever is best for this football team. He’d do anything we’d ask for him to do.”
As for his senior season next year, Mabe doesn’t anticipate asking for a move back to offense.
“I think I’ll stay on defense,” he said. “I think I’ve found a home.”
