MSU-N Game Day Feature: Sprouse sees ball, gets ball

Logan Sprouse, like so many other college football players around the country, is a long way from home, a long way from his family and the friends he grew up with.

But, in less than two years playing defensive back for the Montana State University-Northern Lights, Sprouse has found a second home, and he's found a second family.

The 5-11, 170-pound senior safety says that, while he's only been at Northern since the spring of 2014, the bond he and his teammates, especially his senior class has formed, has been nothing short of one big family.

"We've all grown really close," Sprouse said. "This team, from the younger guys to the seniors, is one big family, and it's a family I love being with every day."

And Sprouse' football family sure is glad he's a big part of it.

A native of Atascadero, California, Sprouse was a junior college cornerback when he arrived at Northern before he was set to be a junior. However, early in his first season with the Lights, he was moved to safety, and the rest they say, was history.

Last fall, Sprouse registered 72 tackles, which was fourth on the Lights' roster. But his impact was even bigger with his three interceptions, which was also a team-high. And in doing that, he proved the transition from corner to safety was a smooth one.

"That was an adjustment at first, because I had always played corner," Sprouse said. "But passing, catching the ball has always been one of my strengths, so I just tried to work to my strengths. I just try to use my speed to be in the right position, and grab the ball when it's near me. So it really didn't turn out to be much different than playing corner."

Off the field, Sprouse said the adjustment to Havre and Northern wasn't much different either. While he is from sunny California, he said Havre itself wasn't a lot different than where he grew up, learning to play the game he plays so well for the Lights now.

"The town I'm from, it's pretty country," Sprouse said. "It has a small-town feel to it, a lot like Havre does. So it's not a whole lot different. I guess the biggest difference was, there was a lot more populated areas near me where I am from. Here, you can go a long ways and not see anybody else. So that was different. But I love it up here. It's a great environment."

And Northern loves what Sprouse has brought to what is now a much-improved defense. Northern's senior-laden group, that also includes senior Garret Jerricoff alongside Sprouse at safety, as well as a front four that features the likes of Tyler Craig, Pat Barnett, Jordan Brusio and Lane Urick among others, is third in the Frontier Conference in total defense, and is coming off its best game of the season, where the Lights statistically dominated the Rocky Mountain College Bears – a game that also included Sprouse nabbing his six career interception.

"I think the biggest thing is, that I've I'm back there doing my job, and we as a secondary are doing our jobs, then, it helps out the guys up front," Sprouse said. "Those guys are all great at getting pressure on the quarterback, and if we give them time to do it, we're going to be successful. And, when they get pressure like they do, they also make our jobs in the secondary a lot easier. So I think, when we're all doing what we're supposed to do, we have a really good defense."

No doubt Sprouse has been doing his job again this fall too. He has 30 tackles and three picks through six games, and is certainly playing at an All-Conference level. And it's the interceptions he says he loves the most.

"That's the best feeling," Sprouse said. "When I see a ball come my way, knowing I did my job and I can give the ball to our offense, that's what I love the most about playing defensive back.

"Logan Sprouse is a very good football player," Northern head coach Aaron Christensen said earlier this fall. "He has a knack for making plays at the right time. He's a smart football player and he is just really steady in the secondary."

And steady is something Sprouse has found in his brief, but productive Northern career. Steady, as in the family atmosphere and togetherness he has found in his team, and especially the MSU-N senior class.

And while interceptions and making plays on the field is a big part of what he loves to do, it's the bonds that he's found, a long way from home, that have made his time in Havre so special.

"I think last year, being what you would call a down year, really brought us all closer together," Sprouse said. "We really all connected through having to fight and battle through so much adversity. That fight really made this senior class really close, but it also helped us all bond with the younger guys too, and now, we really are a big family.

"I love this team. We have a great bond together," he continued. "They will always be my family. Even after I'm done playing football, I'm not ever going to forget these guys and the close family I made at Northern."