Getting to know Har-Ber's Brice Owens | Varsity Vibe

Heading into his senior season, Har-Ber quarterback Brice Owens believes his best football is in front of him. Now in his second season with head coach Aaron Danenhauer, Owens sits down with Alyssa Orange with stare how he's grown as a player, and who Brice Owens is away from the football field.

Transcript

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SPEAKER_03 2:23

Excited to be talking with Bryce Owens, quarterback at Harbor High School. And Bryce, you guys are getting ready for the 2026 season. And I know a lot of that starts with seven-on-seven and summer camp. So let's start there. You guys had the one at Arkansas over the weekend, or yesterday, you had your own over the weekend. How have things gone this summer and the workouts?

SPEAKER_04 2:44

Isn't it? It's been a process. You know, Coach Dan Howard and all of our coaches, they've been putting in our brain that we can be a lot better than what we think. And we're starting to see glimpses of that. Um yesterday at the Arkansas 707, we we um entered to bracket play the one seed, and you know, we made the top eight. Just now we're we're starting to finally put the puzzle pieces together, but we just have a little bit of like tiny mistakes that, you know, build up a little bit here and there, but we're cleaning those out day by day. And by season, you know, we should be unstoppable.

SPEAKER_03 3:18

You know, I was out there for you guys' quote pro day uh when you were doing all your drills and such, and it just looks like you're bigger, you're stronger, you're faster. How much work have you put on this offseason since last year ended to continue to get better in that way?

SPEAKER_04 3:34

It's actually been ever since football season, it really hasn't ended for me ever since that last game against Lord Rock Christian ended. I was in the lab the next week working with quarterback trainers, you know, strength and conditioning coaches. So I was just it's my senior, it's the biggest year for probably my football career so far. And I just I'm taking it to heart. So I just want to be as best as I can be to make my teammates better so we can make some noise this year and you know, put our names out there.

SPEAKER_03 3:57

Before we look at kind of ahead and and what you want, looking back at 2025, what do you think you learned about yourself the most as the quarterback for the Wildcats?

SPEAKER_04 4:07

I learned a lot of things actually um behind the center, but the main thing that I learned is that the just really that I can't let the bad carry on to like the next player the next down or something like that because I've seen myself a lot of times last year actually something wrong went, something bad went wrong, and it kind of carried on the next play and the next play. And then as I can see that the team feeds off of me, the quarterback, I'm the leader, along with some other guys. So if they see me start to, you know, get low, then our morale starts to get low. So I just learned that I need to stay level, not too high, not too low, just to keep my teammates up also myself.

SPEAKER_03 4:45

Yeah, how do you do that? How do you start to kind of mentally build that strength? You know, because it's it's a muscle just like anything else, right? Um, because there were so many games last year um where, like you mentioned, a play maybe goes in a different direction and your record is a little different.

SPEAKER_04 5:02

Well, to me, I'm just every play like towards the end of the season, you know, I started getting a lot closer with God. So everything, every time something bad went wrong or something like that, I always tell myself he has a plan for me. Um if I trust his perfect plan, nothing can stop me or anything like that. So I just kind of leaned into my faith and know that this happened for a reason, but I'm not gonna let this wrong make just carry on to the the next.

SPEAKER_03 5:31

Yeah, I I I love that. How did you um what changed? What shifted? What what changed maybe in your routine that that as you say brought you closer with your faith?

SPEAKER_04 5:40

Yes, man, every morning just getting into the word, every morning before school. I cracked up in the Bible a little bit. And um if I had time after school, I would after practice stuff like that, I would get on the Bible app on my phone, just start reading, learning more about him and about myself.

SPEAKER_03 5:56

Yeah, big picture stuff, um, obviously, which is really, really great to to take in. Uh, you're also taking in a brand new offense, right? And so what was that relationship with Coach Dan and Hour when he came over and took over the program?

SPEAKER_04 6:11

Um, yes, last year it was a lot, um, it was a lot slower pace. You know, we're still getting to know each other, but I feel like this year he's he's like he's honestly like another father figure to me. We can tell each other anything. We're really close. Um, he gets on to me and I'm I'm allowed to take that, give him my feedback without there being like any bad blood between us. So we have like a really strong bond along with like my quarterback coach, Coach Cal. Like we all just, you know, there's be some times they'll get on me and maybe I think they're wrong, maybe I am wrong. Um, but we just have that strong enough bond that we're not gonna let like what they say like affect me. Like they're just coaching us, they're coaching me. So um I've learned not to take that personally, and you know, we're a lot closer now this season, so it's gonna help a lot with that.

SPEAKER_03 6:54

Yeah, and so that regard, where do you think you grew the most mechanically um talent-wise last year?

SPEAKER_04 7:01

Um, from the past years, but leading up to high school, I was more of a runner. You know, I could throw the ball, obviously, but I was just so much more athletic than everybody else. So I kind of just like in my past, I leaned more on my athletic ability, but you know, starting really last year, and now this year I've um dialed in more uh mechanically, getting my rotation slower, I mean faster, and just slowing down the game with my in my head, you know, learning more about my defense and stuff like that. So I've definitely attacked the mental game the most this offseason.

SPEAKER_03 7:31

You know, they say that as a mobile quarterback, it's so hard to not trust, like you said, your athletic ability and maybe take off too soon. How much has that been of adjustment to build that patience in the pocket and not take off because you are so um trusting and reliant on your talent to run the football?

SPEAKER_04 7:50

Um, it all really starts with my receivers too. You know, um last year we we worked a good amount um before and after practice, but this year I'm getting a lot closer with those guys, building that connection because obviously um if I feel comfortable, you know, staying in the pocket, delivering them the ball because we have that time and connection, it's gonna make me not have to use my leg as much. So, you know, just building that connection with my running backs and receivers so that we're always on the same page. They know my time and I know their time, and it's just it helps me a lot, you know, be more of a pocket passer than always getting out the pocket.

SPEAKER_03 8:22

And you've got some returners around you. Obviously, you have Reed McAllister back there, back with you in the backfield. Um, but your offensive line, which is critical, right? Um, guys there and and building that chemistry. Do you just feel so much more confident in your abilities because you have guys that you've played with um over the last couple of seasons that are still back there with you?

SPEAKER_04 8:43

Yes, man. I feel we all feel a lot more confident, you know. Um our entire offense really is returning modus one tight end, but we got puzzle pieces um coming up from behind them. So we have every single hole in our offense, you know, we have we have a dude there. So it just makes all of us feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more patient with each other because we know that, you know, last year was last year, gonna leave last year, and then and then we know that what we can do this year. So it just builds up our confidence to build up our coaches' confidence, our defense confidence, special team. So we're just trying to be that fire to get us started.

SPEAKER_03 9:15

You know, you said this is one of the biggest years of your football career heading into your senior year. And I'm sure you've done some reflecting as as you continue to grow as a football player. When you look at what 2026 is gonna be, what are some things for you personally and then as as a team, as a teammate, you want to accomplish this last year of high school football?

SPEAKER_04 9:38

Um, on the football side of that, I really do want to win conference. I want to go ahead and go down to state, um, put ourselves in a good position to win it. But also outside of the game, I just want to grow a lot more um mentally and physically. You know, um, football's not gonna be there every day, every second of my life. So when football's not around, I just want to I want to have football help me prepare, be better, be a better son in the future, a better boyfriend, a better husband, stuff like that, a better father.

SPEAKER_03 10:05

So yeah, I uh I I have a question on that, Berg. We're gonna put that on hold for just a second. You know, you look around the 7A West, you add a team like Shiloh Christian. Um, but outside of Shiloh, who wasn't there last year, they're here this year. Um, you I think are the only returning starter in the quarterback position. And while every other school is looking to see who's going to be that starter for them, um, you're there and and you have that role and you have that experience under your feet. How beneficial do you believe that's gonna be for the Wildcats in 2026?

SPEAKER_04 10:39

It's gonna be really beneficial for me and the Wildcats, you know, this year having experience back there, the quarterback position. It's it's one of the tougher positions in this game. But also with me being a returner, I still have to keep in mind my brain that I am replaceable. There could be someone that moves in. So I can't take my foot off the gas in any circumstance. I gotta keep keeping on throttle, keep going 100% as much as I can. So I just know that I'm not this spot is not guaranteed still. The people upcoming from freshman, the central team, they can come replace me. So I just gotta keep working um to put us in a better position to win some more games this year.

SPEAKER_03 11:15

How much pressure do you feel like that puts on yourself? Do you feel it?

SPEAKER_04 11:19

Um I do a little bit. There's a little bit of pressure that um is just built in with this quarterback position, but you know, they say pressure makes diamonds. So I trust my coaches and my teammates around me to pick me up if I'm down and I'll be there to pick them up. So I feel like it's good pressure. It's the pressure that I need that I would keep to be the best I can be.

SPEAKER_03 11:40

Yeah, and sometimes we forget, right? Like football's a game, and football's meant to be fun. As much um attention to detail and and pressure and and and whatnot is put into this game. It's still a game. What is it about football that you still enjoy so much?

SPEAKER_04 11:56

Yeah, as coaches then, all of our coaches put this in our head that this game is supposed to be fun, you know, stuff like that. But it's just uh it's just like honestly, the brotherhood that we make in this team that makes this a lot funner going out there, you know, going out to war with people that I trust and that I love and that love me. So it just makes me feel safe and at home when I I look to my left and right and see that there's people here that are really they're they're on this field together. They're they're here for me and I'm here for them. So it's just honestly like a blessing that we've made this big of a community of at Harvard. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:29

People have seen you play, they know what Bryce Owens can bring to the football field, but who is Bryce Owens away from the football field? That's the question I had that I wanted to get back to when you talk about football not being around forever. Um, who are you when the pads aren't on?

SPEAKER_04 12:45

Um, I'm actually I'm a little bit interesting, you know. I I play the piano a lot. I could I have a little weird talent stuff like that. I like to hang out with my friends. Um I like, you know, I don't really read or anything like that, but uh, you know, I'm just I'm really just a chill guy. I just do what I can and hang out with my friends a lot, stay with my family.

SPEAKER_03 13:07

So how long have you been how long have you been playing the piano?

SPEAKER_04 13:12

I've been playing, well, I've played a little bit at my great-grandma's house back in Kansas City when I was really young, but I kind of got away from that when she passed. But um, this past year or two, I've been leaning back into that because it's just it's like a calming factor to me. Like the world's chaotic and my head's going crazy. It's just kind of like an outlet.

SPEAKER_03 13:33

Yeah, everyone kind of has that something that helps um stand as something therapeutic, right? Like I sew, so I get it, right? Completely different from anything that I do. How is that release helpful for you? How have you found that it just helps you mentally and physically just have something as an outlet like playing the piano?

SPEAKER_04 13:56

Yes, ma'am, it really just like I said, it just calms me down. Yeah, it kind of just releases the chaos that you know can come with football. So I feel like it's really important for all of us to have hobbies and stuff like that, because obviously football is just a game, it's a it's meant to be have meant to be played, it meant to be had fun with. So it's just having that hobby that when not even just football and when life gets stressful, but that you can have that scapegoat to. What do you just play yourself?

SPEAKER_03 14:23

Sure, what do you like to play?

SPEAKER_04 14:26

I I'm a big Drake guy, so I can play a lot of Drake songs. Um really just all RB songs, I can play a lot of them, so that's my name.

SPEAKER_03 14:35

Okay, are we gonna have to argue which Drake album is the best? Because there's one answer.

SPEAKER_04 14:40

There's there's one answer that I'm pretty sure you're gonna say, but mine is not that one.

SPEAKER_03 14:45

What do you got? What's your answer?

SPEAKER_04 14:48

My my answer, I've never met somebody that thinks this is their favorite album, but me personally my favorite album for all the dogs.

SPEAKER_03 14:54

Okay. Okay, all right. I like it. See, take care, I think, is his best album. Top there. So that's me. I have it. I actually have it like on my record player right now. So I hands down things. Right. Uh well, that's that's great. Okay, so you also mentioned cooking. What are we doing in the kitchen?

SPEAKER_04 15:17

Me and my sister actually it really started off my grandma. We used to cook a lot um with her making pancakes and eggs and stuff like that. But um, we really cook anything and everything. She's off in college right now. She's sending me pictures of what she makes every day. It's just delicious. And it you know, makes me want to get in the kitchen to do something too. So yeah, we we are pretty dangerous with the knives in the kitchen.

SPEAKER_03 15:39

I love I love that. Are you a see what I can create on my own kind of guy? Or are you a follow a recipe kind of guy?

SPEAKER_04 15:47

I'm kind of both, but I lean more just like, you know, trying random stuff, putting this and that to see where this takes me. But you know, sometimes I'll follow a cookbook, but I I like to be original.

SPEAKER_03 15:58

I think there's something to be said about taking a recipe and then tweaking it to make it your own.

SPEAKER_04 16:04

Make it your own. Get your own little spicing.

SPEAKER_03 16:06

So what's what's the signature dish? If there was something that I said you have you've got, you know, someone Drake's coming over for dinner. What are you making Drake for dinner?

SPEAKER_04 16:15

Actually, I just made um this one dish a couple days ago for um my parents and I. It was uh for me, I made a buffalo chicken um fettuccine, Alfredo type thing. My parents, I made uh they don't eat, they're um pescatarian, so they only eat seafood and stuff like that. So I made the same thing, but put shrimp in theirs, and it was probably one of the best things I've made in a minute.

SPEAKER_03 16:36

Man, I would tell you to write that recipe down for me, but if it's just off the top of your head, uh I I commend you, and that sounds delicious.

SPEAKER_04 16:45

It was it was pretty it was pretty fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 16:48

That's awesome. Is that something you want to is culinary in your future, or is it more of just for the love of being in the kitchen?

SPEAKER_04 16:55

Honestly, it's probably just for the love. Um I just love cooking, obviously. I mean, culinary school, I've definitely thought about that. I've talked about it with my sister because I'm pretty sure that's what she wants to do now. So um I kind of like thought that you know she can do the culinary school and then she can bring the culinary school to me. So I don't have to really like go deep into that, but I always have somebody that can teach me something. So it's kind of like a the one laundra.

SPEAKER_03 17:18

That's that's a fun, that's a fun talent to have, a great talent to have. Does it make eating out at restaurants hard though? Like, oh, I could go home and make this better.

SPEAKER_04 17:26

Yeah, I sometimes it does get like that. Um when I go to restaurants though, I don't really um I don't really like to try something new. I usually just stick with the same cheeseburger, chicken strips, and fries. So sure.

SPEAKER_03 17:38

Hard to go wrong with any of that, any of that as well. When you look at the future, um, and obviously you've got a football season and a senior season ahead of you, but what what do you want the future to look like? Is football in that future or or what is where's your where are you at there?

SPEAKER_04 17:54

Yes, man. Football is definitely it's it's it's it's in my future. I would love to go off and play college somewhere, and hopefully, if the opportunity presents itself, go pro and be able to make a living off of that. So yeah, it's no, it's definitely been a big picture in my head ever since I was three. So I'd love to do it.

SPEAKER_03 18:10

That's great. Well, I know you've got a bright future ahead in 2026, leading this Harbor Wildcats team. Um, last question for you, my guy. If I were just to say, like, who is Bryce Owens? For those people who are listening, how how would you answer that question?

SPEAKER_04 18:26

Um, I would say I'm kind of just that guy that if you ever have a problem or just need something, football or not, mentally, physically, you just need help with something, I'll always be there for somebody. Because, you know, there's been times where I've needed somebody and I've had my parents, they've always been there for me. So it's just kind of like looking up to them. I would love to be like that, having just, you know, always being there for somebody when they need help because there's a lot of people out there that might feel like they don't have anybody to lean on. I just always want to be that person, even if I'm closer to you, not close to you, that you can talk to about whatever.

SPEAKER_03 18:57

Well, I appreciate the time, Bryce. Best of luck in 2026. You know, we'll be out there watching some of your games and and rooting on the Wildcats. We appreciate you, man. Yes, man. Thank you.

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