Butler Column

[Captain Kangaroo]

Butler divided by Motor City Bowl

By Mike Prisuta

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Monday, December 26, 2005

Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler's mind will be on the Detroit Lions today, but his heart will be in Detroit.

That's where Memphis and Akron are scheduled to square off at 4 p.m. in the Motor City Bowl.

Butler's son Blake will start at right guard for Memphis.

Another one of Butler's sons, Brandon, can be found on Akron's roster as a reserve at linebacker and defensive end.

"It's gonna settle a lot of arguments in my household, because there's been some the last two years," Keith Butler said. "Who had the better conference, Conference USA or the MAC (Mid-American)? Who was a better team, Akron or Memphis?

"They've argued that for two years now. We'll get some arguments settled, for sure."

Blake Butler, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound junior, has also started at center this season for Memphis, which happens to be Keith Butler's alma mater and one of the elder Butler's four stops on a 16-year coaching career that began following 10 NFL seasons as a linebacker with the Seattle Seahawks.

Brandon Butler, a 6-foot-2, 242-pound redshirt sophomore, has resumed practicing after a bout with mono but isn't expected to see any game action.

"I tried to get him to walk on at Memphis and he would not do it; he wanted to go his own way," Keith Butler said. "I kind of admire him for that.

"I think he would die to get in this game if he could."

It's just as well that he won't, his father suspected.

"If they played in a game against each other, I would guess they would probably both get thrown out for fighting," he said.

He meant for fighting each other.

"They almost get in a fight when they come home," Keith Butler said. "And it's hard for me to break them up now."

Both Blake and Brandon aspire to follow in their father's footsteps into the NFL, but they have been cautioned against the dangers of taking such a transition for granted.

"The thing I've told them is, you can chase your dream, and there's nothing wrong with having that dream," Keith Butler said. "But, at the same time, you have to be realistic, because that dream could be gone in one play. My thing with both of them is, make sure they get their education and have something to fall back on, other than being a dumb, old coach like their dad."

Those coaching responsibilities preparing for the Steelers' regular-season finale on Sunday against the Lions will prevent Keith Butler from making it to Ford Field this afternoon.

"We'll be game-planning and all that stuff," he said. "My wife (Janet) will go up. It's good for her because she only has to go to one place. I don't know who she's going to pull for. I told her, 'Remember, you went to school at Memphis.' I'm kind of down the middle a little bit, but my heart goes to Memphis. It's tough for me to say which team I'm for; I'm for my sons.

"I'll definitely get the film. I like the film better because I can run it back and see who's making mistakes. I look at it from a coach's view, probably too much. My wife tells me, 'Hey, you're their dad, not their coach.' I kind of have to guard against being too critical of them."

[InTheZone]

There was also an article in the Beacon Journal about the Butlers (sorry Cap'n, I know you hate the paper). Apparently they were both also local high school players at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. Sounds like Brandon Butler had a pretty rough season, being injured, getting mono, and then losing to his brother. Ouch.

Brothers hope for bragging rights

Sibling rivalry heats up as Zips prepare to face Memphis in the Motor City Bowl

By David Lee Morgan Jr. Beacon Journal sportswriter

What a Christmas present for the Butler family.

Keith and Janet Butler will have the opportunity to watch their two sons -- Blake and Brandon -- play in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26 at Ford Field in Detroit.

The University of Akron will face the University of Memphis.

Brother against brother.

Blake is the starting center for the Tigers (6-5), and younger brother Brandon is a defensive lineman for the Zips (7-5).

And it doesn't matter that Brandon hasn't appeared in any games this season. He'll be in uniform and on the sideline for the game, one that means a lot in the Butler home.

``It seems like every time we're home, we're arguing about who's the better team, who has the better conference, who put more players in the NFL and who has the better stats,'' Blake said. ``Whoever loses this game won't be able to say anything for a long time.''

Brandon said he has tried to show his older brother the light. He said last year's GMAC Bowl should have proved his point. He was referring to Memphis' 52-35 loss to Mid-American Conference representative Bowling Green.

``I've always told Blake that the MAC has the better teams (than Conference USA), just look at last year,'' Brandon said. ``Memphis played Bowling Green, which finished third (in the MAC West Division). They didn't even win the MAC, and they blew out Memphis. I think the MAC has shown the last two years that we're the top mid-major conference.''

Keith Butler, who is a former All-American linebacker at Memphis where he also was an assistant coach, can't wait for the big game so that the debate can be settled.

``Honestly, we're all glad in our house that they're playing each other because we've had arguments and arguments and arguments about who's better and who plays in the better conference,'' said Butler, who is the linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. ``All of those things have been argued for the last three or four years.''

Don't get the wrong idea. It's been a friendly argument. But both players want those bragging rights, which the winner will own for years.

``We argue but it's nothing serious,'' Brandon said. ``We're just a competitive family, that's all.''

The Butlers' competitive nature goes way back. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy football coach Ray Carroscia saw it firsthand when the Butler brothers played for the Royals. At the time, Keith Butler was the linebackers coach for the Browns from 1999-2002 and the family lived in Hudson. Blake graduated from CVCA in 2002, Brandon in 2003.

``Blake and Brandon were very good football players for us,'' Carroscia said. ``They were aggressive and competitive players who had a great knowledge of the game being coach's sons. Blake was dominant on the offensive line, and Brandon was a very good defensive end and linebacker.''

The two players were also all-conference performers. ``They were fun kids to coach, and they brought a lot of positive energy to the program,'' Carroscia said.

Keith Butler was hoping that both of his sons would play at his alma mater.

``Blake decided to go to Memphis, and I tried to get Brandon to go down there because that's where I went to school and where I coached for eight years,'' he said. ``Brandon wanted to go his own way and do his own thing, and I admire him for that.''

Brandon said several MAC schools, including UA, were actively recruiting him when he was a junior linebacker at CVCA. But after his junior year, he was moved to the defensive line because the Royals were hit hard up front due to graduation. Brandon accepted the challenge, even though he was undersized, and still made all-conference.

``I think a lot of schools backed off when I moved to the line but Akron and (former head coach) Lee Owens stuck with me and said they were still interested,'' Brandon said. ``That's why I chose Akron.''

This year, Brandon has battled through leg injuries and mononucleosis, which accounted for his 20-pound weight loss. He's 6-foot-3, 220 pounds.

Brandon said a doctor in the Pittsburgh area advised him to shut it down for the season. That wasn't happening.

``When I knew we were going to play Memphis, I had to get cleared,'' Brandon said. ``I know I'm not going to play, but I just have to be on the sideline for this.''

Blake said: ``When I found out that we were playing Akron, I called Brandon right away and said, `Now, we can settle this.' ''

Janet Butler is the one who is keeping everything in perspective:

``I knew that this could possibly happen, and I thought it would be great because I wouldn't have to worry about trying to be in two different places. But I think the argument is going to continue, regardless of who wins, because someone will have an excuse.''