How Braydon Brus is Upholding the NU Linebacker Standard

By Charlie Spungin, NUSports.com

Since Tim McGarigle became Northwestern’s Linebackers Coach in 2018, he has coached six All-Big Ten linebackers, including three since the 2023 campaign.

Year after year, homegrown linebackers have stepped into starting roles and starred under McGarigle, who has been the program’s Defensive Coordinator since the 2024 season. Now, fifth-year linebacker Braydon Brus has established himself as McGarigle’s next standout linebacker.

“We’ve had a standard in that linebacker room for a really, really long time, and the homegrown guys know what it takes to be great,” McGarigle said. “It’s just so exciting to see Braydon be the leader of the linebacker room and also voted a team captain. It says a lot about how he has come along as a leader and a player.”

This season, Brus ranks second in the Big Ten with 52 tackles and third with 9.5 tackles for loss (T-13th nationally). His 3.0 sacks are tied for the third most among linebackers in the conference. He also has an interception, fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Brus is the only player in the nation to record 50+ tackles, 7.5+ tackles for loss, 3+ sacks, 1+ interception and 1+ fumble recovery this season.

The Glendora, Calif., native was also named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following his dominant performance vs. Penn State in Week 5. In his eyes, his level of play this season is the result of letting the game come to him.

“Having a year of experience under my belt, the confidence that comes with that [has slowed the game down,]” Brus said. “I’m really just trusting myself and trusting everyone to do their job within the framework of the defense. I’m not trying to do too much and find plays that aren’t there, but I’m just doing what I have to do and letting the chips fall.”

Brus first started seeing the field in 2023 as a key special teams contributor. He embraced that role, knowing that all Northwestern’s linebackers make plays on special teams before making their impact felt defensively.

In 2025, Brus earned the nod to the Wildcats’ starting Will linebacker spot, starting alongside All-Big Ten linebacker Mac Uihlein. McGarigle said that in each game since then, Brus has continued to “master” his understanding of the defense.

“He’s tirelessly, tirelessly worked in the dark for years,” McGarigle said. “When his opportunity came to contribute on special teams, what did he do? He showed up and made plays. That’s what he did. Last year, when his opportunity came to be a truly bona fide starter, he had a really, really solid year. Going into this year and having that experience from last year, I think he’s one of the top linebackers in the Big Ten right now, and it’s showing.”

As Brus entered the program in 2022 as a first-year, he sat and learned from All-Big Ten linebackers Bryce Gallagher and Xander Mueller. Each and every day, he observed how they led and operated.

Between Gallagher, Mueller and Uihlein, Brus had a trio of mentors who invested in him and helped him grow. Now, he attempts to emulate them all–both on the field and as a leader in the locker room. Evidently, it has paid off. With Brus voted captain ahead of the 2026 season, all four Wildcat linebackers have now served as captains at Northwestern.

“Learning from those guys was awesome and something I’m extremely grateful for,” Brus said. “For all of us, it’s been buying into the system we have here, upholding the standard that Coach McGarigle has created in that linebacker room, and just bringing up the level of play.”

Brus has been dominant in the middle of the field all season, alongside fellow fifth-year linebacker Kobie McKinzie. The duo has been key to holding opponents to just 17.0 points per game, the 26th-best mark nationally.

Halfway through the season, the Wildcats are 5-1 and the No. 24 team in this week’s AP Poll. It’s the best start to a team that Brus has been part of. He knows the end of his collegiate career is slowly creeping up, but he’s not ready to look back just yet.

“There will be a point in the future when the season will be over,” Brus said. “Hopefully, it’s not for a long time, late into January. It’s just a mixture of soaking in the time I get, taking some time to soak in some of the moments during game day, soaking in time with my buddies and the guys on the team in the locker room, but at the same time, realizing we have a mission. The time where you get to sit back and reminisce, there will be a time for that, but right now, our focus is going 1-0 this week.”