It isn’t every day that a freshman in college can say he’s faster than a professional football player. Derrius Brooks is an exception.

At the Rod McCravy Invitational in Lexington on Feb. 2, freshman Derrius Brooks recorded a faster time than in the indoor 55-meters than Rod Smart, a former Western football player, track athlete and Sun Belt Conference champion in the event.

“Derrius actually passed Rod ‘He Hate Me’ Smart at the Invitational, which is really ironic,” coach Erik Jenkins said.

Smart has played eight seasons of professional football at all levels, and currently plays for the Tennessee-based team of the newly-formed All-American Football League.

Brooks, a freshman wide receiver, is one of two football players competing on the track and field team this season. Junior Andrew Campbell, an offensive lineman, throws shot put and weight throw for the Toppers.

Brooks holds the second-fastest time in the 55-meter dash on both the team and in the Sun Belt Indoor season.

Brooks has a successful history in track and field.

He won the Georgia Class 3A 100-meter dash championship his junior and senior years of high school.

Past Topper football players have had track success as well.

Along with Smart, former Topper Dennis Mitchell ran track and played defensive back on the football team. He holds the school record in the 60-meter dash.

T.J. Weist, assistant head coach and receivers coach for the football team, said Mitchell was an example used in recruiting Brooks.

“With Dennis Mitchell (playing two sports) and having the success that he had, Weist said. “It was a good model for (Brooks) to say ‘I want to come to Western Kentucky because I can do both football and track’.”

Brooks said that he wasn’t planning on running track when he first got to Western.

“I didn’t really focus on track, I was just going to play football,” Brooks said. “But after I thought about it, I decided to do it.”

Brooks said running track helps him control his speed and maintain balance, which is crucial in running routes as a receiver during football season.

Jenkins said Brooks fits a rare bill.

“There aren’t many football players who have true track and field speed,” Jenkins said. “They’re quick, but not necessarily fast. Derrius realistically has track and field speed.”

Jenkins said that the football program has the potential to be very beneficial for the track program.

“I think for us and our overall sucess, football could be an integral part of us adding depth to our relay pools or throwing areas.” he said.

Relay team wins Sun Belt honors

The men’s 4×400 relay team of sophomores Gavin Smellie and Terrill McCombs and juniors Romaine McKay and Steve Wilson were named Sun Belt track athletes of the week on Tuesday.

Their time of three minutes, 11.19 seconds at the Rod McCravy Invitational in Lexington was good enough for eighth-place, and shattered the school record by over a second.

Reach Chris Acree at sports@chherald.com.