Recruiting Regions: Sheboygan, Green Bay, Northeast Wisconsin, Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the southeastern United States
After a very successful debut season, Colin Bruton returns for his second year as head coach of the Lakeland football team.
Bruton’s first year leading the Muskies was a hit, as the team went undefeated in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference and made their first trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs since 2009. Lakeland finished 8-3 and concluded the regular season on a seven-game winning streak before falling to Wheaton in the first round of the playoffs. The Muskies boasted one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country in Michael Whitley, and along with an opportunistic defense and special teams won eight games for the first time in 10 years.
Bruton took over the head coaching position after serving as Lakeland's defensive coordinator under former coach Kevin Doherty for eight years, and he continues to run the defensive unit. His Lakeland defenses have been known as attacking, aggressive units that performed well in the NACC,
The Muskies’ 2014 defense ranked them among the top defenses in all of Division III, finishing in the top 25 in 10 national statistical defensive categories last season, including the top 10 in seven categories. The Muskies were third in rush defense and red zone defense, eighth in total defense, sacks and tackles for loss per game, 14th in scoring defense and 17th in fewest first downs allowed. Bruton was recognized for the team's fine season as he was named one of six finalists nationally for the FootballScoop.com Division III Coordinator of the Year.
Under Bruton, Muskie defenses also led the NACC in scoring defense and total defense in 2011 and were second in total defense in both 2008 and 2010 as well as second in scoring defense in 2010. Lakeland also led the conference in turnovers forced in 2010 and ranked in the top half in the conference in turnovers forced three times in four years from 2008-11.
Prior to arriving at Lakeland, Bruton served for three years as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He played collegiately at Benedictine, where he was a two-year starter and three-year letter winner from 1999-2001.
Bruton completed his bachelor's degree in 2004 at the University of Illinois, where he majored in political science. He also has a master's degree in adult education from UW-Platteville, which he completed in 2006.
Bruton and wife Brenda were married in 2013, and the couple resides in Sheboygan with sons Colton (7) and Canaan (1).
