Buckeye1980
10-29-2009, 08:56 PM
Texas' Curtis Brown delivering at cornerback
By Suzanne Halliburton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Curtis Brown promised his grandmother back when he was attending Gilmer High School he'd take care of his grades and find a way to college.
Football, as he said, eventually found him. And in a very emphatic way.
Brown graduated from high school a semester early, arriving in Austin in January 2007 as one of the most acclaimed recruits among the Longhorn signees. And he had a leg up on the rest of the pack because he was in Austin in time for a month of spring training.
Yet it took the lanky cornerback more time than initially expected to actually live up to the billing that said he was among the top three cornerback prep prospects in the country.
"It just wasn't my time yet," Brown said earlier this week as he and his Texas teammates prepared for Saturday's game against Oklahoma State.
Brown, mostly because of an injury to a teammate, made his college debut this time a year ago against Oklahoma State. He had the unenviable assignment of covering Cowboys All-American wide receiver Dez Bryant.
The game ended as Brown, camping in the north end zone of Royal-Memorial Stadium, slapped away quarterback Zac Robinson's final futile pass to Bryant, preserving the Longhorns' 28-24 victory.
But nothing has kept Brown out of the starting lineup this year, not even a concussion in August when he ran full-speed into linebacker Emmanuel Acho.
The head injury sidelined him for the last two weeks of preseason camp, but he still held off competition from two of last year's first-team cornerbacks.
"He just needed the reps," said Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. "His confidence is at a high level because he's playing so well."
Brown, the 21-year-old self-confessed late bloomer, has had a nice stretch of games.
In a 16-13 victory over Oklahoma on Oct. 17, he broke up a first-quarter pass in the end zone intended for Sooner wideout Cameron Kenney. OU was forced to settle for a field goal. Brown also forced a fumble later in the game.
In Saturday's 41-7 win at Missouri, Brown blocked a punt just before half.
It was recovered by UT receiver Malcolm Williams for a touchdown.
Statistically, his best game was against Texas Tech, when he registered nine tackles. He's leading the team with 10 pass breakups.
His friends in the secondary call Brown the "Cat."
"It's cause you can't knock him off his feet," said Duane Akina, the Longhorns secondary coach.
"He's been nice to watch. He's a phenomenal athlete, probably one of the most phenomenal I've ever coached."
Akina likened Brown to Nathan Vasher, the school's co-record-holder for career interceptions.
Vasher now plays for the Chicago Bears.
Akina said the players both were known most for their receiving abilities in high school.
Vasher was able to make a quicker transition to safety, then cornerback.
It took Brown a bit longer. He was a cornerback his sophomore year in high school, but played receiver and running back his final two years.
He said only Oklahoma and Texas offered him a scholarship as a defensive back. The dozens of other schools interested in his services wanted him as a receiver.
He decided to stay closer to home, nearer to "M'Dear," his paternal grandmother who raised him as her son since Brown was 6 weeks old.
Brown also is celebrating the birth of his daughter. Alayah, who lives with her mother in Houston, was born Oct. 1, during UT's bye week.
"She knew when to come — when Daddy was off," Brown said.
Meanwhile, he's playing all special teams, while manning the right cornerback spot.
"The one thing the high school coaches told us when we took him is that he's got a good heart," said Texas coach Mack Brown.
"He's going to try and do everything right, and he's done that. And I'm really, really proud of him.
By Suzanne Halliburton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Curtis Brown promised his grandmother back when he was attending Gilmer High School he'd take care of his grades and find a way to college.
Football, as he said, eventually found him. And in a very emphatic way.
Brown graduated from high school a semester early, arriving in Austin in January 2007 as one of the most acclaimed recruits among the Longhorn signees. And he had a leg up on the rest of the pack because he was in Austin in time for a month of spring training.
Yet it took the lanky cornerback more time than initially expected to actually live up to the billing that said he was among the top three cornerback prep prospects in the country.
"It just wasn't my time yet," Brown said earlier this week as he and his Texas teammates prepared for Saturday's game against Oklahoma State.
Brown, mostly because of an injury to a teammate, made his college debut this time a year ago against Oklahoma State. He had the unenviable assignment of covering Cowboys All-American wide receiver Dez Bryant.
The game ended as Brown, camping in the north end zone of Royal-Memorial Stadium, slapped away quarterback Zac Robinson's final futile pass to Bryant, preserving the Longhorns' 28-24 victory.
But nothing has kept Brown out of the starting lineup this year, not even a concussion in August when he ran full-speed into linebacker Emmanuel Acho.
The head injury sidelined him for the last two weeks of preseason camp, but he still held off competition from two of last year's first-team cornerbacks.
"He just needed the reps," said Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. "His confidence is at a high level because he's playing so well."
Brown, the 21-year-old self-confessed late bloomer, has had a nice stretch of games.
In a 16-13 victory over Oklahoma on Oct. 17, he broke up a first-quarter pass in the end zone intended for Sooner wideout Cameron Kenney. OU was forced to settle for a field goal. Brown also forced a fumble later in the game.
In Saturday's 41-7 win at Missouri, Brown blocked a punt just before half.
It was recovered by UT receiver Malcolm Williams for a touchdown.
Statistically, his best game was against Texas Tech, when he registered nine tackles. He's leading the team with 10 pass breakups.
His friends in the secondary call Brown the "Cat."
"It's cause you can't knock him off his feet," said Duane Akina, the Longhorns secondary coach.
"He's been nice to watch. He's a phenomenal athlete, probably one of the most phenomenal I've ever coached."
Akina likened Brown to Nathan Vasher, the school's co-record-holder for career interceptions.
Vasher now plays for the Chicago Bears.
Akina said the players both were known most for their receiving abilities in high school.
Vasher was able to make a quicker transition to safety, then cornerback.
It took Brown a bit longer. He was a cornerback his sophomore year in high school, but played receiver and running back his final two years.
He said only Oklahoma and Texas offered him a scholarship as a defensive back. The dozens of other schools interested in his services wanted him as a receiver.
He decided to stay closer to home, nearer to "M'Dear," his paternal grandmother who raised him as her son since Brown was 6 weeks old.
Brown also is celebrating the birth of his daughter. Alayah, who lives with her mother in Houston, was born Oct. 1, during UT's bye week.
"She knew when to come — when Daddy was off," Brown said.
Meanwhile, he's playing all special teams, while manning the right cornerback spot.
"The one thing the high school coaches told us when we took him is that he's got a good heart," said Texas coach Mack Brown.
"He's going to try and do everything right, and he's done that. And I'm really, really proud of him.