Post by cviller on Jan 31, 2009 10:02:01 GMT -5
by jim butta
Ask anyone who has had to accomplish it-replacing a legend isn't easy.
That, however, will be the case when senior-to-be Jarrett Brown begins his final season in the gold and blue as West Virginia's starting quarterback.
"They (the coaches) know that I've waited four years for this," Brown said Thursday night. "The coaches are going to continue to push me, but it's going to be fun."
Brown was in the area, along with teammates Josh Jenkins, Matt Timmerman, Jon Walko, Nate Sowers, Wes Lyons, Selvish Capers, Chris Neild, Trippe Hale and Thor Merrow, as part of the Parkersburg Boys and Girls Club annual Steak and Burger Dinner held at the Grand Pointe Conference Center.
"There's going to be a different swagger on the offense this fall," added Brown, who has two starts under his belt during his tenure with the gold and blue.
"I've seen him (Brown) play since his freshman year," said Lyons, a senior wide receiver. "It's just his time to take over."
But, what a time to do so.
Brown, who has completed 81-of-125 attempts for 839 yards and five touchdowns and four interceptions, won't be replacing just any quarterback. The Florida-native will be asked to take over for No. 5-Patrick White.
Forget the fact that White leaves Morgantown as the all-time NCAA rushing leader among quarterbacks with 4,480 yards.
Forget that White piloted the Mountaineers to four consecutive bowl victories, including BCS wins over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, a 42-9 overall mark and was named the Big East's Offensive Player of the Year as both a sophomore and a junior.
"I realize that part of it," added Brown, who was making his first trip to the area. "But, there's really not any more pressure on me this year than any other year."
The senior signal-caller is best remembered for his play on a cold and wintry night in Morgantown when he was needed to take over for an-injured White against a Rutgers team that was looking to claim its first Big East crown on the playing surface at Mountaineer Field. Brown made the most of his first collegiate start, however, by piling up 317 yards of total offense (244 yards passing and a touchdown) and scored a touchdown on a 40-yard run to lead WVU to a triple-overtime victory over the Scarlet Knights.
"That was my freshman year," said Lyons, who latched onto 11 passes for 104 yards during WVU's 9-4 campaign this past season. "I could tell right then that he could one day be our starting quarterback."
The comparisons will be inevitable, however, and both Brown and Lyons understand that.
"He (Brown) doesn't have Pat's ability to juke and make tacklers miss him," continued Lyons. "But, he is also a bigger quarterback and he has a cannon for an arm."
Brown also possesses one more item-Pat White's advice.
"We talked," said Brown. "What he (White) told me was to be a leader. To lead by example and that everybody would follow me if I did that."
Will No. 16 make Mountaineer fans forget about No. 5? Unlikely.
But, given the right tools around him, Brown can make a name for himself this fall and in the process lead WVU back into contention for the Big East title and yet another BCS bowl trip in January.
Contact Jim Butta at
jbutta@newsandsentinel.com
