Did 'Canes blow it with Brown or luck out?
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 12:29 PM
As if we didn’t already know, Bryce Brown got us up to speed at the beginning.
“It was like a roller-coaster,” said the hotshot running back from Wichita, Kan., referring to his recruiting ordeal that went into overtime.
A few moments later, the rough ride mercifully ended when Brown threw on a Tennessee cap to announce that he will be a Volunteer.
Nearly six weeks after other prep football stars from around the country announced their decisions on where they were going to college, Brown, the top prospect in the nation according to a couple scouting services, finally signed a letter of intent Monday.
If it were an actual roller-coaster ride, we’d like to suggest the name “Nauseous Novice.”
Let’s hope we don’t see a drawn-out process such as this for a long, long time. Preferably never again.
Last year, we played along with Terrelle Pryor’s waiting game. Although he was busy playing basketball, he probably needed some extra time to make the right decision.
On the other hand, Brown already has graduated from Wichita East High School, and his situation includes a litany of tangent annoyances. You name it. He’s had it.
Meaningless oral commitment? Check. Given to Miami in February 2008, two months after his older brother, Arthur, committed to the Hurricanes. Brown reportedly even entertained thoughts of transferring to a high school in the Miami area to be near his brother.
Meddling mentor? Check. Brown doesn’t make a move without Brian Butler, who has been referred to as an advisor, agent, trainer, handler and worse. Butler was also the man behind a Web site that offered updates on Brown’s recruitment for a fee. The site is now free of charge.
NCAA inquiry? Check. Butler’s involvement and Brown’s amateur status have been called into question. Shocking.
Ridiculous monkey wrench? Check. Last month, Butler made it known that Brown was considering forgoing college altogether to play in the Canadian Football League. Not long after, they changed their tune.
All needless. All for attention.
Maybe that’s another reason why Brown eventually chose the Vols. Tennessee is unquestionably the noisiest college football program around these days. New head coach Lane Kiffin is constantly making headlines, although rarely resulting in positive recognition.
Brown digs all that.
“I love coach Kiffin,” Brown said at his press conference held at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. “Coach Kiffin doesn’t back down. A lot of people say that Tennessee isn’t going to turn the program around instantly, but that’s not what he thinks. Coach Kiffin thinks that the program will be turned around by tomorrow.”
Everything will be more than fine tomorrow in Knoxville. But how will things be Sept. 19 when the Vols visit The Swamp?
Although he first referred to his decision as a “spiritual” one, Brown later said he was impressed by all the NFL experience on the Tennessee coaching staff and that “it was the school that’s going to prepare me for the next level.”
One has to wonder if that was as big a determinant as the fact that Miami, the team Butler said Brown remained committed to all the way up until his announcement, didn’t send a letter of intent for him to sign. The one the Hurricanes originally provided to him for signing day Feb. 4 expired two weeks later and Randy Shannon wisely decided to punt.
Brown, who faked out those gathered at his press conference by pulling out a Miami cap before handing it to his brother and donning a bright orange Tennessee one, even touched upon that sticky subject.
“I didn’t expect for it to turn out like this, but some things happened that I didn’t expect,” Brown said. “We had to come up with an alternative plan.”
“Plan B” fits perfectly in Knoxville, where it seems there is still a lot of Oakland Raider in Lane Kiffin.
