James Brown (American football)
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| James Brown | |
|---|---|
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| Date of birth: | May 17, 1975 |
| Place of birth: |  Beaumont, Texas |
| Career information | |
| Position(s): | QB |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| College: | Texas |
| Career highlights and Awards | |
| Awards: | 1995 SWC Offensive Player of the Year |
James Brown (born May 17, 1975 in Beaumont, Texas) is a former American football quarterback. He was the starting quarterback of the Texas Longhorns from 1994 to 1997. At the time, he was only the second black quarterback to guide Texas through an entire season (after Donnie Little in 1978), and is credited for "opening doors" for future black quarterbacks at Texas, such as Vince Young.[1]
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[edit] Longhorns career
The Beaumont, Texas, native and West Brook Senior High School graduate came to UT as the state's top quarterback prospect, and, after redshirting in 1993, he went on to turn in a record-setting career. Brown finished with 30 Longhorn records, including passing yards (7,638), total offense (8,049) and touchdown passes (53). A team captain in 1997, Brown became the first Longhorn quarterback in 20 years to earn first-team All-Southwest Conference (SWC) honors (Marty Akins, 1975) en route to leading Texas to the final SWC Championship, a 10-2-1 record, and a berth in the Sugar bowl in 1995. He was also named SWC Offensive Player of the Year that season. In 1996, Brown guided Texas through a late season surge that was capped off by a stunning upset of defending National Champion Nebraska in the inaugural Big 12 championship game.
[edit] Roll Left
Perhaps the defining moment of his Texas career came in the aforementioned Big 12 title game. The Longhorns were clinging to a 30-27 lead late in the fourth quarter, but faced fourth-and-inches at their own 28-yard line. Texas coach John Mackovic decided to gamble for the first down, calling "roll left", a staple of the team's goal-line offense. The play called for Brown to fake to running back Priest Holmes and roll to his left. Before the play, Mackovic told him on the sidelines "come to run", intending for Brown to run for the first down. Brown took the snap, but as he rolled out, he saw his tight end Derek Lewis behind the Cornhuskers defense. He stopped and threw the ball to the wide-open Lewis, who ran down the sidelines for a 61-yard gain. On the next play, Holmes ran for the touchdown that essentially clinched the game and the Big 12 title for the Longhorns.[2]
[edit] After college
Considered too small at 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m), Brown has never played in the National Football League. As a professional, Brown had a tryout in the Canadian Football League and spent four seasons at various levels in the Arena Football League. In 2003, he signed with the Frankfurt Galaxy of the NFL Europe.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Brown's QB success with Texas has opened doors for blacks
- ^ Great Games & Moments: 1990s. Texas Longhorns Football History. The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
- ^ Former Longhorns quarterback shining in NFL Europe
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Shea Morenz |
University of Texas Quarterback 1994–1997 |
Succeeded by Major Applewhite |
