Brown proves his worth
Houston’s depth of high school talent at every position in any sport means not everyone gets their flowers while they’re around. • Morton Ranch senior defensive tackle Brandon Brown would be a perfect example, at least up until this December. • He’s been one of the biggest winners during awards season with a unanimous District 19-6A Defensive Player of the Year honor — his first as a four-year starter on varsity — a Touchdown Club of Houston finalist award, Associated Press Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year honor and now the Chronicle’s All-Greater Houston Defensive Player of the Year award. • He posted 88 tackles — 53 solo and 24 for a loss — with nine sacks, five forced fumbles and eight quarterback hurries in 2019. • There are undoubtedly comparable players from playoff teams. Morton
Ranch was 5-5 this year and finished a hair off the postseason. But if regularseason performance is the best fairest barometer for comparing players, few stack up to Brown. His film doesn’t lie. • Listed at 6-foot-1 and 319 pounds, he didn’t get much attention from college football’s power programs. Morton Ranch coach Ron Counter says Brown’s height limited what should have been 50 Division I offers to 25. Brown still found a nice landing spot by joining Tulane during December’s early signing period. Brown has family members in New Orleans. • Counter could talk all day about Brown, touting his work ethic though a career that was underrated in some ways. Keep working and the recognition will come. Counter hopes it’s a lesson that lasts at Morton Ranch. • Even then, Counter says Brown is proof there is a disconnect somewhere in the recruiting process. • “How he didn’t get more Power Five offers is beyond my comprehension,” Counter said.
Q: Do you feel any sort of validation considering the host of honors you received in the last month?
A: “For me it’s amazing because I was going through the season working hard. Nobody was really recognizing me. I was getting recognition from my school, of course. Bigger schools were thinking about offering me. I kept working to get all these awards after the season. I already signed and now it’s time for me to prove to them why they should’ve got me.”
Q: Do you feel like you were underrated?
A: “A lot of college coaches didn’t get me because of my height. I don’t feel like that stopped me. I feel like I can play in any conference at my height.”
Q: Why Tulane?
A: “They jumped on me fast. I chose it because I went on a couple visits there and I just went on my official (visit) recently. I really like it. I feel like I can fit in there. They play, with my play style, how I played in high school. They’re going to plug me right in when I get in.”
Q: Explain the art of getting a sack.
A: “People just think you have to run past (offensive linemen). For D-tackles, it’s even harder because we’re a little too big to play D-end. First of all, you have to know what (offensive linemen) do. For me, I always have to have a second move in the back of my head. The first move, the guard and center will probably push on me so that won’t work. So, I always have to come with two or three moves in my head before the play starts.”
Q: You’re a four-year starter who’s seen many experiences in Texas high school football. What is like getting to this point in you career?
A: “I was fresh out of junior high and they just threw me in the fire. Game one and the D-tackle in front of me
was hurt so I had to step up. Leading up to my senior year I had to get way bigger and faster. Overall, it’s kind of rough but for me, it’s fun because I get to put our defense against all the best players, offenses in the district. When I do well, it shows and other people see that.”
Q: What are you looking forward to the most in college football?
A: “Honestly, I just look forward to playing. If I even get on the field, the coaches were telling me if I come in in the summer and put in work, I’ll have a chance at (playing as) a true freshman. So that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
Q: At what moment did you learn you were the district’s Defensive Player of the Year?
A: “I was sitting at home and all the all-district awards
were handed out and I didn’t know it. Then my coach called me and he was like ‘Brandon, you got Defensive Player of the Year.’ I’m like ‘Wow.’ It was surreal to me because I’m like ‘Dang, I really got it.’ I told my parents. It took me a moment to realize I really got that. Last year as a junior, I was runner-up and all my coaches and even some other coaches felt like I should’ve been it. But the guy in front of me was a senior. So, when I got it as a senior, I’m like ‘OK, I actually deserved it.’
Q: How did you handle the recruiting process? A: “When I first started getting offers, it was overwhelming because everyone was trying to talk to me and I didn’t really know how to cooperate with it. But then as time started going by, you started getting your final schools and the coaches that really want you, the ones trying to talk to you every day. For me, when I started singling out those coaches that really wanted to get to know me outside of football, that’s when I knew I had my final schools.”
Q: They ran every finalists’ highlights at the Touchdown Club of Houston’s awards dinner. What was it like watching with peers and other coaches in the room?
A: “That was crazy for me. I knew all the guys in the room. I didn’t know I was going to be in the room with them. I had made every cut they were doing and on the last one, they told me ‘You’re a finalist.’ They had all the big college coaches there. So, they’re watching and seeing what I do. They missed.”
Q: Is there a chip on your shoulder?
A: “That’s how I feel. Before the games, my coach always tells me ‘You know what you gotta do.’ I have a chip on my shoulder, and I have to prove to these dudes that I can do this.”