Brown’s emergence serves as rare bright spot on defense
See the ball. Go get the ball.
That’s the mentality of Rice junior defensive end Derek Brown.
Brown’s leave-it-all-onthe-field attitude is exactly what the Owls’ defensive line needed after losing some players to graduation, some to high-profile jobs and a few more to injuries.
Through 10 games this season, the 6-3, 225-pound Brown leads the team in sacks and quarterback hurries, with three each. He ranks fifth with 36 total tackles and third with 29 solo tackles. He leads all linemen in both categories.
During Saturday’s 6510 loss to Southern Miss, Brown’s forced fumble on a punt return in the fourth quarter led to Rice’s first points.
More on his plate
Rice defensive line coach Michael Slater said Brown’s role will increase in the coming weeks because of his production.
“That says a lot considering what he’s already been doing,” Slater said. “He’s now back in shape to where he feels like he can play all day, so I’m going to let him.”
In 2012, Brown played wide receiver as one of eight true freshmen to see action. He played special teams as a sophomore and was redshirted his junior year.
The Bay City product earned letters in football, basketball, track and swimming. In one game during his senior year, he amassed more than 500 yards of offense. A do-it-all player, he completed 101 of 197 passes for 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns, rushed for almost 700 yards and seven touchdowns and had 302 receiving yards on 12 receptions with two touchdowns.
He was a finalist for the Marine Corps Elite Warrior of the Year award and was named the District 23-4A utility player of the year. He also graduated in the top 10 percent of his class.
Slater knew that while Rice was recruiting Brown to be a wide receiver, he was best suited to playing defense.
“He has a meanness and that ‘it’ factor,” Slater said. “It doesn’t take much to see whether he’s running down on the kickoff or a punt, he’s not an offensive guy. He’s a very physical guy that likes to make contact.”
Rough time defensively
This season, Rice ranks last in Conference USA in pass efficiency defense, with a 184.1 rating that is 20 points higher than secondto-last-place North Texas. The Owls’ defense ranks second to last in stopping the run, allowing an average of 191.4 yards per game.
Brown’s aggression off the line and his mentality to chase the ball, though, have become in some ways a guide to the younger players in the secondary.
“It kind of keeps the secondary’s heads up,” defensive tackle Ross Winship said. “If D. Brown can do it, they can do it, too.”
Brown’s secret is that he breaks the game down, but not into quarters or drives. Into seconds.
“I tell myself that I know I can give 100 percent for seven seconds,” he said, ”and then I just keep doing it over and over.”