Brown caps his career with big day
TORONTO — Connecticut special teams kept finding ways to keep the ball out of Donald Brown’s hands Saturday, but the Huskies’ tailback still managed to rack up 261 yards in their 38-20 International Bowl victory over the University at Buffalo.
The Huskies lost five fumbles in the first half — including one by Brown — and fell behind by 20-10, but coach Randy Edsall’s team was bailed out by Brown and its defense in the second half.
Brown ended up with 29 carries in his final collegiate game. The 5-foot-10, 210- pound junior from Atlantic Highlands,
N. J., announced at the postgame news conference that he would give up his final season of eligibility at UConn to enter the National Football League draft.
Brown finalized his decision Friday after a meeting with his parents and Edsall.
“I’m not coming back. I’m going to pursue the NFL,” Brown said in what was not a totally surprising announcement.
“I told him I’m behind him 150 percent,” Edsall said.
The decision to go pro was made after Edsall gathered information on Brown’s draft worthiness from NFL sources and passed it on to the player and his parents.
Edsall, who envisioned Brown as a Heisman Trophy and All-America candidate in 2009, said he had only one regret: “It’s just a shame he’s not going to get the recognition he so richly deserves.”
Brown did make one All-America team, the Walter Camp Foundation team.
“I worked my tail off since last January to put myself in the position to have the option of whether to stay or leave,” Brown said.
UConn’s two tailbacks — Brown and freshman Jordan Todman — averaged 9 yards a carry between them. UB tailbacks James Starks and Brandon Thermilus managed only 30 yards on 16 carries (an average of 1.9 yards per rush) against the UConn defense. Huskies quarterback Tyler Lorenzen attempted only six passes, completing four including a 4-yard touchdown throw to tight end Steve Brouse to put Connecticut in front, 24-20, in the third quarter.
The Huskies looked like they were headed for trouble when the fell behind, 20-10, with 7:55 left in the second quarter on a 4-yard run by Starks, one play after another UConn fumble. UB traveled only 24 yards for its 20 points, thanks to the five UConn fumbles, which included two muffed punts and one botched kickoff return. UB’s Ray Anthony Long recovered a muffed punt in the end zone 3:24 into the second quarter to tie the game, 10-10.
“Our defense would have had a shutout if it weren’t for some of the blunders we made,” Edsall said.
Edsall was particularly pleased with his defense because UB is a team with impressive offensive weapons — a 3,000- yard passer (Drew Willy), a 1,300-yard running back (Starks) and a 1,300-yard receiver (Naaman Roosevelt).
The biggest defensive play of the game as it turned out was by UConn senior linebacker Dahna Deleston, who picked off a pass in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for UConn’s insurance touchdown with 2:15 left.
“I was shocked I caught it,” Deleston said with a laugh. “When I got to the 30- yard line, I thought ‘I’m really going to make it.’ ” But when I got to the end zone I realized how tired I was.”
It turned out that it was UB’s last gasp.
