Curtis Brown (running back)
Encyclopedia
Curtis Brown is an American former football
running back
. He briefly played for the Cincinnati Bengals
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Brown played college football
at BYU, where he set the school record for rushing
yards.
to parents Herman and Cheryl Brown. He attended Paraclete High School
in Lancaster, California
, where he played interscholastic football
. As a freshman, he recorded 1,094 rushing yards. During his sophomore year, he set the California state record for rushing with 2,645 yards. During his senior season, Paraclete finished with a perfect 12–0 record and secured its fourth consecutive CIF Division XII championship. In total, Brown amassed 7,045 career yards during his high school years. His honors included a place on the 1999 All-California Interscholastic Federation
Division XII team and selection as an All-CIF Division XII Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
, Clemson
, Idaho State
, UCLA
, and Miami (Ohio)
, before he ultimately committed to attend Brigham Young University
. He later said he believed his experience at a private high school prepared him for the culture shock of the overwhelmingly Mormon
, predominately white campus at Brigham Young, but was surprised at the difficulty of the adjustment. During his freshman year at BYU, he considered transferring to another school.
In February, 2004, Brown was baptized and confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His mother, who like the rest of his family is not a Mormon, expressed happiness for Brown's decision and appreciation for the support of the BYU community. Brown played alongside running back Fahu Tahi, whom he nicknamed "Pops" for his extended tenure with the Cougars. During Brown's time at BYU, he was mentored by former record-setting running back Luke Staley
.
As a true freshman during the 2002 season, he saw action in all twelve games. Against , Brown replaced injured starter
Marcus Whalen, and rushed for 217 yards and three touchdown
s, and made four reception
s for 48 yards. Brown became the fourth BYU player to run for more than 200 yards in a single game. The performance helped the Cougars recover from a deficit to win, 35–34, and earned him honors as the Mountain West Conference
Offensive Player of the Week. Brown sat out the 2003 season as a redshirt.
In 2004, Brown played in all eleven games and was named to the All-Mountain West Conference second team. Against UNLV
, BYU lost, 24–20. In the game, Brown received only eight carries
, but ran for 102 yards, and "the Rebels were seemingly helpless to stop" him. The Salt Lake City Tribune noted that he refused to criticize the playcalling of head coach Gary Crowton
and instead replied, "I just do my thing." Wyoming
head coach Joe Glenn
said of Brown, "He's got some strong legs. Las Vegas put some great shots on him and he ran through some tackle
s. You've really got to bring your feet when you tackle this guy." Against , Brown recorded 106 rushing yards on 16 carries, which made him the first BYU player since 2001 to post four consecutive 100-yard performances. He gave credit for his play to the BYU offensive line. Brown pushed his college career mark past 1,000 rushing yards in the game against , which made him only the fourth BYU player to surpass that number as a sophomore.
As a junior in 2005, Brown recorded 210 carries for 1,123 rushing yards and 53 receptions for 454 receiving yards. He was named to the All-Mountain West Conference first team, and was twice named the conference's Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts against and .
In his final season in 2006
, he repeated as an All-Mountain West Conference first team selection and recorded 1,010 rushing yards. John Beck and Brown became the first BYU quarterback
-tailback tandem to twice record 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, respectively, in the same season. Brown became the all-time rushing leader at BYU during his senior year. From 2002 to 2006, he accumulated 3,218 career yards, which eclipsed the previous mark set by Jamal Willis. After breaking the rushing record, Brown praised the play of the offensive line rather than take credit for the accomplishment himself. He averaged over five yards per carry during his college tenure. Brown's record was in turn surpassed by Harvey Unga
on November 21, 2009.
After college, Brown was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
and played on the team during the 2007 preseason
. He saw action in all four games and recorded stats against Detroit
, New Orleans
, and Indianapolis
. Ultimately, he did not make the team's final roster.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He briefly played for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Brown played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at BYU, where he set the school record for rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
yards.
Early life
Brown was born on March 3, 1984 in Palmdale, CaliforniaPalmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
to parents Herman and Cheryl Brown. He attended Paraclete High School
Paraclete High School
Paraclete High School is a Roman Catholic high school in Lancaster, California, affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It was established in 1963. 186 seniors graduated in the 2006-2007 school year...
in Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
, where he played interscholastic football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
. As a freshman, he recorded 1,094 rushing yards. During his sophomore year, he set the California state record for rushing with 2,645 yards. During his senior season, Paraclete finished with a perfect 12–0 record and secured its fourth consecutive CIF Division XII championship. In total, Brown amassed 7,045 career yards during his high school years. His honors included a place on the 1999 All-California Interscholastic Federation
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
Division XII team and selection as an All-CIF Division XII Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
College career
Brown was recruited out of high school by Washington StateWashington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
, Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Idaho State
Idaho State Bengals football
The Idaho State Bengals football program represents Idaho State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . As of the end of the 2010 season they have an all-time record of 449–463–20...
, UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
, and Miami (Ohio)
Miami RedHawks football
The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
, before he ultimately committed to attend Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. He later said he believed his experience at a private high school prepared him for the culture shock of the overwhelmingly Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
, predominately white campus at Brigham Young, but was surprised at the difficulty of the adjustment. During his freshman year at BYU, he considered transferring to another school.
In February, 2004, Brown was baptized and confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His mother, who like the rest of his family is not a Mormon, expressed happiness for Brown's decision and appreciation for the support of the BYU community. Brown played alongside running back Fahu Tahi, whom he nicknamed "Pops" for his extended tenure with the Cougars. During Brown's time at BYU, he was mentored by former record-setting running back Luke Staley
Luke Staley
Lucas Staley is a former American football player who starred as a running back at Brigham Young University from 1999 to 2001.-High school career:...
.
As a true freshman during the 2002 season, he saw action in all twelve games. Against , Brown replaced injured starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
Marcus Whalen, and rushed for 217 yards and three touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, and made four reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 48 yards. Brown became the fourth BYU player to run for more than 200 yards in a single game. The performance helped the Cougars recover from a deficit to win, 35–34, and earned him honors as the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
Offensive Player of the Week. Brown sat out the 2003 season as a redshirt.
In 2004, Brown played in all eleven games and was named to the All-Mountain West Conference second team. Against UNLV
UNLV Rebels football
The UNLV Rebels football program is a college football team that represents the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . The team is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association...
, BYU lost, 24–20. In the game, Brown received only eight carries
Carry (American football)
In American football, a carry is a statistical term equivalent to a single rushing play. The term is typically used in reference to "yards per carry," meaning yards per attempt rushing the ball. Any offensive player who performs a carry is known as a ballcarrier, regardless of position....
, but ran for 102 yards, and "the Rebels were seemingly helpless to stop" him. The Salt Lake City Tribune noted that he refused to criticize the playcalling of head coach Gary Crowton
Gary Crowton
-External links:* *...
and instead replied, "I just do my thing." Wyoming
Wyoming Cowboys football
The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles...
head coach Joe Glenn
Joe Glenn
Joe Glenn may refer to:*Joe Glenn , American football coach*Joe Glenn , Major League catcher...
said of Brown, "He's got some strong legs. Las Vegas put some great shots on him and he ran through some tackle
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
s. You've really got to bring your feet when you tackle this guy." Against , Brown recorded 106 rushing yards on 16 carries, which made him the first BYU player since 2001 to post four consecutive 100-yard performances. He gave credit for his play to the BYU offensive line. Brown pushed his college career mark past 1,000 rushing yards in the game against , which made him only the fourth BYU player to surpass that number as a sophomore.
As a junior in 2005, Brown recorded 210 carries for 1,123 rushing yards and 53 receptions for 454 receiving yards. He was named to the All-Mountain West Conference first team, and was twice named the conference's Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts against and .
In his final season in 2006
2006 BYU Cougars football team
The 2006 BYU Cougars football team represents Brigham Young University in the 2006 college football season. The Cougars won the Mountain West Conference championship outright with an 11-2 record , their first unbeaten conference play since 2001...
, he repeated as an All-Mountain West Conference first team selection and recorded 1,010 rushing yards. John Beck and Brown became the first BYU quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
-tailback tandem to twice record 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, respectively, in the same season. Brown became the all-time rushing leader at BYU during his senior year. From 2002 to 2006, he accumulated 3,218 career yards, which eclipsed the previous mark set by Jamal Willis. After breaking the rushing record, Brown praised the play of the offensive line rather than take credit for the accomplishment himself. He averaged over five yards per carry during his college tenure. Brown's record was in turn surpassed by Harvey Unga
Harvey Unga
-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....
on November 21, 2009.
After college, Brown was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and played on the team during the 2007 preseason
2007 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2007 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and their 40th overall season. The team attempted to improve upon their 8–8 record in 2006 and were looking to return to the playoffs after narrowly missing them...
. He saw action in all four games and recorded stats against Detroit
2007 Detroit Lions season
The 2007 Detroit Lions season was the 78th season for the team in the National Football League. After starting the 2007 season with a 6-2 record, the Lions lost 7 of their last 8 games. They finished with a 7-9 record for their seventh consecutive losing season...
, New Orleans
2007 New Orleans Saints season
-Game summary:The 2007 New Orleans Saints began their regular season in the annual Thursday night Kickoff game against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning completed a 27-yard TD pass to WR Marvin...
, and Indianapolis
2007 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2007 Indianapolis Colts season was the 55th season for the team in the National Football League and 24th in Indianapolis. The 2007 Indianapolis Colts improved upon their 12–4 record from 2006 as well as winning their 5th straight AFC South Championship. They finished the season 13–3 and lost to...
. Ultimately, he did not make the team's final roster.