Dru Brown Turned a Little into A Lot
STILLWATER -- Dru Brown has that California look as the quarterback from San Mateo, Calf., by way of San Mateo College and the University of Hawaii sports two earrings and on senior night, wore a bandana under his helmet that displayed the name of his hometown of San Mateo. He looks like he would be just as comfortable walking a Cali beach with a surfboard as he is throwing a football.
A two-year starter at Hawaii, after starting out at San Mateo College because no schools offered him even a walk-on opportunity out of high school, Brown is anything but a laid back surfer dude.
Brown may be laid back, but there is purpose and thoughtfulness in about every move he makes or every sentence he utters. My first real encounter with Brown was in the football office well into this season's fall camp. Brown was like any other first-year player his first season, which he red-shirted after taking one snap when Taylor Cornelius had his helmet come off against Missouri in the Liberty Bowl, he wasn't permitted to speak with the media.
I saw Brown in the hallway and I told him I needed to apologize to him for not giving him nearly enough credit in competing with Spencer Sanders in the battle for starting quarterback.
"Mr. Allen, you don't need to do that," Brown replied. "Nobody has ever given me credit."
I thought to myself, 'Wow' this kid is amazing. Brown graduated high school in 2015, so he's got to be 23 or 24-years-old. I would say he is more mature than that. He handled seeing Sanders seize the quarterback job with a sensational performance in the opener against Oregon State. Brown never let the outside see anything other than a supportive teammate and appreciative player.
"I can only remember two days this season where he came to the quarterback room and wasn't just totally devoted and prepared," offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson said of Brown. "I really loved the support that he gave Spencer and he was always prepared."
"I think being a leader, a big part of it and I never tried to be anything other than myself," Brown explained. "Obviously, there were those two days that he pointed out, though, so everyone has a few days where we're not present."
When Sanders hand was injured so badly against Kansas that he needed surgery and was out, Brown was plenty prepared. He came in and immediately threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Stoner.
Brown got his first start on the road at West Virginia and wasn't off the charts with his performance, but was rock solid as he was 22-of-29 for 196-yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. He was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.
Then in the game against Oklahoma, Brown was 22-of-32 for 207-yards with an interception. Oklahoma played well and Oklahoma State did not have enough offense to compete that night.
After the season, the Oklahoma State players vote on captains. They vote on players that were chosen weekly during the season by the coaching staff to serve as captains based on leadership and performance. Five captains are elected by the team to permanently be recognized in that role for the 2019 season. Brown, who started just two games and played in just six, was voted a captain.
"It was definitely a big honor for me," Brown said when I spoke to him alone outside the Oklahoma State locker room. "This was a different situation. Throughout the year, I was just trying to keep a good perspective and trying to help everybody as best as I could. The fact they thought enough of me to elect me a team captain means a lot."
Gaining in appreciation for Brown, I asked him after all he has been through at OSU and with what he has to show for it, how will he look back on it?
"You know, I think that when you are in the midst of everything it is kind of tough to see the positives," Brown answered carefully and thoughtfully. "You're a football player and you want to improve and you want to go out there and play in front of thousands. That was the plan coming here and I just never really had the chance up until now. I told myself to prepare like the starter because you never know when you will get that chance and by God, if you get that chance and you are not prepared then you will regret it for the rest of your life.
"As I look back on my time here it has just been so many great relationships," Brown continued. "I have only been here two years and half the guys on this team, some of these guys will be in my wedding for sure."
Yes, and he will be asked to be in a number of teammate's weddings. That's the way it works when those people beside you know you can be counted on and know where you stand.
"I just tried to be consistent and execute and be there for my teammates and have fun because regardless of who you are, at some point football ends."
Dru Brown may have only been here two-years, but the Cowboy Culture is better because he was. He wants to eventually coach and I believe he will be good at it. Just check out his message on this past Wednesday's signing day to the young men that signed and also to the young men that didn't.
