A Big Return: How Chase Brown immediately helps Illini? Special Teams

Western Michigan transfer Chase Brown was granted eligibility four days before last weekend's game vs. Michigan

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Chase Brown had probably resigned himself that he’d never suit up in game for Illinois this season.

Illini coaching staff members admitted Monday they weren’t expecting the Western Michigan transfer getting his immediately eligible waiver appeal granted. However, there Brown was touching a second-quarter kickoff after the NCAA finally came through.

“I guess better later than never," Illinois head coach Lovie Smith said after the 42-25 loss to Michigan. "He’s been going against the (number) one defense on the (practice) squad all year. He’s going to be a heck of a football player for us. We’ll see how we work him into the rotation."

Brown, who transferred to Illinois to play with his twin brother Sydney, got his transfer waiver granted Wednesday giving the Illini program just two full days of practice to get the 5-foot-11, 195-pound tailback ready to play Michigan. The Illinois offensive coaches decided that Chase Brown might be best suited for helping the team on the kickoff return team to give the Illini a jolt in special teams. Judging by the Monday assessment of offensive coordinator Rod Smith, Illini fans should be prepared to see Chase Brown on special teams throughout the remaining six games of this regular season.

“It’s good because obviously he’s a really good tailback but we didn’t plan on having him to be honest with you,” Rod Smith said Monday. “He really hasn’t been doing any of our offense in reps in practice. Now, what he can do for us immediately is on kickoff return and special teams.”

Rod Smith confirmed Chase Brown immediately has been promoted from the scout-team offense and will be slowly implemented into the offensive system. However, it is highly unlucky to see Chase Brown, who has three years of eligibility left, getting offensive touches ahead of established tailbacks Reggie Corbin, Dre Brown or Ra’Von Bonner.

“It’s going to take some time to get him up to speed as a back but it does give us another back and hopefully he can help us this season,” Rod Smith said. “(Illinois running backs coach Mike Bellamy) will get him implemented as soon as possible.”

Maryland wide receiver Jeshaun Jones (6) reaches for a touchdown as Illinois defensive back Sydney Brown (30) defends during the third quarter of a 2018 game at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium :: Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports

Sydney Brown has three starts at safety this season after sitting out the first two games of the 2019 campaign with an injury. In the first game playing with his twin brother, Sydney Brown had 10 tackles against Michigan.

Chase Brown, who is originally from Ontario, Canada but moved to Florida before high school, was a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com and ranked the No. 59 running back in the nation by 247Sports.com. Chase Brown was the all-time leading rusher at St. Stephens Episcopal (Fla.) High School and as a senior, had 1,508 yards on 98 carries (15.9 yards/carry) with 27 touchdowns.

Brown initially decided to play at Western Michigan over scholarship offers from Purdue, UCF, Syracuse, Illinois, Ole Miss, Indiana, Tulane and Wake Forest. In his only season for WMU, Chase Brown had 71 carries for 352 yards, 10 receptions for 75 yards and 12 kickoff returns for 227 yards in the 2018 campaign.