O'Hara's Brown's already wanted
By: John Lohn, [email protected]09/05/2008
Cardinal O?Hara junior running back Corey Brown is off to a flying start after averaging 19.2 yards per carry and three TDs against Archbishop Carroll last weekend.
MARPLE - Well-versed in the tradition of the running back position at Cardinal O'Hara, Corey Brown opted to travel the modest road. He wasn't about to compare himself to any of the standout ball carriers who have suited up at the school.
By the end of next season, however, Brown's name will be mentioned alongside those of Kevin Jones and Anthony Heygood, the two most recent backfield studs to play for the Catholic League program. Brown is that talented, capable of breaking a big run with each touch and equally efficient as an option in the passing game.
The junior's next show will air tonight when O'Hara faces Germantown in a nonleague contest. He'll have a tough time replicating his performance from last weekend, when Brown helped the Lions pin a 35-0 shutout on Archbishop Carroll. The 6-1, 190-pounder piled up 173 yards on nine carries, scoring on runs of 38 and 80 yards. He also added a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown. Each of his touchdowns arrived in the first half.
"Running back is a big deal here," Brown said. "Kevin Jones is the greatest to ever play here. I know I might not be as good as him, but I'm going to do everything I can to be the best I can be. I just try to block out everything and focus on myself. The important thing is helping the team win games."
The all-time leading rusher in Delaware County history, Jones finished his O'Hara days with 5,790 career yards and 83 touchdowns. His days on Sproul Road led to a scholarship to Virginia Tech and an NFL career. After playing for the Detroit Lions for four years, Jones is in the midst of a comeback from a knee injury and playing for the Chicago Bears.
Like Jones, Brown is attracting considerable attention from Division I programs, schools interested in his 4.47 speed in the 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical leap, combine-like demonstrations of his athletic prowess. At least one man believes Brown, who saw varsity action as a freshman before running for 1,016 yards last year, could be the best back to come out of O'Hara.
"He has a good head on his shoulders," coach Dan Algeo said. "There's a great tradition of running back here and Corey is adding to it. Kevin Jones was a great running back, but Corey can also catch the ball. I think Corey is the better overall football player."
Last winter, Brown had the chance to measure himself against some of the other top underclassmen in the nation. Attending the U.S. Army Combine in San Antonio, a camp that coincided with the All-American Game, Brown put his skills on display in a number of workout sessions. His play was clearly recognized by some of the elite college programs.
Although his list of pursuers is sure to grow, Brown already has scholarship offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Maryland and West Virginia. In the coming weeks, Notre Dame and Florida are expected to make overtures.
