The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

September 17, 2009

WVU’s Brown getting compliments all around

By Dave Morrison

MORGANTOWN — Jarrett Brown is two-for-two.

Not only has the West Virginia quarterback won his first two starts of the 2009 season (4-0 overall as a starter), but he has impressed the opposition coaches so much that they have sought him out after the game.

Liberty’s Danny Rocco was first after the Mountaineers claimed a 33-20 win Sept. 5 at Milan Puskar Stadium.

The Mountaineers’ redshirt senior quarterback completed 19-of-26 passes for 243 yards and scored a rushing touchdown.

“I talked to Jarrett Brown after the game and shook his hand and congratulated him on getting off to a fast start,” Rocco said. “He was in a league of his own back there. We couldn’t get him on the ground.”

East Carolina’s Skip Holtz, who saw Brown throw for four touchdowns, was equally impressed.

“He was pretty special today and I told him that after the game,” Holtz said. “I told him I’ve seen a lot of quarterbacks play, but I was impressed with the way he handled himself today. As a big quarterback, he’s hard to bring down. He made great decisions and threw the ball well today.

“A couple of times, when you think you have him, you’ve got to tackle him. That’s what he does. He’s a big, athletic quarterback. I think he’s got the full package. One play, we had him for about a 3-yard loss, and all of a sudden he comes plowing out of the pile looking like Larry Csonka or something.”

In two games, Brown has completed 43-of-57 passes (75.4 percent) for 577 yards and four touchdowns. He has been intercepted once. He is also second on the team in rushing with 142 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.

Will first-year Auburn coach Gene Chizik be the third coach to seek out the Mountaineer quarterback? He already has offered this view on Brown. And like the two previous coaches, containing Brown is very much an issue.

“He is very athletic. I remember him when he was coming out of high school. He is just a great athlete. He can throw it and run it. When you see him hit a 46-yard touchdown pass the other day against East Carolina from off his back foot, and when you see him at third-and-4 or third-and-5, he has just got so much scramble ability right now that you have issues with down field,” Chizik said. “We say that you have to cover him twice, but then you have to contain him on third downs, which we have been average at right now when it comes to quarterback scrambles. So he brings a lot to the table in terms of what he can do for them and making plays with his feet. He is a very good quarterback.”

“We’re executing our game plan,” Brown said of the compliments. “That’s the first time that has ever happened to me. We’re doing some things right. (Holtz) told me I was the total package. That’s what I’ve been working on.”

Brown hopes to add to his totals at Jordan-Hare Stadium against 2-0 Auburn at 7:45 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2).

“I hope so, I love throwing the ball,” he said. “I see that as a long handoff. That’s it.”

— E-mail: demorrison@

register-herald.com

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