By Dave Morrison
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown remembers his first time running out onto Mountaineer Field.
“Eastern Washington, I got player of the game,” Brown recalled Tuesday evening, laughing at the memory. Brown was 11-of-15 passing for 129 yards in two quarters of action in that 52-3 victory.
Now the senior, who has waited three years behind the iconic Patrick White, is passing along those kinds of memories and advice to his younger teammates. Which one of those will stand out in his first game, Saturday at noon, when Liberty visits?
“I can tell you one person that’s real jacked up, little Tavon (Austin, the Mountaineers’ 5-foot-9, 170-pound true freshman slot back),” Brown said. “He’s so excited to get out there. They’ll do well, all these guys. They did real well in camp, especially the young guys. They’ll be OK.”
While he’s excited to be around the youth movement, Brown is a new starter himself. It’s not much different than before, the 6-4, 221-pound West Palm Beach, Fla., native said.
“I don’t think it’s too much of a difference,” he said.
“I wasn’t just sitting back. I was getting ready like I was going to play. The only difference is, I wasn’t playing. I’m just more excited now.”
And all that concern about the Mountaineers’ offensive line, which will be charged with protecting Brown? The quarterback isn’t seeing it. Instead, he’s seen daily improvement.
“They got better each day through practice,” he said. “I was just excited to see that. It made me want to work (to improve).
While WVU is a heavy favorite, Brown does see talent on the opposing sideline.
“They do have talent,” he said. “The guys up front have experience. They’re pretty talented.”
Brown was asked about that girth on the Liberty defensive line.
“They’re going to have to move around a little bit,” he said. “I’ve got to use my feet. I think my guys up front will be able to take care of that.”
Brown knows this is just the first step, albeit a most important one.
“The first impression is a lasting impression,” he said. “We just want to make a statement and help (our) confidence.
“I’m getting tired of going against (linebackers) Reed (Williams) and J.T. (Thomas) all the time.”
Brown sees WVU not breaking into the Top 25 this preseason — after starting last year No. 8 nationally — as a source of motivation and a pressure reliever.
“There’s definitely not that much pressure, we can just go out and play,” he said. “We might just sneak up on you. I think we’re real underrated.”
Brown now starts a new chapter, made easier by the fact he always prepared to be the man, just in case. And it served him well.
“In some ways (being the backup) was easier,” he said. “And in some ways it wasn’t. You want to get out there and play. You have to take it upon yourself to go out there and prepare yourself as if you’re going to play. You’re not going to get as much treatment as the starting quarterback. You have to prepare as if you are, though.”
