TAMPA, Fla. – Byrum Brown was asked during Tuesday morning’s press conference why he is always smiling and in a good mood when meeting with the media.
The USF quarterback, who turns 19 Friday, replied that he is “naturally, a pretty happy guy.” He jokingly added that his parents “paid good money for these teeth, got me braces” so that he could show off a warm smile.
What Brown did at Raymond James Stadium last week in a 42-29 win against Rice was grounds for a 10,000-watt smile. His 435 yards through the air and 517 yards of total offense are both second-most in the program’s 27 seasons.
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Brown’s impressive outing against the Owls resulted in being named the American’s offensive player of the week. Not bad for his sixth career start.
“It’s a blessing,” he said, when asked about the recognition. “Then again, it would not have been possible without the guys up front, the wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, coaching staff calling the plays and putting us in the right position. It’s really a testament to everyone.”
Such an answer comes as no surprise from a young man whose maturity level is far beyond his years.
“He’s incredibly fun to be around because he’s always the same,” said coach Alex Golesh. “He’s positive and a smile is always on his face. Now, he is seeing the results of what’s been a really long process for him and he’s not settling for anything.”
The process began when he arrived at USF in January 2022 as a 17-year-old freshman. It continued through the season, which concluded with the North Carolina native starting the last two games (at Tulsa, vs. UCF) with Gerry Bohanon and Katravis Marsh sidelined.
Brown has grown more and more comfortable with opening his mouth. Not for his smile – he ditched the braces two months before arriving at USF — but by being more vocal in the huddle and offering encouragement to teammates.
“Initially, I would let my work speak, but (Golesh) came up to me and said you have to be more vocal,” he said. “I have been trying to do that ever since spring and into fall camp. Even now, I am still not where I want to be and I am pretty sure I am not where he wants me to be, but I am continuing to (place) an emphasis on that every day, to uplift guys.”
Brown’s positive demeanor and ability to immediately rebound from blows, both literal and figurative, are admirable for such a young man with six career starts.
“I am fascinated just by watching him, what it looks like every day,” said Golesh. “Every day is better and better for him both as a player and certainly as a leader, as a teammate. He has really brought the team together. Mentally, as a young man, he is really, really tough.”
Brown heads into Saturday’s game at Navy (3:30, CBSSN) 17th nationally in total offense with an average of 309 yards per game. His 351 yards rushing pace the American and are tied for 25th nationally. Among his 11 total touchdowns are five rushing, which is tied for the conference lead.
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