Preston Brown: From Gunner to Big Gun
Oct 3, 2006 | Football
Oct. 3, 2006
One year ago, Tulane's Preston Brown made the transition from a role player on the Green Wave football team to achieving a life-long dream. Brown was named a starting wide receiver and responded as one of the team's primary offensive weapons, leading the team with 47 receptions for 720 total yards and six touchdowns. What makes Brown's numbers more impressive is the journey and sacrifices he made toward becoming a go-to-guy in the Tulane offense.
Growing up in Camden, New Jersey, Brown had aspirations of playing football at a very young age. In his first season of organized football at age 12, Brown wanted to play running back. However, he soon realized his destiny was not to carry the ball, but rather catch the ball.
"When I first began playing football, I wanted to be a running back, but my coaches had me playing on the third and fourth string," Brown said. "But since I could catch well they put me at tight end. There really wasn't a receiver position at that age."
Brown blossomed as a receiver and by the time he was in high school he was a sought after two-way player at Woodrow Wilson High School. He was a receiver on offense and a heavily sought-after linebacker on defense. Despite the opportunity to play linebacker in college, Brown still had his eye on fulfilling the earlier dream of playing receiver. Enter Tulane University.
"I was a highly-recruited linebacker, but I really wanted to play receiver," he explains. "Tulane gave me the opportunity to play wide out and I knew they threw the ball a lot. Also, it is such a great academic institution, so I had the best of both worlds," Brown said.
Brown signed with the Green Wave and looked forward to reaching his goals. However, life at Tulane didn't go exactly the way Preston had hoped in the beginning. During his freshman and sophomore seasons, Brown earned one of the gunner positions on the punt team. This position lines up out wide on each side of the formation and is usually the first players down the field in an effort to tackle the opponents' returner.
He quickly became one of Tulane's top special team players. During his first two seasons, he played in 22 games and registered 16 tackles, including 11 unassisted stops. Then came his breakout season of 2005 when Brown blossomed into a steady receiver for the Green Wave. Brown caught at least one pass in every game, including a 68-yard bomb against Rice. He averaged 15.3 yards per catch and scored two touchdowns against UTEP. His success did not go unnoticed as he was named to the Conference USA Third Team.
"It was tough in the beginning because I didn't want to settle for less. It was all bottled in and then last year I broke out," Brown said. Now, as Tulane's leading receiver, and recently voted captain by his teammates, Brown is driving to make his team and his own dreams come true
"I always saw this day coming. I like to think big. There are many responsibilities that come with being a team captain. I have to make sure all the guys are minding their P's and Q's. All the guys are watching me and if I do something bad it affects the whole team. I am thankful that I have the innate qualities to be a team leader"
Being a leader for younger players is nothing new for Brown. Whether it was football, basketball or track, he has been a team captain on every team.
With three games already in the books, Brown is focusing on making the 2006 campaign a banner season for the Green Wave.
"I want us to be winners. I want to dominate in all aspects of the game, whether its special teams or scoring touchdowns, I want to do anything to help the team. At this point, that is all I care about. I am dedicating this season to Tulane University and the team. I just want to go out with a bang," Brown said.
He hasn't stopped thinking big yet. He already has plans after college, which includes giving back to the community, or possibly a detour of playing football on Sunday's in the National Football League. Whatever the case may be, this paralegal studies major plans to include the children of America into his life.
"I would like to play in the NFL, but if I can't, I want to be a principle of a school - a high school hopefully - or maybe even a coach. I love young people and want to be a good influence on them." Brown has been a consummate team player for the Green Wave during his career, but his success on the field has not changed his view of life.
"My greatest role model ever would be Bill Cosby. There is something about the Cosby Show with the family atmosphere and everything. Its one of those legendary shows," Brown said.
Hailing from Camden, New Jersey, Brown drew football inspiration from two players from his favorite team-- the Philadelphia Eagles.
"My favorite players are Randall Cunningham and Reggie White. I was a big Eagles fan and those two guys were the two greatest players to play for the Philadelphia Eagles," Brown said.
He still gives and follows the same advice he always has since he was the small 12-year old trying out for the football team.
"My best advice to kids is to never settle for anything less than you can achieve. Many people told me that I would never be a good college receiver, but I never gave up," Brown said.
Having not given up his dream, Brown's no long has to fighting for playing time or a starting spot, but for yards after the catch.
