Air Force Academy – Air Force wide receiver Jason Brown hasn’t met a sport he didn’t like. Skiing, tennis, golf, basketball, baseball and football, you name it, Brown is ready to suit up and try his hand.
His father, Ron Brown, who played football and baseball at Adams State, instilled a love of sports.
Brown’s decision to concentrate on football is paying huge dividends, however. Last spring, for the first time, the former Arvada West star didn’t play for the AFA baseball team. Coincidence or not, Brown is having a breakout senior season.
Last week at Utah, the 6-foot- 4, 225-pound wideout had nine catches for 184 yards and a touchdown. The performance was among the best at Air Force in its 50 years of varsity football. Only consensus All-American Ernie Jennings with 235 yards against Wyoming in 1970, Cormac Carney with 220 against Georgia Tech in 1978 and Frank Murphy with 198 against Arizona State in 1972 had better games at the AFA receiver position.
“I think his decision to not play baseball and committing to football was the difference,” AFA receivers coach Blane Morgan said. “He got so much stronger and improved his speed tremendously. He has been in the program for three years and always has been a good blocker, but he didn’t make a lot of plays. He has made plays in our first few games that you can’t coach.”
Brown said he thought everyone playing football for the Falcons needed to make a stronger commitment after the team’s 5-6 record last year.
“I don’t know if I should have made the decision earlier,” he said. “I think I made the right choice at the right time. My best opportunity to play football was here. I walked on for the baseball team the first couple of years, and it worked out. Baseball takes up more time than football and it’s harder to balance it with the rest of our schedule here.”
Brown was a center fielder in baseball. Now he’s making his catches on the football field, getting ready for Colorado State on Thursday. As for his breakout game, Brown still is surprised.
“I never thought it would happen,” he said. “People are saying a lot of things now that are great compliments to me. That pushes me to play the best I can.”
Morgan said Brown’s size and speed give him a big edge against some teams.
“We’re going to get matchups we like because they have to defend the option first,” Morgan said. “Jason’s bigger than any cornerback.”
Said AFA coach Fisher De- Berry: “He has worked himself into being a fine player. It makes you wonder what he might have done if he had focused his attention on football before he did.”
Brown is pilot-qualified and could become a pilot in the Air Force after he graduates from the academy.
He also has heard NFL scouts might give him a look.
