Randy Shannon took a lot of grief for pulling Bryce Brown’s scholarship offer back in February 2009. The more time that passes, the better Shannon’s decision looks.
The younger Brown gave Miami his verbal commitment after Signing Day 2008, before his senior year of high school, based on older brother Arthur becoming a Cane days before.
Little Brown continued playing the recruiting game, taking visits and remaining elusive. Come February, no signature as the running back wasn’t ready to commit. Rumors swirled – from others schools, to a proposed jaunt to the CFL instead of college. Something stunk, Shannon didn’t care for the smell and Miami was out of the Brown running.
Bryce rolled into Tennessee, carried 101 times, found the end zone thrice and didn’t even amass 500 total yards on the year. Scary as those paltry stats are, they’re still more impressive than brother Arthur’s two-year run at the University of Miami.
Big Brown spent two years at The U and never cracked the starting line up at linebacker. A few special teams plays and seventeen tackles in mop up duty were his Hurricane legacy before bolting back to Kansas a month ago, citing ‘family issues’ like Little Brown. Arthur enrolled at Kansas State, where many expect Bryce to go after heading home.
Need a picture of everything wrong with college football recruiting, look no further than the Brown saga in Wichita these past few years. From overhyped five-star rankings, achieved by beating up on lesser talent, to handler Brian Butler – talking Jesus one minute and extorting money on his recruiting website the next – these brothers proved to be an absolute disaster.
I’ll give my standard disclaimer here; we’re dealing with kids – kids who were put on a pedestal and coddled, no less. An incoming college sophomore and junior who have had their asses kissed since day one and had the media banging down their door before they even sprouted their first chest hair.
The system is partly to blame for the sense of entitlement shown by the Browns – and other highly-touted recruits – over the years. The recruiting game is absolutely out of control and teenagers are no longer being given that chance to be kids. Youth traded for instant superstardom, thanks to Internet recruiting sites and an overzealous sports media.
I don’t know the Brown family, outside what I’ve read online the past few years,as their sons played the recruiting game like a fiddle. Arthur Brown Sr. proved to be the family’s spokesperson during the recruiting sagas, quick to give a soundbite, supporting his sons, as well as advisor Butler. It’s a shame so much focus was put on the ‘process’ instead of the meaning of the word ‘commitment’.
Webster’s defines ‘commitment’ as “an agreement or pledge to do something in the future”. Big Brown signed his letter of intent with Miami, Little Brown gave a verbal commitment weeks later, broke the commitment within a year, then signed a letter of intent with Tennessee, which has since been broken… weeks after Big Brown ended his pledge to Miami.
Lots of players have a change of heart and transferring is a casualty of the college game. Especially when recruiting potentially homesick kids from out of state. Doesn’t make it right, though. The older you get, the more commitments you’ll make in life. What lesson is taught by parents when you tell your kids it’s alright to throw in the towel? In the game of life, there is no ‘reset’ button. There are repercussion for our actions, yet neither Brown will learn that here as Father Brown has encouraged his sons to return home, playing ball at Kansas State.
Both Browns rolled into their senior years regarded as big time talent. Big Brown was the top strongside linebacker in the land, ranked the No. 11 overall athlete. Little Brown was the top running back and was said to be the second-best high school prospect.
Arthur couldn’t crack the starting line up at Miami, yet his freshman year lesser touted and supposedly undersized Sean Spence was all over the field, eventually named to the All-ACC freshman team. Spence played for Miami Northwestern, went up against the nation’s best talent week in and week out.
Northwestern won the ‘national championship’ in 2007 and eight Bulls on that squad became Canes, with several freshmen seeing action. Marcus Forston, Jacory Harris and Aldarius Johnson earned immediate playing time with Spence. (Others were redshirted and Brandon Washington went to prep school.) From Miami’s Booker T. Washington, several other freshmen saw instant playing time – Brandon Harris, Davon Johnson and Thearon Collier – the wideouts, working their way to a starting job at arguably the most overcrowded position on the field.
The linebacker corps has clamoring for the next superstar since Jon Vilma and D.J. Williams took their skills to the NFL after the 2003 season. Years back, Willie Williams was thought to be that guy, but the troubled high school star never got it together mentally. Even after leaving UM, he bounced around and never gained traction elsewhere on the field.
Romeo Davis. Glenn Cook. Darryl Sharpton. All serviceable backers – nowhere near as highly touted like Brown – yet all saw significant playing time, due to heart, passion and a head for the game.
Some referred to Davis and Cook as “Shannon’s Boys”, feeling seniority was the name of the game and that kids like Williams or Brown got the shaft. This mindset always puzzled me as there’s no logical explanation for coaches not wanting the best players on the field. Coaches are fired after every season for losing too many ballgames. Why would a third-year coach purposefully do something that will get him one step closer to a pink slip?
Simply put, if Arthur Brown was ready to play ball, he’d have been on the field. Same for Willie Williams or any other high school superstar that tripped out the gate once getting to the next level. Uber-hyped Bryce got his chance with the Vols and didn’t overimpress anybody year one.
Many a lesson to be learned from this fiasco for players, coaches and their football families. First and foremost, further proof that recruiting rankings don’t mean squat. Those of you obsessed with five-star, “can’t miss” prospects – news flash, a few more just missed. As did Willie. As did Kyle Wright, Lance Leggett, Reggie Youngblood and a several others the Canes rolled the dice on over the years while other ‘lesser’ prospects made a name for themselves and are still playing in the NFL today.
Physical talent is important, but it’s not as important as the competition these players face on a weekly basis, their overall attitude or how much they have between the ears. You can’t put a star ranking on heart and desire.
Cane coaches and some of Brown’s teammates let it be known to the media that Brown struggled to learn the playbook over the years. If that was the case, then the biggest issue here is a lack of effort. Watch more film. Study harder. Other players were able to comprehend the playbook after a few months while others still don’t “get it” after two years.
A successful NCAA career and shot in the NFL are for those who work the hardest, not for guys who are living off past high school accolades.
Miami loyalty aside, I personally hope both Arthur and Bryce turn it around. As a sports fan I’m a sucker for a feel-good story and this is real life. Cane or no Cane, nothing good comes from seeing young people fail. Best of luck to both kids.
That said, I worry for college athletes who turn tail and run back home. If your end goal is a job in the NFL, outside of playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Brown brothers will need to take their show on the road. Being displaced from your hometown is part of the game.
For years we read about Edgerrin James feeling lost in Indianapolis or a Miami guy like Willis McGahee not being thrilled with a slow-paced life in Buffalo. Still, they were dedicated to their careers and realized a NFL season isn’t a full year. Spend your off-season at home and make your team’s town your second home.
Arthur – and most likely Bryce – heading to Manhattan; it comes across soft. Two guys who went to big time programs, couldn’t hack it and ran back home, tail between their legs. They’ll be ‘local’ heroes for a program that went 6-6, 5-7 and 5-7 the past three seasons. A soft program with a soft head coach in Bill Snyder, known for loading his schedule with cupcakes to build up a win total.
Just about anytime the Wildcats have been on the main stage, they crapped the bed, underachieved or proved they didn’t deserve to be there, earning their way to the top by beating lesser opponents and rarely shining when faced with a big challenge.
Further proof of Snyder’s soft ways? One of his first orders of business after reassuming head coaching duties last year? Dropping Miami from Kansas State’s upcoming schedule. The Canes and Cats were slated for a home and home in 2011 and 2012. Snyder wanted no part of it, running from a rising Miami team and making room on the schedule another Sisters Of The Poor.
To Snyder’s credit, he turned Kansas State from a nobody into an almost somebody and his coaching tree is impressive – Bob Stoops, Mike Stoops, Brent Venables, Mark Mangino, Jim Leavitt and Bret Bielema, to name a few. A great resume, but it doesn’t make Kansas State a powerhouse or the type of program that takes on all comers. Basically they’re the anti-Miami, a perfect fit for the Brown brothers.
Manhattan seems like a great fit for Team Brown, appearing the type who prefer to be big fish in a little Kansas pond. Based on competition and talent, both should see immediate playing time (after sitting out a year) and can continue building their home state legacy.
Where things go from there is anybody’s guess, but a safe bet that no one in Coral Gables or Knoxville is going to care.
You hit the nail on the head, CB.
Recruiting is now out of control and these Brown brothers milked the system.
If either of them were ALL THAT, how come neither got the job done? Bryce had a decent season at Tennessee, but not what you'd expect out of the best freshman RB and second best player in the land, supposedly.
As for Arthur, two years at UM and he couldn't crack the starting line up. Doesn't sound like the guy has too much going on upstairs.
Let them go to K-State where they can be immediate heroes.
Great article. Keep up the good work.
Mikey C
Ormond Beach, FL
Sounds like snyder is taking his hints from Meyer and schedule "winning" by dumping the canes to play Windsor College of Christ or Idaho Technological U. Unfortunatley for us, the BCS rewards soft schedules and total wins not quality. But The Canes will ROLL the suckeyes and Move us into the National Title race.
man, i wish both these guys change their minds and come back to the U. we need all the help we can get! our schedule is very difficult in 2k10…looks like another 7-5 season! maybe randy can call them or email the brown family asking them to reconsider?
Happy trails to the Clown brothers. I hope K-State has a paint-by-numbers playbook.
I don't know if these guys believe they are NFL material or what they are really capable of. One thing I do know is this…
It's a character issue!
You come across people like this every single day and it has nothing to do with football.
Minimal effort is the name of the game.
I live in Knoxville, & while some are making the best of it & hoping T Poole is the new Hardesty–rest assured they care. Bryce wasn't a stud last season, but their OL is going to be occasionally adequate at best & this just adds to the questions.
Wish them the best; glad we don't have to worry about it~
man, i wish both these guys change their minds and come back to the U. we need all the help we can get! our schedule is very difficult in 2k10…looks like another 7-5 season! maybe randy can call them or email the brown family asking them to reconsider?
Arthur Brown spent two years at Miami and couldn't crack the depth chart at linebacker – a position where the Canes needed the help.
Bryce Brown left Miami at the altar after being committed for a year and then playing recruting games, forcing Randy Shannon to pull the scholarship offer. He then had an average freshman season at Tennessee.
Why in the hell would UM want either of these guys – especially Bryce when Miami has brought on a half dozen running backs in the last two classes?
Honestly. I was hoping to see Arthur be out starting MLB. I wished he had did some things at Miami. But did we really need him. No. A special teams player. Thats all #11 was. So hyped. I remember debating with my cousin (FSU fan) that he will be better than #13 Nigel Bradham. But now he is going to K-State. I mean,If you cant get the scheme and if your slow to react on simple run plays and passing plays you will never see the field..and (spence did a interview saying that). As for Bryce. Way to overrated. I could care less about him. Having Lamar Miller and Mike James on the team erased the fact that we needed him and with Berry also killing. Good luck to the Brown brothers but im glad they are not at the U..
((ZarOkoN))
I have heard smack for Vols fans all year about Bryce Brown being the next big thing and if Miami and Randy Shannon could recruit they wouldn't have 'lost' him. All I said was "WAIT" when Randy pulled his letter. Mark one up for Randy Shannon and "WAIT" to see what he can do!
As far as Snyder, just look at his first stint in Manhattan. The guy scheduled W's playing nobody's, yet is somehow respected for it. There are some coaches who just fear competition and he has always been one of them. Oh well.
I give Arthur credit for going to Coral Gables. He just could not get onto the field other than special teams for the most part. He could have sucked it up, put in more work, in another attempt to get playing time but chose not to. I'm sure he'll play at KState and be the local hero, so it is what it is. He tried. He failed. Just remember that EVERYONE wanted this guy and we got him. Guys don't always translate from HS to college. I don't know about his work ethic or anything, but it didn't work out for either side. I don't have any ill will towards him. I hope he gets to play there and gets his degree. Good luck.
Bryce on the other hand, seems weaker in his character. I'm glad Randy stopped playing with him and rescinded the scholly. He can play that game with someone else. Who knows what will happen at KState with this kid. Snyder is a hard ass, so who's to say Bryce won't give up there too. He never signed with us, so that was his choice. He can take his circus back home and we'll see how he does. Good luck.
Next!
AB was a class act but he just couldn't handle the speed and sophistication of the college game, on or off the field it seems.
Spence, by comparison, comes from a football family and played HS ball in the most competitive region of the country.
Bryce, OTOH, was the nightmare of today's CFB recruiting game.
I'll bet it's the last time Shannon recruits a kid from somewhere like Kansas who didn't come from a serious football school.
If you notice, he's said something similar in his interviews about these off-the-radar kids from NY, IL and such.
"Why in the hell would UM want either of these guys – especially Bryce when Miami has brought on a half dozen running backs in the last two classes?"
Very simlpe answer hommie…CUZ WE NEED ALL THE FCUK!NG HELP WE CAN GET!
Seem's like ur satisfied with 7-5 again. Im not! Sick and tired of suck ass losses to bitch ass teams we should be manhandling! Ur acting like the Brown brothers "SUCK". They are not the cream of the crop, but they are good fb players…stop hating on two guys that we should try to get back in orange and green!
Very simlpe answer hommie…CUZ WE NEED ALL THE FCUK!NG HELP WE CAN GET! Seem's like ur satisfied with 7-5 again. Im not! Sick and tired of suck ass losses to bitch ass teams we should be manhandling! Ur acting like the Brown brothers "SUCK". They are not the cream of the crop, but they are good fb players…stop hating on two guys that we should try to get back in orange and green!
Brother, I respect the passion… but let's be real.
First off, 9-4 last year, not 7-5. No one is satisfied with 7-5. I support Randy because this team has gone from 5-7 to 7-6 to 9-4 on his watch. He assembled a good crew of assistants and has recruited solidly the past three years. Even if the 2010 class isn't considered "sexy" by the recruiting idiots, it was full of position players Miami needed – most notably offensive line.
As for the Brown brothers, I think your frustration with the lack of winning has gotten to you. Miami needs help, but how can either of these guys help out?
Arthur was at UM for two years and couldn't crack the depth chart when guys like Romeo Davis and Glenn Cook were out there getting burned… and for anyone who cries 'seniority', Sean Spence was playing as a freshman. Marcus Robinson saw snaps as a true frosh in 2008, too.
Arthur Brown simply didn't have it… just like Willie Williams… so why does Miami need him? Especially entering the 2010 season where this more depth now than this program has seen since 2005?
As for Bryce Brown… please. Look at the group of running backs entering this season – Damien Berry, Lamar Miller, Mike James, Eduardo Clements, Maurice Hagens, Darion Hall, Storm Johnson… and if he heals in time, Graig Cooper.
If Bryce didn't like the competition at Tennessee – where he was second on the depth chart – what would he do at Miami to earn a starting gig… and if Arthur couldn't crack the starting line up in two years as Miami, again, why do we need him here?
I get your passion, but there's not much logic behind your post. Neither of these guys could do anything to help UM.
ANYONE ON HERE WHO THINKS MIAMI NEEDS EITHER OF THESE BROWN CLOWNS IS A FOOL. ESPECIALLY THIS PSYCHO TALKING ABOUT UM "NEEDING ALL THE F**KING HELP IT CAN GET".
HOW DOES A DEADASS LINEBACKER AND AFRAID OF COMPETITION RUNNING BACK HELP MIAMI IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM?
ARTIE RODE THE PINE FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE HE HAS NO HEART AND NO HEAD FOR THE GAME, WHILE BRYCE PLAYED SEVERAL COACHES LIKE A FIDDLE DURING THE RECRUITING PROCESS AND IS NOW SELLING TENNESSEE OUT TO GO PLAY WITH BIG BRO.
NEWS FLASH BRYCE, IF YOU WANTED TO PLAY WITH ART THAT BADLY YOU SHOULD'VE JUST SIGNED WITH THE CANES LAST FEBRUARY, DUMMY!!
THESE GUYS ARE HACKS. GIT 'EM OUTTA HERE. THEY'LL HAVE AVERAGE CAREERS AT K-STATE AND WILL BE NON-FACTORS AFTER THAT. THEY MADE THEIR NAME WHOOPING UP LESSER SCHOOLS AND PLAYERS IN KANSAS AND THE MINUTE THEY WERE ON THE MAIN STAGE THEY WERE EITHER AVERAGE (BRYCE) OR GARBAGE (ARTHUR).
CANES305 IS DEAD ON. THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH DEPTH AT RUNNING BACK AND WE'LL SEE SOME SERIOUS COMPETITION AT LINEBACKER THIS FALL, WHICH IS SOMETHING NEITHER OF THESE KANSAS KOOKS WANTED ANY PART OF.
ONLY THING CANES AND I DISAGREE ON IS THEIR FUTURE SUCCESS. HE WISHES THEM THE BEST AND I HOPE BOTH OF THEM FALL FLAT ON THEIR FACES.
BROWNS R CLOWNS!!! GOOO CANES!!!!
I thought that was an excellent blog and you made some excellent points.
Like you said, we're dealing with kids. Adults, much less kids, make mistakes. Sometimes we all need a reset button. I realize there are no do overs, but we all wish there was.
I really shy away from being critical of kids… these guys are still amateurs. They made a few bad decisions, but who hasn't? The only difference is that their decisions are public.
I think, as fans, we can be overly critical on some things and issues that we don't have intimate knowledge of. We don't know ALL the reasons of why things transpire the way they do. So let's keep an open mind when analyzing these situations.
If we're talking about professionals, then the gloves come off. Whole different ballgame. I think amateurs need a little slack. We're talking about young people who can't even walk into a bar and buy a beer.
That being said, that doesn't mean that these guys are above criticism. It's part of the game now. You have to have a thick skin, because fans can be brutal.
And sometimes, even for us adults, a change of scenery can offer a fresh start and a new perspective and outlook.
I wish these guys nothing but the best, and hope they change the direction of their football careers.
Awfully disappointed in Bill Snyder for dropping the U. Wimpy.
Good riddance to these two. The only time we will hear about these two again is when ESPN runs a special on the dangers of recruiting.
Bryce is average and afraid of competition. Funny he's all committed and an EE until he comes to Miami and sees Lamar Miller play live. Then all of a sudden everything changed and he was no longer an EE then he was no longer coming. Rumor is he wasnt going to start at Tennessee so he skipped town, Oku was outworking him in practice, stronger, and knew the playbook better.
Arthur desperately needed a RS but now that hes sitting out and playing on a bad team it wont matter.
We will never hear these guys names on Sportscenter or on Sundays because neither have the heart or talent.
Why rip Arthur Brown? (his brother is a different story). The kid was nothing but class. Never played the recruiting game with Miami. He took his visits and committed. So it didn't work out at Miami, it happens all the time at every college. Why write an article demeaning the kid and calling him soft? He never had a bad work to say about the school or Randy. I think you owe the kid (yes, the kid) an apology.
Why rip Arthur Brown? (his brother is a different story). The kid was nothing but class. Never played the recruiting game with Miami. He took his visits and committed. So it didn't work out at Miami, it happens all the time at every college. Why write an article demeaning the kid and calling him soft? He never had a bad work to say about the school or Randy. I think you owe the kid (yes, the kid) an apology.
Brother, you need to work on your comprehension skills. I never once called Arthur Brown "soft".
I called Kansas State soft, I called Bill Snyder soft (regarding teams he schedules) and I felt the actions of the Brown brothers running back home to Kansas – Arthur after year two and Bryce after year one – was soft.
These kids were hometown heroes who never should've left the state.
For two highly-touted brothers to milk the recruiting game, for the parents to hire an advisor (one who preached Jesus and was indicted on charges of fraud)… only to return back to Kansas?
Those boys sure wasted a lot of our time and took the long way to get back to where they should've gone in the first place.
My only "gripe" with Arthur is in regards to never seeing the field. Why couldn't he learn the playbook while other players from the same class were starting as freshmen?
Best high school linebacker coming out that year, five-star prospect and he couldn't earn a starting job in two years? C'mon now…
Allcanes, I agree with everything you've said. U may not have ripped AB on paper, but you kindof did in a backhanded way. I love reading yours blogs and think they're insightful, thoughtful, and well written. But i dont think this was necessary. No reason to unintentionally or rip young men (if you read between the lines) or even Snyder. Yes he schedules cupcakes but no reason to go there. Lets keep this about Miami. Listen people have a change of heart and make mistakes. I just think your journalism could go in a different route here. And im not trying to rip you I just think its unfair. Im entitled to my opinion right? Keep up the good work and try and be a little more sensitive lol. Its a U thang and they just didnt understand, so leave em be. Go Canes
I have zero problems with Arthur Brown what so ever. He came to the school and just couldn't crack the lineup. I never saw him going to the media complaining about his role. Not the he could have complained because he never saw the field. But he came here, from what I gathered with a lot of press to him, but without the advisor that his brother seemed to have.
Arther wanting to go home i'm completely fine with. Bryce on the other hand, I am now glad he didn't commit. He pulled everyone's leg and i'm shocked that he didn't follow Kiffin to USC. He played the system, a system which is insanely broken. Bryce and his people around him got what they wanted and good for them. Now he's apparently going home with his brother. I hope people rip on Bryce all they want, but Arthur is fine in my book doing what he wants to do.
Allcanes, I agree with everything you've said. U may not have ripped AB on paper, but you kindof did in a backhanded way. I love reading yours blogs and think they're insightful, thoughtful, and well written. But i dont think this was necessary. No reason to unintentionally or rip young men (if you read between the lines) or even Snyder.
Jesse, respect the comments, but why don't I have the 'right' to give my opinion on the matter?
I don't feel I'm "ripping" Arthur Brown by voicing my opinion on his transferring… and I have every right to call out Bill Snyder's weak approach at scheduling – especially as a Canes fan/blogger who wanted to see the Miami/Kansas State match up that he pulled the plug on. (My buds are KSU grads and we were going to go to the game in Manhattan and in Miami.)
Snyder proved the knock on him is true by dump UM as soon as he took back over.
Your opinion is that what Arthur did was fine but what Bryce did wasn't. I'm fine with your take and you should be fine with mine. They're just opinions and we're all entitled to have one.
I agree. And your right you by all means have the right to voice your opinion however you want. But as being a journalist you still have to be careful about what you post and how you do it. Voicing your opinion between friends is one thing, but when you run a website that thousands of people may read its a whole new ball game.
I respect your comments as well, and im glad you could respect my; we obviously just have different opinions on the matter.
I see why your upset with Snyder as would I. I mean my best friends lived in Gainesville for 5 years and for Meyer and Foley to try and get us off the schedule for 2013 infuriates me.
I still hold my opinion on the article. Though I like to see you keeping pumping stories as I said before I enjoy the read.
Lastly, at the Oklahoma game last year I believe you had a stand at halftime. I was way to "out of it" to come check you out and meet you, will you be there for games this year as well?