A year after breaking his leg, Austin Brown has led Madison to an 8-0 mark, and has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns.
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It's an injury that can end a career. For
Austin Brown, breaking his leg in a high school football playoff game last year just meant a new beginning.
He transferred from Detroit Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.) to his hometown school
Madison (Madison Heights, Mich.) after the school year. About two weeks before his first game this year, Brown was 100 percent cleared. He was ready to roll.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior responded by tossing eight touchdown passes in the first game of the season. Yes, eight. In the first half. Brown, who finished 18-for-20 passing for 352 yards and the eight scores, didn't play the second half as his team downed Warren Lincoln, 54-7.
"It definitely made me feel like I've still got it," Brown said. "I always knew I could throw the ball, but after breaking my leg I was kind of hesitant on running the ball. As the season's going on, I'm starting to run the ball more and more. I feel like my wheels are back and I'm definitely the player that I used to be."
The eight touchdown passes, a state record for one half, snuck up on Brown.
"I told a lot of people, ‘I don't know if that's going to happen again,' " Brown said. "It was just natural and I wasn't even thinking about it. We were just out there throwing the ball, having some fun and next thing you know, they're like, ‘You've got eight touchdowns.' I was like, ‘No way.' It just felt like a couple TDs, it didn't feel like eight."
As Madison gets deeper into the season, Brown is escaping the pocket with greater frequency and doing damage with his legs. The Eagles run a spread offense, which allows Brown to showcase both aspects of his game.
However, it's hard not to say Brown's arm is his best attribute. Madison football coach James Rogers said he's watched his quarterback throw 60-65 yards with ease. Rogers thinks Brown can sling a football upward of 75 yards.
"His arm is one of the best I've seen," Rogers said.
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Brown would like to play at the next level, though he admits basketball is his favorite sport.
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It's been a phenomenal start to his junior campaign. Through eight games, Brown has accounted for 25 touchdowns (20 passing and five running) and 1,749 yards passing, leading his team to an 8-0 record.
"He's starting to get his confidence back, and it's been great for us," Rogers said. "But I'll tell you, the one thing I like about the kid is he keeps his poise all the time, even under pressure."
When Brown transferred into the Madison program, Rogers knew it was a godsend. It was an easy decision for the coach to plug in his new quarterback into the starting role.
"Last year, we just kind of had to play one of our athletes at quarterback, so this year to have a kid that actually knows how to play the quarterback position, it's helping our offense so much," Rogers said.
Brown threw 14 touchdowns and had a 61.5 completion percentage last year at Detroit Catholic Central. One big reason for transferring to Madison was his young brother attends the school and his dad, Jimmy, is the athletic director.
While stockpiling big numbers this season, Brown has been attracting attention from college coaches. He has scholarship offers from Mid-American Conference schools Toledo, Akron and Miami (Ohio), and is starting to garner looks from bigger colleges. He recently visited Michigan State and Cincinnati.
"Hopefully, I keep having a great year and something pans out, whether it's a MAC school or it's a Big Ten school," Brown said. "I just want to go to the school that fits me best."
Brown knows being the quarterback means being
a leader and tries to give back when possible.
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The 17-year-old would love to play football at the next level. However, it isn't even his favorite sport. Basketball earns that distinction.
Brown started his freshman season at Catholic Central at guard, averaging about seven points per game, and missed his sophomore campaign with the leg injury. He's eager to bounce back this season.
Brown's also planning to go out for baseball in the spring for the first time since seventh grade. With his speed and range, Brown plays shortstop and center field. He'd also like to pitch. When Brown was 14, his fastball hit 84 mph; since his body keeps maturing, he believes he can touch low 90s.
Playing three sports in the same season something Brown can't wait to do.
"Unlike a lot of other kids, I don't play video games, so if I'm not playing sports I'm twiddling my thumbs and I don't know what to do with myself," Brown said. "It's good that I play three sports, because it keeps me busy and keeps me out of trouble."
Away from sports, Brown is just as accomplished. He carries a GPA that's a shade under 4.0, ranking him in the top five of his class.
"I'm just a competitor — if someone gets an A+ on their test and I get an A, I'm like, I've got to get home and study or do something," Brown said. "I want to be the best at everything I do."
Brown is also a great community role model at his school. When he was in eighth grade, he met sixth-grader Bryanna Embree, a special needs student. The two have kept close for the last three-plus years.
"I walk her to her classes every single day and that's someone who's like my best friend in school because I help her out and she loves me," Brown said. "It's just a great relationship."
Now that Embree is a freshman, she's in the same school again as Brown. When Brown sees Embree in the hallway, he always gives her a hug.
"Every time I come around she has a smile on her face, so I make sure I'm around because I want to give off a happy vibe and help her have a great day," Brown said.
Away from school, Brown volunteers in the community about four hours per month. He and his football teammates visit Madison Tower, a senior citizens center, and play card games, sit and chat, and deliver meals to the elderly residents.
Brown knows, as the starting quarterback on the football team, he needs to be a great leader and asset to the community.
"I just want to make a positive influence on peoples' lives, whether it's sports or it's education," Brown said. "Whatever they do, I want to make sure that I'm there for them and I've got their back no matter what."
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Making the switch to Madison was easy, as his father is the school's athletic director.
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