Confident, stronger Journey Brown eager to make first mark at PSU

Asked to describe his best asset on the field, redshirt freshman running back Journey Brown doesn’t hesitate.

“A hundred percent my speed,” Brown said. “I like to use my speed a lot to try to get out and kind of burn dudes and do those other things.”

Available to take questions for the first time in his Penn State career at the program’s annual preseason media day Saturday at Beaver Stadium, the acknowledgment should come as no surprise. The PIAA 100m record-holder from his senior year at Meadville High School in 2017, posting a 10.43 second time, arrived at Penn State to high expectations for his speed.

Through one year working on the scout team with the Nittany Lions, both as a running back as well as in special teams return duties, nothing has transpired to diminish those expectations. If anything, in fact, they’ve only heightened.

Special teams coordinator Phil Galiano, asked to describe what is most exciting about the young tailback, similarly suffered no hesitation in finding an answer.

“Sure. His speed, No. 1. He hits a crease, he's gone. There's no one that's going to catch him, so that excites me,” said Galiano.

Though speed is Brown’s instant identifier, it is not the only one, however.

Having spent the summer getting bigger and stronger in the weight room, something he said he wanted to do for its benefits both in terms of his on-field speed as well as his power, Brown has filled out. Listed at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds on Penn State’s most recently released official roster, his weight represents an increase dating back to his high school weight of 194 pounds.

“One of the things you're looking for in a kick returner… is a guy that's able to hit a hole and break tackles, and he's a big, physical, strong, fast runner, which excites you,” said Galiano.

While Brown has frequently been mentioned as an “intriguing” prospect in the kick return game throughout Penn State’s offseason, those qualities could also exhibit themselves in the Nittany Lions’ offense.

Given the opportunity to get a redshirt year under his belt without the pressure of being relied upon in games, Brown expressed confidence that his understanding of the offense is significantly improved. Knowing where to be and when to be there, and maybe most important, why all of it fits together with his skillset, Brown said he’ll continue to make strides with the passing of time.

Asked to evaluate the ways in which he’s better now than he was a year ago at the same time, then having just arrived as a June-enrollee, Brown said the topic has been on his mind lately.

“Actually, I've been thinking about that a lot. I feel like learning my plays and kind of getting stuff down, just getting more comfortable with the team, with my family, I feel a lot more confident going out there,” he said. “Knowing what you're doing makes you a lot more confident. You move faster and quicker, and I got a lot stronger and I feel like a lot faster from what I was last year.”