With Speed and Physicality, RB Journey Brown Offers Glimpse of Potential

A few plays into the first live period of Penn State’s preseason practice session, running back Journey Brown lined up next to quarterback Will Levis in the backfield.

Taking the handoff, the running back patiently waited for his blocks in front of him, then burst past the outstretched arms of a series of Nittany Lion defenders as he raced toward the left sideline. Having turned the corner into the open field, with receiver K.J. Hamler leveling a block on corner John Reid and safety Lamont Wade closing in, Brown had a decision to make.

Take the easy first down and scamper out of bounds, this being the fifth practice of the preseason, on August 7, with more than three weeks separating the evening from the Nittany Lions’ opener against Idaho at Beaver Stadium, or break it back to the field to deliver some punishment.

Brown chose the latter.

“He breaks loose, and good luck catching him because he's super fast,” said linebacker Jan Johnson. “But the other thing with him is that he's physical, too. He's a big body who's not afraid to hit the hole and run you over.

“I don't know if you saw it in the last period down here, but he was lowering his shoulder, just trying to run our DBs over. He's not a huge back, but he'll lower his shoulder, and he'll definitely beat you with speed.”

On one play, Brown offered a glimpse of the potential that Penn State’s coaches and fans have been hoping to see since his late offer and commitment into the program’s Class of 2017.

The first elements, quickness and speed, have always been part of the expectation with Brown.

In high school, he’d broken a 100m PIAA record more than three-decades-old with a time of 10.43 seconds. And even in his redshirt freshman season with the Nittany Lions, he captured the imagination of head coach James Franklin thanks to his on-field speed and, maybe more surprising, the physicality he demonstrated.

Impressing Franklin during the team's bye-week, scout team scrimmage, Brown exhibited both elements. “We knew he could run, but being able to run fast on a track and being able to do it at this level, he's really shown something the last couple of weeks," Franklin said. "He has the ability to break tackles, which you didn't know, because in high school you're just faster than everybody.”

Franklin’s first impressions of Brown have only strengthened in the time since.

Following a debut season in which he posted eight carries for 44 yards and his first career touchdown, a 6-yard fourth quarter jaunt to cap a 63-24 blowout at Illinois, assistant coach Ja’Juan Seider saw a change in the young running back’s confidence.

Described as already being comfortable in his skin, the touchdown and on-field success in a limited role behind Miles Sanders and Ricky Slade provided a boost of Brown’s self-assurance and, by extension, his buy-in toward the game.

“He believes he can play now and he felt like he had to be a backseat cheerleader,” said Seider, explaining how Brown’s success translated into a renewed determination that carried over into spring practice. “You always wondered, was he going to love to play the game. Was he going to try to be the guy?

“That was the biggest question. I said the same thing. People remember my first interview, I said he's a track kid playing football. He's learning how to play football. Sometimes it takes a while, you know, to be taught the nuances.”

Despite being sent home from campus for the summer due to unspecified disciplinary reasons, Brown’s acclimation to the game and performance through the spring was enough to earn Franklin’s praise at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago last month.

Describing Brown as a guy capable of a “breakout year,” the patience and gradual learning demonstrated through the past two years have helped to create a player now on the precipice of making a significant contribution to the program’s success in the season ahead.

“He is big, he's strong, he is fast, he's explosive. The game is coming more natural to him. He's starting to play with the speed and athleticism that he has. And he's just maturing and growing up,” said Franklin. “It's funny because some of these guys (in the transfer portal) are going to go to the next school and have success and people are going to say, ‘See, it was the right move. They've had success.’ Well, maybe it's just that they're a year older. And I think that's the case with Journey.

“He’s a year older, he's so much more confident, and he's always been an unbelievable athlete. And I just think he's more comfortable, more confident, and as he knows the offense, he is processing information faster. Now he's able to translate, a lot less thinking and a lot more instincts and playing. And I think he's got he's got chance to have a really big year for us.”

The sentiment is one shared by Seider.

Excited by the possibilities ahead, and the evolving interpersonal connection that has helped to bring out Brown’s best, his is a future very much worthy of anticipation.

“Some kids we gotta coach. We gotta coach them differently. As coaches, we gotta find out what makes these kids tick. You can't coach every kid the same,” said Seider. “I think he bought in and he believed in me and I believe in him, and I think good things are ahead for us with this kid.”