During Tuesday’s Ohio State practice, Cameron Brown made his presence known.
In the first few periods, Brown was at the front of the line during defensive back drills, barking out instructions to some of his fellow teammates. The normally soft-spoken upperclassman cornerback was stepping slightly out of his comfort zone and trying to take on a leadership role ahead of Saturday’s Rose Bowl.
“I want to develop as a player, as a leader,” Brown said Tuesday, the first time he’s addressed reporters since announcing his return to Ohio State for a fifth season on Dec. 16. “I feel like the leader role has been slowly growing on me. I really don't consider myself a leader yet, but eventually over time I think I'll get there.”
While the game may be seen as meaningless to some fans considering it’s not the College Football Playoff, Brown isn’t adopting that mindset. He was on the roster the last time OSU played in the Rose Bowl in 2018, but didn’t get to play. On Saturday, he’ll start at cornerback opposite freshman Denzel Burke.
“I want to win the game,” Brown said. “I want to win the Rose Bowl. That's really a big thing for me. My freshman year I didn't get a chance to play in it, so this time is the first time I get to play, so I'm excited.”
A win would be a triumphant ending to Brown’s most successful collegiate season of his career thus far, though even he’d admit it’s been far from perfect. Brown’s Ohio State career has been a wild ride filled with ups and downs, to say the least.
He came into Columbus as a four-star wide receiver commit from St. Louis in the class of 2018. It wasn’t long before the 6-foot, 190-pound Buckeye changed positions to cornerback, which he had also played at Christian Brothers High School (St. Louis, Missouri).
After playing limited snaps in 2019, Brown earned a spot in the cornerback rotation in 2020, but had his season cut short after tearing his Achilles in Ohio State’s second game of the season.
Brown, a redshirt junior, battled injuries again this season. His Achilles was perfectly fine, he says, but his knee was a different story, causing him to miss three games and start just five during the regular season.
Nevertheless, he emerged as the team’s second-best cornerback. Brown finished the year with eight passes defended, the second most of any Ohio State player behind Burke, and 21 total tackles with an interception against Penn State.
“I feel like I played really well,” Brown said of his year. “I don't like to talk about how good I played, but I think I played well … I feel like I understand the game more. Coming in freshman year from receiver, I didn't really know much of corner. I didn't really know anything really. I was just out there. This year I was starting to learn more how to break down film, how to study receivers, how to cover different ones. That's really about it.”
He could have had three interceptions this season if not for drops, but by Brown’s own admission, he needs to hit the JUGS machine a few more times.
Headed to the Jugs
— Cameron Brown (@luh_cam_) November 14, 2021
Brown’s career could have been over after this year, and the fourth-year Buckeye was still contemplating whether or not he would return to Ohio State until mid-December. But he ultimately decided he had more to accomplish and didn’t want Saturday’s Rose Bowl to be his final chapter as a Buckeye.
“Really what really made my mind was it didn't sit right with me. I feel like I had a lot more to prove here and I feel like I can really help out the team,” Brown said. “I feel like I had unfinished business here. I feel like I could especially develop as a player and really win some more games. That's really what it came down to.”
Brown kept his circle small while making his decision. He said he didn’t ask for any input from either teammates or coaches, because this was a choice he had to make for himself.
“I didn't really speak much on it because I didn't really, I wanted it to come straight from me, so they gave me time to think on my own, and I made a decision,” Brown said.
Once he announced he’d return, Brown felt the love from his team and his coaches.
“He works really hard,” said Ohio State secondary coach Matt Barnes. “He’s a bright guy. Any player gets better with experience. There’s no substitute. There’s no film or practice rep that truly simulates what it’s like to go out there and play in the game in front of a full crowd. When it’s moving fast and something you did in practice and everything’s on the line. Just being in an expanded role this year, I know has helped his development greatly.”
If you ask any Ohio State player a question geared toward future seasons right now, you’ll probably be met with some line about how they’re just focused on the Rose Bowl. But it’s hard not to imagine how Brown’s return could bolster the Buckeyes’ defense in 2022.
“The (guys) were happy I was coming back,” Brown said. “The young guys, I feel like I can go out there and help them learn more, and hopefully just go out on the field and just go out there.”
After OSU started 2021 with a very inexperienced secondary, the Buckeyes will return Burke, Brown, Ronnie Hickman, Bryson Shaw and Lathan Ransom, all of whom played significant roles at defensive back this year. Ohio State should also benefit from the return of safety Josh Proctor, who suffered a season-ending injury against Oregon.
Of course, the Buckeyes will have new defensive leadership in 2022 with former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. While Ryan Day has said he doesn’t expect the defense’s general structure to change, it’s possible Brown could be asked to do some new things in Knowles’ scheme.
Brown said he had one short conversation with Knowles after he was hired.
“I think he likes that I'm coming back,” Brown said. “I haven't really gotten into depth about it, but me and him talked about it, talked it up.”
Next season will be an opportunity for Brown to finally put together an injury-free full season’s worth of film. But for now, Brown will turn his attention to helping the Buckeyes beat the Utes on Saturday.
