Citizen Staff Writer
JOHN MOREDICH
jmoredich@tucsoncitizen.com
Matt Brown was born in Tucson, and he is returning as a quarterback.
The Allen (Texas) High School standout moved away from Tucson when he was 3. He will return after giving the University of Arizona an oral commitment Wednesday.
“I didn’t know what to expect when I came down for a visit there,” Brown said of his trip last month. “I was kind of interested with being born there and having my family go there.
“Another big plus was having an offense there that is identical, I mean absolutely identical, so I won’t miss a heartbeat. I absolutely love it down there.”
Brown has heard about the UA most of his life; his parents are alums.
The 6-foot, 170-pound dual-threat signal caller threw for nearly 2,000 yards and passed for 28 touchdowns, while rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and 13 scores, his junior season.
He rushed for almost 1,000 yards and threw 25 touchdowns as a sophomore.
“He has a great arm and has been timed at 4.54 (seconds) in the 40 (-yard dash),” Allen coach Tom Westerberg said. “He’s such an accurate passer, too. When things start to break down is when he will take off and (it) is when he is the most dangerous. I wouldn’t want to face him.”
Brown hoped to lead Allen to a state title a year ago but suffered a broken collarbone in the playoffs.
He feels good and ready to run, and throw.
“If you drop eight down to stop the pass, I will beat you with my legs,” Brown said. “I’m good at passing, but I always want to work on something, and that is what I want to work on. I’m fast.
“You are either fast or you are not. I want to continue to work on my passing skills so they are as good as they can be.”
Brown, 20-2 as a starter, was the Texas Sports Writers Association’s Class 5A offensive player of the year.
“I’ve always been a good leader,” he said. “I am a really competitive person. At first I was so nervous that I was almost feeling like I was going to throw up before a game.
“I expect perfection from everything I do, no matter if the team I am playing is 0-10 and has never won a game in the program’s history. I am going to be nervous because I want to be good so bad.”
“I am starting not to get as nervous, but I still want to be perfect.”