IN THE LINE OF DUTY, FRESHMAN GIVES IN UCLA'S BROWN A RELUCTANT RIGHT GUARD.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer UCLA's offensive linemen sprinted to the end zone, eager to join in the touchdown celebration Touchdown celebrations are unique, and often humorous acts that American football players may do after they score a touchdown. Taunting, and excessive celebration are both offenses in the NFL, as a result, gaudy displays are often frowned upon. . Among the most visible was freshman Kevin Brown The name Kevin Brown can refer to several different people, including the following:
When Brown spoke of opening holes for the running back, or pass blocking and not yielding a sack, his face glowed with pride. He is 18 years old, starts on UCLA's offensive line after practicing less than two weeks at the right-guard spot, and teammates and coaches marvel at his talent and ability to learn quickly. And then there is the other side of Brown, when he is filled with regret about his decision to move from backup defensive tackle to starting offensive line for the rest of the season. Brown could have gone anywhere in the country - Ohio State, Florida State or USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. - and played offensive line, but he chose UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX after the coaches told him he could play defensive line, a position he enjoys the most. But as the Bruins struggled to block, particularly right guard Paul Mociler, the coaching staff asked Brown to make the move to offensive line, with the promise he could return to defense for spring ball. ``The fact of the matter is, I don't really want to play offensive line here,'' the 6-foot-2, 283-pound Brown said. ``I want to go back to defensive line as soon as possible. My heart is not in playing offensive line. My heart is really with helping the team.'' The agreement, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Brown, is for him to play offensive line this season and return to defensive tackle for the next three years. ``I talked to (defensive-line coach) Don Johnson and coach (Karl) Dorrell, and they said they would put me back on d-line next year,'' Brown said. ``I trust their word.'' Even so, the move doesn't sit well with Brown, or his older brother, Owen. Kevin and Owen, an offensive lineman at Division II Lincoln University Lincoln University. 1 At Jefferson City, Mo.; coeducational; land-grant and state supported; founded 1866 as Lincoln Institute. The school was established for the education of freed slaves by members of the 62d and 65th U.S. Colored Regiments. in Jefferson City Jefferson City, city (1990 pop. 35,481), state capital and seat of Cole co., central Mo., on the south bank of the Missouri River, near the mouth of the Osage; inc. 1825. , Mo., speak several times a day, and the 18-year-old Kevin relies on Owen, 23, for advice and guidance. Kevin, who played offensive line and defensive line in high school, said he wishes he didn't commit to playing offensive line immediately when Dorrell asked the day after a 23-20 victory against California. Seven days later, Brown made his first career start and performed well against Arizona State. ``It was kind of like a broken promise,'' Owen said. ``He was telling me he can't sleep because he didn't want to make the transition to offensive line. My mother called me and said he wasn't sounding too good. After this year, I want him to go back to defensive line and get back after it. ``But I told him, 'You have to stay. You have to go out and help the team. You win, you get better recruits, you get better offensive linemen recruits.' '' To make sure the coaches keep the promise to Kevin, Owen said he will return to Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, in the middle of November to meet with Johnson and Dorrell about Kevin's return to defensive tackle. ``I understand what they told him,'' Owen said, ``but I want to hear it myself.'' The biggest problem for UCLA is Brown has natural ability as an offensive lineman that could lead him to being one of the top guards in the country in a few years. How else could Brown, who still needs to replace some baby fat with muscle, trot into a Pacific-10 Conference The Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I. Membership Full members game with three full practices of offensive-line experience and perform well? The only school besides UCLA to recruit Brown as a defensive lineman was San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. State. ``He's very talented, a smart young man, and he's got good football sense, a good football I.Q.,'' Bruins offensive-line coach Mark Weber Mark Weber is president of the Legion for the Survival of Freedom and director of the Institute for Historical Review, an American Holocaust denial[1] organization. Weber has been associated with the IHR since 1991 and has been the Institute Director since 1995. said. ``I think he really is a natural offensive lineman, and he's got a good feel for things. He's played defense. He understands things. He's natural at it. He can pick things up well and can figure things out on his own. ``He didn't sit through all the preliminary stuff (in preseason) but he can look at a play and understand what he's supposed to do. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if I've ever been around a guy that's picked it up that fast.'' Teammates talk about Brown's excellent study habits during position meetings. ``He is so attentive and picks up everything very quickly,'' Bruins left guard Eyoseff Efseaff said. Even Brown acknowledges his enjoyment in clearing running lanes for Maurice Drew to rush for 176 yards against Arizona State while helping UCLA rush for a season-high 213 yards. When he is on the field or in meeting rooms or watching videotape, Brown is 100 percent offensive lineman. Yet, Brown also looks at UCLA's current defensive-line situation, particularly the Bruin he most admires, senior defensive tackle Rodney Leisle. Leisle, who hosted Brown on his recruiting trip last year, is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain ankle sprain Orthopedics A stretching of the ankle ligaments and/or muscles with swelling , meaning more snaps could go Brown's way if he was playing defense. ``I have the potential to be good (on the offensive line), but if you're not going to be excited about doing something, you shouldn't do it,'' Brown said. ``The way it all came about, that's what really kind of shocked me. I regret doing it without talking to people about it, but once you commit to something you have to follow through with it.'' Brian Dohn, (818) 713-3607 brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com UCLA at Stanford 12:30 p.m. TV/Radio: FSN (Full-Service Network) A communications network that provides shopping, movies on demand and access to databases and a variety of interactive services. ; 1150-AM, 690-AM CAPTION(S): photo Photo: BROWN |
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