Headed to his ‘dream school,’ QB Jason Brown reflects on his time at South Carolina
Jason Brown didn’t hesitate. He didn’t even need to think about it really.
The former South Carolina quarterback has been through the ringer. He traveled up and down the East Coast hunting for a college offer while in high school. USC was his lone opportunity after a standout career at St. Francis — a small FCS school in central Pennsylvania.
So when new Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry called with a scholarship offer in recent weeks, Brown had an answer ready.
“It’s exciting just because Virginia Tech is where I’ve always wanted to go,” he told The State on Thursday night. “... You picture yourself playing (there) and knowing that I have the opportunity to do that now is something crazy.”
That Brown landed with the Hokies is as much fate as luck. He says he has been a Virginia Tech fan as long as he can remember. He jokes his 247Sports profile from high school is littered with unofficial visits to Blacksburg, Virginia — It’s where he always wanted to be.
The Hokies liked Brown as a quarterback out of high school, but landed a commitment from eventual Tennessee signal-caller Hendon Hooker to fill that spot. Longtime Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster remained intrigued with Brown. That turned into a preferred walk-on offer as a tight end, if Brown wanted it.
But a scholarship to play quarterback at St. Francis shifted Brown’s thinking. There in rural Pennsylvania he recorded almost 300 yards and two touchdowns in his first start for the Red Flash. He finished his lone season as a starter atop the Northeast Conference in passing yards (3,084) and passing touchdowns (28).
After St. Francis announced it would not allow fall sports to play a spring season in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown entered the transfer portal. He hoped Virginia Tech might now take a swing at him. Former coach Justin Fuente’s staff didn’t have any interest.
“My whole career I’ll wish I had a second season with Jason Brown,” St. Francis associate head coach/offensive coordinator Marco Pecora told The State in November.
While Virginia Tech wasn’t interested in Brown, South Carolina desperately needed quarterback help.
Graduate transfer Collin Hill’s college career had ended. Former four-star recruit Ryan Hilinski, too, left USC, later landing at Northwestern. Only Luke Doty and freshman Colten Gauthier remained.
South Carolina ended up as Brown’s only offer. He took it and ran with it.
It was in Columbia, Brown said, that he learned to work. He dropped 20 pounds during the offseason to better prepare himself for the rigors of a Southeastern Conference schedule. He stuck through losing quarterback competitions to first, Doty, then Zeb Noland. Finally, he got his chance in early November.
Brown took Columbia by storm, guiding South Carolina to a 40-17 throttling of Florida. He backed it up with a win over Auburn two weeks later to get the Gamecocks bowl eligible.
“Everything happened so fast, being a starter,” Brown conceded. “And that month while I was playing, just (went) so much faster than when I was watching.”
Yet for the successes of Brown’s late season coming-out party, the former FCS quarterback-turned-SEC starter read the writing on the wall.
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler announced his commitment to head coach Shane Beamer and South Carolina on Dec. 13. Brown’s path to playing time with a former Heisman Trophy candidate on the way became increasingly murky.
So Brown turned to the transfer portal again. There he waited. Things remained quiet. Like his high school days, a handful of schools sniffed around. And like his high school days, only one — Virginia Tech — offered.
“The grind to get to his dream school was unbelievable ... Proud of you dawg VT getting a good one,” South Carolina receiver and Brown’s former high school teammate E.J. Jenkins Tweeted in response to Brown’s announcement.
Brown assures he doesn’t leave Columbia with any ill-will. He cherishes the moments wrangling the Gators and torching the Tigers.
During South Carolina’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina last week, Brown said he evolved into the Gamecocks’ biggest cheerleader. He watched plays unfold before they happened. He said he saw tight end Jaheim Bell’s 66-yard touchdown reception from Noland coming. He notes Dakereon Joyner’s 69-yard scoring pass to Bell was a “dime.”
Sure, he’d have liked to start a handful more games in Columbia. The memories, though, remain.
“The past year at South Carolina was just unbelievable,” Brown said. “... Gamecock nation was incredible. Coaches were incredible. Teammates were incredible. I love South Carolina. I truly didn’t want to leave. But I know that it would have been real hard for me to win that spot and play.”
Brown now heads to Blacksburg and the place he’s always dreamed of playing. Another quarterback competition awaits as former Marshall standout Grant Wells announced his commitment to Virginia Tech within minutes of Brown on Thursday night.
The Hokies didn’t want him out of high school. They passed on him out of St. Francis. On Thursday, Brown landed at his dream school.
Third time’s the charm.
