Jeff Brown, Millennium Hall of Fame

Jeff Brown had a choice: Be a star at a small college, or play a

supporting role at USC and fulfill a boyhood dream of playing big-time

college football -- even if it meant being an unsung fullback at Tailback

U.

Brown, a former Corona del Mar High standout who started at running

back and linebacker under Coach Dave Holland in 1982 and ‘83, was a

walk-on at USC, and, as a member of the scout team, loved crashing into

the Trojans’ first-string linebackers.

Eventually rewarded with a full scholarship in his last three years at

USC, Brown took pride in his special teams play and in 1986, his redshirt

sophomore season, San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci was his

coach.

After one season at Golden West College, Brown felt an emptiness in

his gridiron heart. “I really enjoyed (playing at GWC), but it wasn’t

what I was looking for,” Brown said of his 1984 experience as a Rustler

fullback, before transferring to USC the following semester in time for

spring practice, then redshirting his first year.

“I didn’t really have any major offers (coming out of high school),”

said Brown, who broke the CdM single-game rushing record with 213 yards

in 19 carries (three touchdowns) in a 28-26 victory over Capistrano

Valley and Cougars quarterback Burt Call.

It was a season in which the Sea Kings, led by Brown, quarterback

Bobby Hatfield, defensive back Peter Stoughton, linebacker Tyler Johnson,

Don Pryor, Bob Stefano and Greg Roelle, started 7-0 -- the best in school

history -- and were ranked No. 1 in the state in their division by the

USA Today heading into Week 8.

But after Hatfield broke his collarbone against University, CdM wasn’t

the same, finishing 8-3 and losing to Brea Olinda, 14-7, in the first

round of the CIF Southern Section Central Conference playoffs.

Although Brown was CdM’s leading rusher with 1,038 yards in 193

carries, scored 11 touchdowns and caught 11 passes for 99 yards, his

postseason accolades came as a linebacker, including his selection as a

second-team All-CIF Division III choice on defense (encompassing the

Central, Eastern and Southeastern conferences).

CdM’s only All-CIF pick that autumn, Brown was All-Sea View League and

All-Orange County, then played under South Coach Mike Giddings (Newport

Harbor) in the 1984 Orange County All-Star game.

Growing up in Newport Beach and playing Junior All-American in the

area, Brown always told friends he was “going to play for one of the

elite (colleges), or I wasn’t going to play at all, so (playing at USC)

was definitely fulfilling a dream.”

Following his redshirt season at USC, Brown volunteered to play on

special teams and was able to travel with the squad in ’86.

In Week 7 against host Stanford that season, USC Coach Ted Tollner

tried to spark the offense in the third quarter by taking out three

starters and replacing them with split end Erik Affholter, tailback

Steven Webster and Brown.

Brown remembers being in the huddle that day in Palo Alto and

sophomore quarterback Rodney Peete calling his number. Brown handled

Peete’s outside pitch and rolled for 24 yards to set up a field goal,

helping USC defeat the Cardinal, 10-0, and end a two-game Trojan losing

streak.

“As a sophomore reserve fullback, that was a career highlight,” said

Brown, who, along with Affholter and Webster, was interviewed by ABC

after the victory.

As a senior, Brown started half the games, but mostly backed up Leroy

Holt. Against Boston College, Brown carried for 56 yards in a

season-opening 34-7 win for USC, and added solid starting performances

against Arizona and Cal as the Trojans went 10-0 before losing to Notre

Dame.

“I really enjoyed (playing at USC),” Brown said. “I think walking on,

you have to earn the respect of those players, and, looking back on some

of those guys, obviously they were pretty good.”

The spring before Brown’s senior year, USC Coach Larry Smith conducted

a 10-event athletic competition for his players. Brown was in line to win

it, but finished second to Junior Seau in a controversial ending on the

last event -- the obstacle course. Brown got a chance to rib Seau about

it a few years ago.

Now in his fifth year as a volunteer freshmen football coach at CdM,

Brown will be rooting hard for the Trojans on Saturday when they play

UCLA.

Brown, a 5-foot-11, 220-pound bruiser at USC, weighs 185 pounds these days. “Some people can’t believe it when I tell them I’m a former

fullback at USC,” he said.

Brown, who works for Salomon Smith Barney in Newport Beach as a

portfolio manager of investments, is the latest honoree in the Daily

Pilot Sports Hall of Fame, celebrating the millennium.

Brown, 34, lives in Newport Beach with his wife of five years, Anne,

and their 1-month-old daughter, Ellie.