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Thursday, October 15, 2009

Prep Football: Brown has 'cool' opportunity
Findlay Young Miss Softball League
By JAMIE BAKER

Staff Writer

McCOMB -- Hundreds of players account for a few thousand touchdowns in stadiums across Ohio each fall during the high school football season.

But one touchdown by McComb junior Tyler Brown, tacked on to the end of a 47-7 blowout win against Vanlue during Week 6, was something special.

While most running backs can see a hole develop and blast through it to paydirt, Brown can't.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder who is the team's manager can't see much of anything.

"When I was out there I could see the defensive line across from me but that's about it. I don't see anything really, really clearly," Brown said.

"He's always been legally blind. He can see a little bit but he has to basically turn his head sideways to see a little bit of some shadows that he can distinguish," added McComb coach Kris Alge.

"He's always been close with Mason Roth and Andrew Dee and the guys in that class. He has been a manager growing up and they've taken him in and made sure he's been a part of the team."

Brown would sometimes practice with his classmates during his freshmen year. Alge talked to Brown's mom before the start of this season to try and convince her son to come out and play in a game.

"At the beginning of the year he told me what he wanted me to do and I thought he was just messing around," Brown said. "He's always got these crazy ideas he's throwing out there.

"Then, one week he just told me that I was dressing that week. I was really nervous."

Brown made his football debut in Week 3 against Van Buren.

One of Brown's classmates ran with him out on the field, showed him where the ball was and lined him up at noseguard when the Panthers were on defense.

On the first play, Brown hit Van Buren's center and nearly knocked down a referee as the play developed on the other side of the field. On the second snap, Brown laid into the center and kept driving him up the field, Alge recalled.

Brown saw action in the junior varsity game the following morning. He was placed on the kickoff team, an ill-advised move, and was drilled on the play.

Perhaps he was a little gun shy after his junior varsity experience, but Brown decided to concentrate on his team manager duties for a couple of weeks. Then, Alge was able to convince him to dress against Vanlue on Oct. 3.

Up McComb leading 7-0 in the first quarter, Alge said, "Brown you're in. Let's go!" And with that, he entered the game at running back.

"We practiced it a little bit during the week so I thought it would be all right. The first time I got the ball, I got stuffed," Brown said. "The second time I got the ball, the line opened a huge hole. I could have walked through but I let the ball slip right out of my hands."

Vanlue recovered the ball in the endzone and Alge thought his plan to get Brown a touchdown wasn't meant to be that night.

Late in the game, though, with the Panthers up 40-7, a McComb backup player got tripped up one yard short of the endzone on a 57-yard screen pass.

That gave Brown another shot.

"At halftime, Michael Keller told Coach Alge that they should put me in at quarterback because we practice snaps all the time. We practiced some snaps at halftime. It made things a lot smoother," Brown said.

"I took the snap and two of our seniors, Clay Lilly and Corey Fry, just pretty much wrapped me up and shoved me in, they gave me a big push. I stood up and Clay Lilly yelled to me, 'You're in!' and gave me a hug."

Brown jumped up and down in the end zone celebrating his touchdown. And McComb's fans went wild in the stands.

"It was awesome, a cool opportunity. I'd like to thank coach Alge and the rest of the guys on the team. It was a really special moment and it meant a lot to me," Brown said.

The TD was a special thing that McComb's players, coaches, fans and, of course, Brown will never forget.

Baker: 419-427-8409,

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3 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
John Harden wrote:
Tyler Brown TD
“ This is a great story. Coach Alge and the team should be congratulated for providing the motivation to Tyler. Tyler, of course, is the brave one here....I played over 26 years ago and remember the hard hits on kick-off teams and I could see them coming. I got blind-sided a couple times and still feel the crunch when I remember them. Tyler should be an inspiration for others both young and old. ”
Thursday, October 15, 2009 4:08:00 PM
Christina wrote:
:)
“ omg this story is so cute... its awesome that someone that is legally blind can still be included and have an awesome opportunity to score a touchdown for his school... this Tyler Brown kid is too adorable :) *such a lil cutie* ”
Thursday, October 15, 2009 12:44:56 PM
Josh wrote:
Wow
“ GREAT story Jamie and two thumbs up to the McComb coaching staff and playes. ”
Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:31:14 AM

SBO

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