For Brown and his family, a dream come true as he prepares for his first Auburn start
Eric Brown: ‘It’s not very often you get a chance like this, and he wants to make the most of it.’
Just more than three weeks ago, Auburn coach Hugh Freeze announced that redshirt freshman Hank Brown had been named Auburn’s backup quarterback. For Brown and his family, that was a big deal.
Brown would back up his friend Payton Thorne and work to be ready if called. Winning the starting job did not seem to be on the horizon this season. There was no expectation of what happened Friday, when Brown was named the starting quarterback for tonight’s game against New Mexico.
His father Eric, his mother Lesley and his brother Parker, a former UTC quarterback and now an Auburn student, and his other siblings will cheer him on from the Jordan-Hare Stadium stands.
‌’He’s ready,” Eric told Auburn Undercover. “He has a peace and an excitement around it. It’s not very often you get a chance like this, and he wants to make the most of it.”
Thorne had a surprisingly bad day in a 21-14 loss to Cal last Saturday, throwing four interceptions. After splitting first-team reps with Thorne during practice, Brown got the nod.
‌It was, in one way, bittersweet. Brown and Thorne are friends. Their families are friends. What was joyful news for one family was a disappointment for the other.
Thorne’s parents contacted Brown’s parents with assurances they would be pulling for Brown just like the Brown family pulled for their son. Such is the life of quarterbacks and even their families.
‌”The Thornes are awesome people,” Eric said. “They sent us well-wishes. The whole thing is tough. At the same time, it’s a show-me business.”
And it is a tough business, a demanding business and often an unforgiving business.
“The fan base doesn’t get these guys are still kids,” Eric said. “Payton is a great kid. He had a rough game, and that stinks. Hank really loves Payton a lot. It’s a little awkward for him.
“Of course, he wants to play, but he has a lot of respect and love for Payton.”
Hank Brown will be in the glare of a spotlight he has never experienced. He will, no doubt, be greeted with excitement. But the critics will be ready to be heard, too.
‘We were sitting at the game last week, and there were these guys two rows behind us,” Eric said. “They were acting as if they were God’s gift to play-calling and playmaking. They were criticizing every play call and every decision Payton was making. I was like ‘You guys have no clue.’ Everyone is an expert on quarterbacking.”
