Marvin Brown

FB, 6'0, 244, 4.67, 325 bp
Hyattsville, MD

Nickname: Boogie
High School: DeMatha
HS Number: 6
AL Number: 6
Official Visits: Virginia Tech, Pitt, Alabama
Second Choice: Virginia Tech
Host During Alabama Visit: Shaun Alexander
Committed: January 14, 1998
Academic Status: Qualified

Stats

HS Junior Season

Blocking

• Averaged 16 pancake blocks per game

HS Senior Season

Receptions

• 9 receptions
• 84 yards
• 1 TDs

Rushing

• 111 carries
• 927 yards
• 8.4 yards per carry
• 11 TDs

Honors

• All-State
• Prep Star All Atlantic Region
• All Metro D.C.
• Prep Star All-American

Stories

A Dream Comes True

Since he was nine years-old Marvin Brown’s dream was to play football for Alabama.

"The first time I saw Alabama on TV was 1989 when they had Siran Stacy," Marvin says. "I got an Alabama jersey for Christmas that year."

Even though Marvin grew up in Hyattsville, MD, he has strong Alabama ties. All of his relatives, including his parents and grandparents, are from Alabama.

Marvin’s neighborhood friends in Hyattsville used to tease him about being an Alabama fan.

"They would always tell me that I’d never be good enough to play for Alabama."

At DeMatha HS Marvin became a good player, good enough to earn All-Region honors his junior year, when as a 270-pound OG he averaged 16 pancake blocks a game.

By his senior year Marvin had trimmed down to 244 pounds and had switched to fullback. He had a banner season, rushing for 927 yards and averaging 8.4 yards per carry.

Some big-name schools began calling -- schools like Michigan, Penn State, Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Pitt -- but not the school he really wanted to hear from.

"I figured that I’d never play for Alabama."

Then one day …

"I’d been outside running. I came in and my mom had a big smile on her face. She said that an Alabama coach called while I was out. I thought she was playing. About an hour later Coach Swinney called and said he would like to recruit me. I was so excited. I told him to bring it on."

On February 4th Marvin Brown signed with Alabama.

Family Ties

Marvin Brown’s parents and grandparents are natives of Alabama. His grandparents still live in Alabama, his dad’s family in Birmingham, and his mom’s in Tuskeegee, only a stone’s throw from Auburn.

"Some of my mom’s people like Auburn. They wanted me to go there. But I really don’t know much about Auburn. I’ve just always liked Alabama."

They'll be cheering "Roll Tide" a lot more next season in Tuskeegee.

Give Him Six!

Now that his Alabama dream has come true, Marvin Brown has visions of greatness. At Alabama he will wear the number 6 in honor of his idol -- Jerome Bettis. Bettis made the number 6 famous at Notre Dame.

"I’ve always liked him," Marvin says. "We’re kind of the same style of runner. Both of us can run over people or make them miss."

Bad Timing

It may have cost Alabama one of the nation’s top TE prospects.

John Day-Owens, one of Marvin Brown’s HS teammates, was expected to join Brown on a visit to Tuscaloosa on January 9th. Unfortunately, that was the weekend of Day-Owens’ 18th birthday.

"We were looking forward to it [the visit]," Marvin says. "But he decided to stay home because of his birthday. I wish he would’ve gone with me. He would’ve liked it down there."

Day-Owens signed with Notre Dame.

Q&A

TI: We know that you’ve always been an Alabama fan. But how did Alabama find out about you?

MB: Coach Swinney read an interview with me in a magazine where I said that I was hoping to hear from Alabama. That’s how it got started.

TI: In fact, at that time very few schools outside of the Atlantic Coast and Northeast knew about you.

MB: My junior year I was an offensive lineman. I only played fullback one season and that’s the reason a lot schools didn’t know about me until my senior year.

TI: Have the Alabama coaches told you what your role will be next season?

MB: My goal is to start as a freshman, and they say that I’ve got a good shot at playing next season. I think that they want to get the fullback more involved in the offense, especially in the passing game.

TI: You caught nine passes last season. Do you have good hands?

MS: I consider myself a complete fullback. I can run, block and catch. That’s what Alabama wants -- someone who can do more than block all the time.

TI: Obviously you’ve got good size. Do you consider yourself more of a power fullback.

MB: I can do that. But I have quick feet, too. I can make people miss in the open field.

TI: Do you think that your lifelong desire to play for Alabama will motivate you to help get the program turned around?

MB: I know it will. I’ll definitely be playing hard because this is my lifelong dream. I remember as kid I used to get excited watching Alabama on TV. I’ll be very excited to play for them.

TI: Do you think the program is headed in the right direction?

MB: We’re going the right way. We had one of the top recruiting classes in the country. I see a lot of young guys who are already there, and the ones coming in, who are going to get things turned around.

TI: You seem up-to-date on recruiting.

MB: I read some magazines and found out about a lot the guys. When I took my visit, I met Reggie Myles, Tyler Watts, Ahmaad Galloway, Victor Ellis, and some of the other guys. We hung out together.

TI: Sounds like it’s going to be a close-knit group.

TI: We’re very close. I think that’s going to be a big factor for Alabama.