Lancaster (Tex.) 2023 running back Kyson Brown’s official visit to Tempe created a deep impact and, in essence, led to him committing to Arizona State nearly a month ago. Yet, the fact that he announced his decision just yesterday didn’t necessarily mean that he was having second thoughts about the Sun Devils.
“I really liked the support and reassurance the coaches gave me,” Brown said of his visit experience. They showed me how they care about the athletes’ academics first. Even though the coaching staff is a little shaky, I know that the coaches said that they’ll still be supportive throughout the whole process.
“The two running backs, Tevin White and Daniyel Ngata, hosted me. They told me that like at any college is gonna be, it’s gonna be rough the first gear, but the coaches really push them, and they really want the best for them. They reassured me about how things work around there, how the practices work, and how they work around the schedules. They told me about their experiences with coach Aguano and his (team) culture and explained how much he and the coaches love all the people and how much their families are tied to the program. They expressed how the coaches treated their players like sons.”
Needless to say that Arizona State’s newest addition to this 2023 class could not have picked a better weekend to spend his time on campus, as he personally witnessed a 45-38 dramatic win over then-no. 21 Washington.
“I was very impressed,” Brown admitted. “It showed me that they (ASU) were similar to the offense that I’m in right now. So they use they actually use a running back like me, and they actually use their running backs in the pass game too. I just really liked the running back play by those guys.”
Through seven games this year, Brown has collected 506 yards rushing, averaging 7.7 yards per carry and scoring eight touchdowns, and also has two receiving scores for the 7-2 Tigers. The 5-11 195-pound running back was clocked at a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, 10.9 in the 100-meters, and 21.7 in the 200-meters.
“They (ASU coaches) told me a lot of things that they liked about me, but what they liked the most is how versatile I am,” Brown noted. “I’m a great third-down back that the team can use in the pass game as well. You can move me around (the offense), so I’m a very hard guy to prepare for. Some people may think I’m just a small, quick running back, but I balance it out between my agility and power. I try to model my game after Chuba Hubbard because I watched him a lot in college. Tony Pollard too. One of my all-time favorites is Marshawn Lynch. I just love his game.
“The track workouts combined with running track for my school actually helps to keep me the frame that I’m in. In the spring, I was doing both football and track at the same time for about two weeks because we made it to the (track) postseason. I’m not to that so small, but just the right size. And I give a lot of credit to my track coaches for improving my agility and pushing me in practice. I’m using what (physical tools) God gave me, and that is molded by the coaches.”
Houston, Missouri, UTSA, SMU, Purdue, and Navy are some of the more notable programs to offer Brown. ASU was the running back’s first official visit to any school, and he didn’t rule out any additional visits after his season ends, which hopes will be a deep playoff run into the month of December. Brown added that he plans to sign during the February signing period and will only graduate in May of next year.
“The number one reason I committed to Arizona State was seeing myself being there on that team,” Brown explained. “It was just a feeling. It wasn’t necessarily any certain one thing. It’s just like when I got there on my visit; I just imagined myself there for my college career. The atmosphere of being around campus and being around players and the coaches, I felt like I was part of that program.”
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