Leadership in Action – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/19/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 19, 2013
Corey “Philly” Brown’s senior season has been nothing less than exceptional. He has recorded 10 touchdown receptions during the course of his Buckeye career, half of which have taken place in 2013. As impressive as the feat appears, it is something the Buckeye faithful have now grown to expect from the Upper Darby, Pa., native.
Any great football player can put up gaudy statistics, but Brown is more than just the numbers. He is a unique combination of leadership and trust. This trust, which Brown has worked tirelessly to build with both the coaching staff and his teammates, allows him to fully showcase his potential.
As a senior leader, Brown is well aware of his responsibility to factor into the team’s motivation and momentum. He is a playmaker and a game-changer, as seen by his performance in the last play of the first half in the Buckeyes’ Big Ten opener against Wisconsin.
“Coach read the Wisconsin defense and it was time for our offense to step up,” Brown said. “He drew up the perfect play and it was our job to follow directions.”
Those directions led Brown to a touchdown catch to close out the first half, igniting the Buckeye sideline with confidence. However, this type of motivational leadership cannot exist without trust – something not easily gained.
When Urban Meyer became head coach in 2012, Brown admitted there were initially some trust issues that did not make the transition as smooth as it could have been. Within the last year however, Meyer acknowledged the team’s overall progression and specifically the progression of Brown.
“Corey Brown is the kind of wide receiver I want to coach” Meyer said.
This trust goes further than just the player-coach relationship. There is also the chemistry shared between a quarterback and receiver. This season Ohio State has utilized two quarterbacks in Braxton Miller and Kenny Guiton. Although both bring different attributes to the team, Brown has built a strong, trusting relationship with both on and off the field.
“Kenny is my neighbor, my best friend and has been with me here at Ohio State from day one,” Brown said. “Braxton and I have great team chemistry too. We’ve all come a long way as individuals and as teammates these last two years.”
Proof of this connection surfaced when Miller was injured early in the season and Brown was forced to put his trust in a new quarterback. While Brown has balanced the different playing styles of Miller and Guiton, he has noted the success the Buckeyes have earned thus far comes largely from the trust factor that requires two-way communication.
That gut instinct to simply rely on an unspoken link with a teammate, which is an intangible that is often difficult to coach and teach, has been one of main reasons for Ohio State’s success so far and was dramatically proven so in its 40-30 come-from-behind victory at Northwestern Oct. 5.
Behind six receptions for 127 yards vs. the Wildcats, Brown certainly maintained his trust in Coach Meyer’s offensive system and came out tougher in a “12-rounder,” which of course only made Brown stronger.
By Lauren Baum, Athletics Communications
