Brown meshes grid, mat skills to become strong linebacker

Whether he’s on the football field or wrestling mat, MacArthur’s Braden Brown is great at doing his job and often that means delivering a fierce blow.

It might be fitting that he might be delivering a knock-out punch even after his days as an athlete are done.

“I want to be an anesthetist,” Brown said after a solid 2-hour practice at the school Monday. “I’m a good student and that’s what I’ve wanted to do for some time. Right now I’m not sure where I will be attending college, though.”

While Brown is a fast, hard-hitting outside linebacker for the Highlanders, he is an equally-talented wrestler, having claimed a State title last season.

“I really love both sports but I imagine my best sport in college will be wrestling,” the senior said. “I will sit around and watch football video, wrestling and baseball but I expect wrestling is what I will be doing in college.”

Brown has completed some college classes already and this semester his lone class is English.

He has grown up around sports, starting football in the third grade.

One of his biggest fans is grandmother Anita Brown, the well-organized athletic assistant to LPS Athletic Director Gary Dees.

“My grandma has a great deal of passion and has been around all of the time for my sports events,” he said.

Braden also has the same passion, which cost him a couple of penalties a few weeks ago, putting him on the bench for a game.

“My grandma didn’t say much, she just told me I had to be better,” he said. “I just got a little too passionate. It was obviously a good learning lesson for me.”

Over the years Lawton has produced many good wrestlers who also are good on the football field. Brown said the combination brings together good skills that are needed in both.

“Wrestling really helps me when it comes to football,” Brown said. “It taught me how to use my hands and leverage to get the job done. It’s just fun to play outside backer in this defense.”

The Highlanders are 6-0 heading into a key road matchup with Midwest City and Mac will be needing another good defensive effort to go to 7-0.

“I think our best overall defensive games were Altus, Ardmore and Eisenhower,” he said. “Altus did get a kickoff return and we did a good job on Ardmore’s (flexbone) offense. And we stopped a really good back from Ike.”

Brown was like many Class 5A fans, players and coaches when they learned that El Reno had beaten Midwest City, 27-14, last week.

“I have already seen a good deal of video on then and they are pretty good,” Brown said of the Bombers. “We are not as big but I think we do our jobs better and are more disciplined.”

Brown was surprised with last week’s MWC score.

“Yes, I was surprised they lost last week,” he said. “They run the ball most of the time.”

That’s when Mac defensive coordinator Mike Reffett chimed in with, “they run it 80 percent of the time Braden.”

Like Brown said, the Mac defense has been solid, so what makes this group so special?

“We all get along well and we communicate well,” he said. “We have a lot of speed and we have guys who want to hit people. And we are very discipled. Throw in the fact we are well prepared by our coaches and it makes for a good defense.”

Last week Brown played inside with another linebacker missing the game with an injury but this week he will be back on the outside.

“I love the outside because I have a chance to get in the backfield and chase the quarterback,” he said. “I think I have had 8 or 9 sacks which is always fun.”

While offensive linemen are known as the biggest eaters on any team, linebackers aren’t far behind.

“My mom (Paige Brown) makes a great deal of good foods,” he said. “I think my favorites are her ribs or her spaghetti. But just about everything she cooks is amazing.”

If Brown and his defensive mates get another good effort Friday and beat the Bombers, those ribs cooked on the grill might just be the perfect meal for this hard-hitting member of Mac’s defensive unit.