Nov 4, 2017; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Marquise Brown (5) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
NORMAN, Okla. — When Marquise Brown arrived on Oklahoma’s campus a little less than a year ago, he didn’t even weigh 150 pounds.
But what the junior college transfer receiver lacked in size, he made up for in speed.
Heading into Saturday’s huge home game against TCU, Brown continues to emerge as a playmaker for the Sooners. Oklahoma and TCU are each 8-1 overall, tied for the Big 12 lead at 5-1.
“He’s faster than anybody in college football and it doesn’t matter how big he is,” Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “I don’t think anybody’s going to care about his size when he’s running past you. If you don’t get a hold of him or put your hands on him, he’s gone.”
That was shown against Oklahoma State, when he caught a slant pass and sped between three Cowboys defensive backs for an 84-yard touchdown, and then later in the game when Mayfield found him for a deep pass that Brown finished off for a 77-yard score.
While Brown arrived with the speed, it took him awhile to find a consistent role in the offense.
Over Oklahoma’s first five games, Brown had just 230 receiving yards and a touchdown.
But over the last four, the sophomore has 513 yards and three touchdowns on 24 catches.
“We’ve gotten more comfortable with him, he’s able to play more reps, and he’s making more plays as the reps go up,” Sooners coach Lincoln Riley said. “He’s done a great job.”
Mayfield is used to having a speedy receiver. Last year, OU’s Dede Westbrook won the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in college football and made his mark by being a consistent deep threat.
“It’s a complete difference-maker,” Mayfield said of Brown’s speed. “I think we saw somewhat of what Dede could do last year with that speed that he had but I think Marquise is even faster — love Dede but Marquise, he’s got another gear.
“So it’s just for teams to have to game-plan for that, it’s tricky because you can’t really leave him on an island because he’s going to outrun you. We have to keep finding ways to give him the ball.”
As a quarterback who got skipped over in recruiting in part because of his size, Mayfield can certainly appreciate an undersized receiver who had to go the junior college route in order to find his way to Division I football.
“They said he was too small and said he wouldn’t be able to do it and he’s just going to go out there and ball,” Mayfield said. “It doesn’t matter. He’s going to believe in himself. He’s going to use what he’s good at to win.”
NOTES: RB Rodney Anderson has 439 yards and 64 carries in Oklahoma’s last three games, with at least 111 yards in each game. … QB Baker Mayfield can tie a Big 12 record with a touchdown pass Saturday. Mayfield has thrown for a score in 35 consecutive games dating to the start of his OU career. Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell threw for touchdowns in 36 consecutive games from 2006-08. … Oklahoma won last year’s meeting against TCU, 52-46. … TE Mark Andrews leads the nation’s tight ends with 39 receptions, 701 receiving yards and 19.0 yards per catch.
