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| | AP Photo/Jeff Gentner |
| | Defensive coordinators have to devise ways to stop Jarrett Brown at a number of positions. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
West Virginia's offense lacked a playmaker who could get things done in short -yardage situations and take some heat off Noel Devine and Pat White. It didn't seem like the Mountaineers had such a guy on their roster -- until they turned to their backup quarterback.
Jarrett Brown, who has served as White's emergency replacement the past two years, was all over the field during last week's 27-3 win over Marshall. He lined up in the backfield next to White, split out wide as a receiver and took over quarterback duties when White went out with a bruised thumb.
"I'm the biggest conservative in the world, but yet I have enough riverboat gambler in me to go for it," head coach Bill Stewart said of putting Brown in those different roles. "I gave him my word and I told the team that we were going to put that rascal back there and let him run."
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Brown ran eight times for 84 yards, getting 25 of those on three third-and-short opportunities. The Mountaineers had been woeful in those short yardage situations in losses to Colorado and East Carolina.
"I always joked about what can I do at running back," Brown said. "Now I can go out there and actually see what I can do. All those times waking up at 6 a.m., working that weight room and trying to win every sprint paid off, especially running between those big hogs."
Having Brown on the field gives West Virginia all sorts of options. He can throw, as he did while completing five of seven passes against Marshall. He can catch or run. Or some variety of all three. The Mountaineers tried a double reverse involving White, Brown and Jock Sanders last week, but it didn't work. There's plenty more in the playbook.
"It brings a change to the offense," said linebacker Mortty Ivy. "The defense is thinking, 'Oh, there's going to be something tricky. It's going to be a pass play or a double pass.' And the whole time, Jarrett's running the ball and making a play."
Brown said he could see the confusion on Marshall's part whenever he came into the backfield with White.
"It's weird," he said. "When you watch the film, the defense, they just stood there. Like, after the ball was snapped, they just stood there.
"I think we can do some good things out of this package with all the athletes we have on the field."
Brown is excited about the opportunity to make more of an impact. The redshirt junior has spent his career stuck behind White on the depth chart. When the guy ahead of you is the two-time defending Big East offensive player of the year, you're not getting off the bench much unless there's an injury.
Brown won't be a secret to Rutgers on Saturday. His lone career start came in place of an injured White in the 2006 season finale against the Scarlet Knights. He rang up 317 yards of total offense in that game as West Virginia won in triple overtime, knocking Rutgers out of a BCS berth.
But he was strictly a quarterback that day. This weekend, Brown could be anywhere.
"If I were the defensive coach at Rutgers, I would think 'Wow, No. 16 (Brown) and No. 5 (White) back there, what else are they doing?'" Stewart said. "It gives them something to work on.
"You have not seen enough of those two, and they are going to get in there and have fun."
