Brown leading the way for Black and Gold

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Robert Brown (Palmetto Bay, Fla.) has developed a great deal over the course of his career at Bryant. 

A standout in the classroom and on the playing field, Brown was chosen as one of five captains of the Bryant University football team this fall. 

"It means a lot to be chosen as a captain," Brown said. "Being acknowledged by my brothers in that aspect speaks volumes. I just hope I can be the lead I want to be and that this team needs so we can succeed. I hope to leave an impact on the program where future leaders will want to take after my leadership style."

Brown's leadership has also landed him a spot on the Student-Athlete Connection Group for the NCAA Football Oversight Committee. He's one of two players from the Northeast Conference to be selected to the committee and will serve a two-year term. Brown has also continued to excel in the classroom, making the NEC Academic Honor Roll in each of his three seasons. This past summer, he completed an internship at Target which helped him get better at speaking with people and becoming a better problem solver.

On the field, Brown missed the first three games of the season as a freshman but has played in 31-straight games, including 12-straight starts, since. Each season has been better for Brown as he's gone from making 11 tackles as a freshman to 70 as a junior last fall.

The turning might have been an exuberant fist pump in Bryant's first-ever night game with Marist last September. Brown had just broken up his third pass of the game and let out a roar in the middle of Beirne Stadium. He finished that game with just two tackles but you could see that something big was coming.

It happened the following week. Brown posted a career-high 11 tackles as the Black and Gold defeated Robert Morris on Homecoming. The next week he posted seven tackles, three TFLs and returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown to help Bryant defeat Duquense on the road.

Brown went on to average over eight tackles per game in the last eight games of the year, recording seven or more stops in all but one. He didn't miss a beat in last week's opener either, finishing with a game-high nine tackles and a forced fumble.

"The way I go about practice has had a huge impact," Brown said. "I understand that if I give it my all in practice each and every day, the game should be easier. The way I watched film has also helped me go into a game with a great understanding of what our opponents are trying to do. Most importantly, new linebackers coach Steven Daniels has driven me to be better."

But as the Black and Gold continue the 2019 season, Brown only has one goal in mind.

"I want this team to go down as the best team in Bryant Football history."