Leddie Brown is the Big 12's Best Kept Secret
Upon arrival to Morgantown, Leddie Brown was a prized recruit for West Virginia. He held offers from Florida, Alabama, Louisville, Tennessee, Maryland, and several others. The expectations coming from the fan base were extremely high with the thought that he could be the next great West Virginia running back. So far, that hasn't happened.
Brown didn't see a ton of playing time as a true freshman, sitting behind Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway, but still made an impact with 446 yards and four touchdowns on 91 carries. With McKoy and Pettaway both returning in 2019, the same problem presented itself - minimal playing time. Unexpectedly, Pettaway decided he wanted to sit out the remainder of the season after four games in to take a redshirt and return in 2020. That, however, never happened. Instead, Pettaway took to the transfer portal and ended up at Middle Tennessee. Even when Pettaway decided to sit out, Brown didn't see much of a boost in carries.
The rushing attack as a whole truly underperformed last season, but the offensive line was a disaster to say the least and had a big part in the lack of success that the run game endured. For things to turnaround, the big fellas up front will need to see remarkable improvement. The line's play will have a major impact on Brown's success in 2020.
The question that still remains is whether or not Brown can be an every down back and produce consistently at a high level. He has the skillset, the build, and durability to do so, but hasn't been able to prove it just yet - 2020 will be a different story. For the first time in his collegiate career, Leddie Brown will be the feature back in the offense and is really the only experienced back on the roster.
With so little experience behind him, could this mean that the bulk of the carries will be placed on Brown's shoulders? If that's the case, then talking about a 1,000-yard season for Brown isn't necessarily a pipe dream. With uncertainty at the quarterback position, Neal Brown may look to be a run first team, at least at the start of the season until the starting quarterback finds his groove. This would give Brown confidence early on to be a three down back and will help establish the passing game for either Jarret Doege or Austin Kendall.
Do you see Leddie Brown having a breakout season in 2020? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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