Coffee with Crawford | The game is slowing down. Isaac Brown's run to stardom isn't

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A year ago, Isaac Brown was just trying to stay on his feet.

He was a true freshman in the backfield of a Top 25 college football team, taking handoffs, reading blocks and often doing little more than relying on his instincts.

It worked. Spectacularly.

He ran for 1,173 yards and 11 touchdowns. Broke Lamar Jackson's freshman rushing record. Tied Jackson's mark with five 100-yard games. Became the first true freshman in Louisville history to top 1,000 yards. And in the end, earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors.

Now, entering year two, he's not running on instinct anymore.

"I was just out there running," Brown said. "Now I feel like the game slowed down for me."

It's one of the great paradoxes of college football: Things speed up, but the best players start to see it all in slow motion. And Brown, just a sophomore, is already there.

Handling the weight of expectation

With breakout success comes preseason watch lists. Brown is on nearly all of them: the Doak Walker, the Maxwell, the Walter Camp, the Paul Hornung Award. He's already a six-time preseason All-American pick across various outlets.

Last year, he wore No. 25. This year, he took No. 1 — his high school number. He knows what the number means.

And yes, he feels it.

"It's hard, because I got a lot of pressure," he said. "They want me to perform like I did last year. I got a lot on my shoulders."

But pressure doesn't seem to bother him. He's not chasing 1,000 yards. He's chasing one great rep.

That's by design. Louisville running backs coach Chris Barclay, himself a former 1,000-yard college rusher, has been there. And he's on repeat with Brown, talking, teaching, and more than that, getting his backs to speak their goals out loud, so they can hear them with their own voices.

"We don't focus on last year," Barclay said. "Last year was last year. We've got to prove ourselves all over again … Let me be great on this rep. That's all that matters."

That's a valuable thing to learn at 19. Or 49.

"He's a young guy, and there are people in his ear," Barclay said. "But we just stay on him. Communicate with him. 'Hey man, it's a new day. New opportunity to be great on this rep.'"

Built on culture, not competition

Brown isn't alone. He's part of one of the deepest running back groups in the country, alongside Duke Watson — himself on the Doak Walker watchlist — and Keyjuan "Bama" Brown. They're his best friends and next-door neighbors on campus.

They're competitive, but not cutthroat.

"We just want each other to succeed," Brown said. "All we got to do is push each other and make it to the playoffs, for real."

Their coach calls them "the Three Stooges." But their work ethic is serious. Barclay has seen them grow not just physically, but mentally.

"It's almost like the game is happening in slow motion for these kids at times," he said. "Diagnosing reads earlier than they used to. Very dialed-in on pass protection. Seeing safety rotation for pre-snap reads. It's been very exciting to see their growth … It's kind of been autopilot."

And Brown, once the rookie who just ran fast and hoped, is now the guy doing the teaching.

Not just a star — a standard

Louisville calls its running back room "Zone 6." The name is simple: every time they touch the ball, the goal is six points.

It's also a legacy. It's been the home of NFL backs like Javian Hawkins, Isaac Guerendo, Jawhar Jordan — and before them, Bilal Powell, Kolby Smith, and Michael Bush.

Brown's not just trying to follow that legacy. He's hoping to add to it, in a backfield that could be Louisville's deepest since the 2004 team with four future NFL backs.

He's more vocal now. Communicates checks at the line. Brings along younger players. And in a position known for wearing guys down, Brown isn't backing off the pressure. He's learning how to manage it.

Even the pass guy is sold

Even Jeff Brohm, a head coach who treats the forward pass like a love language, is changing his tune.

"He's helped me love the running game," Brohm said, sounding half-shocked. "Which does not usually happen."

Brohm didn't come to Louisville to hand the ball off. He came to fill the air with footballs. But when you've got a back like Brown — who can slip through a hole the size of a rumor — even an old quarterback gets converted.

"You look at him and don't know if he'll withstand the hits," Brohm said. "But they can't hit him. He's just quick and really explosive in the hole with his moves. We're really lucky to have him."

And Brown isn't done. Despite the preseason press clippings, he doesn't think he's arrived.

In a world obsessed with results, he's trying to stay obsessed with the process.

The game slowed down for Isaac Brown. And soon, everyone else may be chasing.

Quick sips

• There's still plenty of buzz as Louisville fans absorb the latest national championship that will continue to stand – despite NCAA violations for cheating, My column on it yesterday.
• A change in Louisville's basketball coaching staff – and front office – could be a lift for the program. Read about why defensive specialist Brian Kloman is taking a general manager-type role by clicking here.

The Last Drop

"You know for a fact that a human being is capable of so much more, because to go to that place and to step outside yourself and observe yourself do these things, while the rest of the world is moving in slow motion, is really incredible."

-- Marcus Allen

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