Long Live the Mullet: Sammy Brown to play a bigger role going forward

Sammy Brown is easily recognized.

David Hood - Senior Writer - Monday, September 16 2024

CLEMSON – The mullet stays.

As the final two quarters of football were played in the dominating win over Appalachian State, freshman linebacker Sammy Brown was noticeable both for his play and for the blonde locks flowing out of the back of his helmet.

On one play, the soon-to-be-familiar No. 47 took off with a burst and chased Mountaineer quarterback Joey Aguilar to the sideline. That burst – and play recognition – are two of the reasons Brown is considered a future star. The future might be sooner than we think.

Linebacker Kobe McCloud suffered a season-ending knee injury that Saturday. McCloud was usually the first backup linebacker off the bench behind Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz, and now Brown (along with Dee Crayton and Jamal Anderson) will help fill that void.

"I do see it as an opportunity," Brown said Tuesday. "I have to step up and take that role because he (went) down, so I feel this comes with great responsibility to fill his shoes."

In the win over the Mountaineers, Brown played 38 defensive snaps and led the Tigers (1-1) in tackles with nine. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said he even earned the team's special teams MVP for his play in the 66-20 victory.

For Brown, it was a chance to finally get back out on the field and play.

“It’s really exciting,” Brown said of his playing time. “I’ve been here since January, so I’ve had a really good time just learning, going through the whole process of learning the playbook, getting around the guys, so it was really exciting to finally get out on the field and contribute to the team.

"I thought the best thing that I did was fly to the ball, but I've definitely got a lot of stuff that I've gotta work on. I was a little hesitant. As good as the stat book looked, I do have a lot of things that I have to work on."

Brown’s father Mike played college football at Furman and is on the staff at Jefferson High School, so he knows how good linebacker play is supposed to look. When Brown walked out of the tunnel and saw his parents late Saturday, he knew what was coming.

“It was a very brief compliment, and then he got into some things that I could work on," Brown said with a smile. "He’s going to critique me as he is. It’s a blessing because he’s always going to keep me humble. He was there to make sure that I’m doing the right thing and that I’m in the right place. He never let me get too big for myself through the whole recruiting process.”

Swinney told the media during August camp that Brown is still a work in progress, that learning the playbook and the speed of the game is a big jump, even for a player of Brown’s caliber.

Brown agrees.

“Honestly, it was just a big jump from high school to college,” Brown said. “Now that I’m in college, I’m able to focus more on defense and understanding what the offense is going to do in certain formations. I just feel like the biggest thing that I can do for this team is contribute, and that could be in any way. So if there’s any way that I can make this team better, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

As Brown’s interview drew to a close, he was asked if that trademark haircut would ever see scissors.

“If I ever cut my mullet, I’m going straight to a buzz cut. Probably bleaching it, too,” Brown said.

I asked if that will happen anytime soon.

“Hopefully not,” Brown said, laughing as he exited the stage.

Long live the mullet.