Brooks: CU's 'Other' Corner Set To Make Mark On Secondary

IRVING, Texas - Before they arrived on Colorado's campus in 2006, Jalil Brown and Scotty McKnight had never laid eyes on one another. It didn't take long before each was the recipient of the other's eyes, fists, forearms, shoulders . . .

Brown is a cornerback, McKnight a receiver. In terms of compatibility, that's oil and water, mustard on a white silk shirt.

Early on in their freshman camps, the line of scrimmage was the only thing that separated them - and that held firm only until the ball was snapped.

"Me and Jalil would be in full-on fights in practice that season," McKnight recalled of their hand-to-hand duels in Year 1. "We used to go at it . . . I'm a tough, competitive kid. I'm not going to let anyone get the best of me."

Brown doesn't go for that either; they both gave and got on a daily basis. But after practices an odd thing happened: On those occasions when McKnight's parents would watch drills and the skirmishes involving their son, they often called Jalil over afterward rather than Scotty.

"They'd tell him, 'Keep doing that to Scotty; it makes him tougher,'" McKnight remembered.

A little puzzled at first, Brown's response was, "Sure . . . whatever works."

Four years later, Brown, of Phoenix, and McKnight, of Coto de Caza, Calif., are better acquainted, not to mention better prepared to begin their final seasons for the Buffaloes.

Initially, McKnight's impression of his young teammate/practice adversary was this: "He was extremely raw, especially at press technique, when he got here . . . he would over-commit a lot. His technique wasn't all the way there."

Now, if Brown's technique isn't "all the way there," it's close enough to elicit this update from McKnight: "He is hands down one of the best corners in the country. Of everyone I've gone against - Aqib Talib at Kansas, guys from Oklahoma and different schools - Jalil's strength and speed are unmatched by anyone."

High praise, even if it emanates from the inside. McKnight, though, has more than a little football cred; he's second at CU in all-time receptions and should get the three catches needed to pass school leader Michael Westbrook early on.

More importantly, Brown, who was the final signee in coach Dan Hawkins' first recruiting class and initially made his mark at CU on special teams, also believes he's coming into his own as a cover corner.

He's spent the off-season trying to refine technique and honing all those things he attempted against McKnight four summers ago - jamming him at the line, back-pedaling, not over-committing to anything and reading the quarterback.

"My big thing has been harping on technique . . . I've focused on details and I think I've come a long ways," he said, adding that at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, he feels "very comfortable with myself."

There's also been a comfort level established with "new" position coach Ashley Ambrose, who spent 13 seasons in the NFL and was an All-Pro in 1996 (AFC Defensive Back of the Year). When Greg Brown left for the University of Arizona last winter, Ambrose was named his successor rather than stepping in to coach the wide receivers.

The transition was smooth, primarily because Ambrose had played for Brown in the NFL before working with him for two seasons on the CU staff as the defensive technical intern.

"We've gone from having a mastermind who knew the game inside and out to having a guy who played it on the field," Jalil Brown said. "(Ambrose) can tell you why you do this, how you do it, when to use your leverage and get you out of bad situations.

"When you make a mistake, he knows enough (about technique) to tell you why, why you missed a jam or a receiver. He's great at coaching players. He knows what works and doesn't . . . I don't think there's a better DB coach in the country as far as learning technique."

There won't be too many corner combos in the country better than what Ambrose fields at CU in his coaching debut. Brown and Jimmy Smith, a long, athletic senior who is included on the Thorpe Award preseason watch list and could parlay his final season into a prominent position in next spring's NFL draft.

Said McKnight: "Going against those two guys every day in practice makes going against anybody else in games much easier, let me tell you."

Jalil Brown also recognizes his running mate's value.

"I'm very fortunate to be playing with a cornerback as good as (Smith) is," he said. "I think we've both got a chance to have a good year. I don't think the quarterback can throw to one side or the other and believe he has a better chance (for a completion).

"I think he'll have to play it heads up. I think we both are going to have our fair share of balls thrown our way and have the chance to make plays. If we play like the athletes we know we are, I think we'll both have tremendous years."

Brown hopes his 2009 season was a mere warm-up act for 2010. If it is, the Buffs secondary should be solid. He was CU's leader in touchdown saves (eight), and his 15 pass deflections tied for the seventh most in a single season at the school. He also made two interceptions, a pair of fumble recoveries and was the Buffs' sixth best tackler (66, 44 solo).

In spring conditioning work, he won his position's Iron Buffalo Award for hard work, toughness, dedication and total weight lifted. But spring has spilled into summer and preseason camp opens Thursday.

After averaging four wins a season in Dan Hawkins' first four years as head coach, Brown believes the Buffs are ready to show tangible progress.

"I definitely see it . . . it's 'go' time," he said. "We've been in the system with Coach Hawk for four years; we know what he wants. All we know is what Coach Hawk is teaching. What he wants done is what we're doing; we don't know any habits that carried over from a different coach.

"Yeah, we realize the importance of this season. We've worked with that in mind - making it to the Big 12 championship (game) and a major bowl game. Some of the guys in the past kind of got into the habit of dreading the early morning workouts, running the shuttles . . . but now, I think guys know this is what's going to get us better.

"I think that whole mindset has rubbed off on the young guys. They're showing up and competing. There's a lot of competition on this team; you have to show up and just not go through the motions."

This likely will be CU's final season in the Big 12, but Brown said that possibility won't be a factor in how anyone approaches 2010: "The change is not going to affect us much at all. To even think about it wouldn't matter. We're not focused on that; we're focused on having a winning season."

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU