Talented quarterback Byrum Brown was the crown jewel of new Auburn coach Alex Golesh’s transfer portal class. Brown was one of the most coveted quarterbacks in a frantic transfer portal, and he opted to follow Golesh to the Plains to revive a faltering QB room that had lost Ashton Daniels and Jackson Arnold to the transfer portal.
Alex Golesh Details Brutal Social Media Advice to Byrum Brown
During Wednesday’s segment of the “McElroy & Cubelic” show, Golesh detailed the conversation that he had with Brown about the intense scrutiny that he would face at Auburn once he left South Florida.
“Byrum and I had a long talk before he came and I said, ‘Just so you know, we’re coming to a place where there’s probably not enough stuff to cover, so things that don’t necessarily need to be covered will be covered,'” Golesh said. “It’s part of what it is, it gives people something to talk about and we had a long, long conversation.
“I said, ‘If I learned anything in my two years at Tennessee, it’s you better stay off your social media, if you’re gonna get a picture of you painted in every imaginable way no matter what you do. As a coach, as a grown-up, it’s hard for us sometimes to realize that and I’m asking a 21-year old to put it down and worry about himself.'”
Brown received widespread criticism from both fans and analysts for his performance during Auburn’s spring game on April 18, when he went 7 of 14 for 85 yards, including two unsightly interceptions.
The talented quarterback was a three-year starter at USF under Golesh, helping to lead the coach’s revival of the Bulls from a program that had a woeful 4-29 record before his arrival to a team that went 23-15 and clinched bowl eligibility in all three of his seasons at the helm.
Why Greg McElroy Left Byrum Brown Out of His Elite Quarterbacks List
During Monday’s segment of the “Always College Football” show, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy left Brown out of his list of top 10 quarterbacks next season, with the caveat that the SEC was a step up from the AAC.
“But I think he is the key for Alex Golesh, if Auburn is going to overachieve,” McElroy said. “Because he can do it all. The entire offensive receiving corps, he’s familiar with. He’s one of only two quarterbacks in the country to have over 3,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in the same season.”
Last season, Brown earned a PFSN College QB Impact score of 88.8 after tallying 3,158 passing yards on 66.3% completion, 28 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while adding 1,008 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns for the Bulls.
