HALL OF FAME FEATURE: Albert Brown '11

Had Albert Brown listened to his high school coach, playing college football would have never been an option, much less an induction to a hall of fame. Luckily, Brown hurdled the many obstacles on his way to becoming one of the best defensive tackles to play at Averett University.

That’s why Brown is the definition of perseverance in the eyes of Averett football assistant coach Patrick Bolen.

“He is a kid that nobody really ever gave a chance to and once he got his opportunity, he scrapped and fought for everything he ever earned,” Bolen said. “He will always hold a special place in my heart because he’s the first recruit I ever had here but I’m certainly glad we don’t have to practice against him anymore.”

Defensive tackle is one of the most underrated positions in the game of football. They often receive little praise for eating double teams and clogging up holes on the defensive line to the offense. Most spectators recognize the edge rushers who are there getting sacks behind the line of scrimmage, not the guy having a stalemate with two 300-pound linemen. At Averett, Brown was a force to be reckoned with and worked his way into being recognized with all-conference honors, All-America status and most of all as an Averett Athletics Hall of Fame inductee as part of the 2023 class.

Before Brown’s story unfolded at Averett, he came from humble beginnings. Hailing from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Brown attended Myrtle Beach High School. His high school head coach told him that he would never be a college football player. However, one of his other coaches was friends with Bolen. This relationship ultimately made Brown decide to come to Virginia and play for the Cougars. 

Like most football freshmen, Brown had to adjust to the college game. In his first season in 2007, he appeared in three games. The following season, Brown was ineligible but worked hard to remain an integral part of Averett’s football program despite not being able to play. He took on the role of being a team manager.

“He did everything that we’ve asked him to do,” said former Averett defensive line coach Cornelius Coleman who is now the head coach at Waynesburg University. “He did everything from setting up the field, to doing the laundry, to helping with film — whatever we asked of him.”

After waiting a year to get back on the field in pads, Brown’s sophomore season opened with a glimpse of how special of a player he would become. In the first game of the 2009 season at Bridgewater College, Brown rushed the quarterback and reached up to intercept the ball, running the pick back for nearly 20 yards before being tackled. On the way back to the sideline, Brown walked up to Coleman and hugged him.

In that moment, Coleman recalled Brown saying, “Coach, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” 

That season, he went on to play in all 10 games, making 38 tackles and was voted to the USA South All-Conference Honorable Mention Team. Brown had just grazed the surface of his potential.

“Honestly Albert may be one of the best overall football players that I’ve had the privilege of coaching in 20 years,” Coleman said. “He had a relentless work ethic, he was very coachable and he had an outstanding football IQ.” 

Although his sophomore campaign was successful, there was more work to be done. Modeling his play after former New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, Brown was able to clog up holes and make life difficult for opposing offenses. During his junior year in 2010, Brown worked his way into a regular starting role at defensive tackle. He started all 10 games, making 45 tackles, including five tackles for loss and assisted on a pair of sacks. In addition, he also recovered two fumbles and recorded one pass breakup. That season, he was named to the USA South All-Conference First Team. He was also selected to the Roanoke Times All-State Second Team, as well as named the team’s Defensive Player of the year by Averett’s coaching staff.

By the end of Brown’s senior year, he had made his case for being one of the top defensive players to come through the program. Before the season, Brown was named to the D3 Senior Classic Preseason All-American South First Team and to the D3ProDay.com Preseason All-American Honorable Mention Team. During the 2011 season, he recorded 48 tackles, one forced fumble and two blocked kicks. He was selected to the D3ProDay.com All-America Third Team, Virginia Sports Information Directors All-State Second Team, the Roanoke Times All-State Second Team and the USA South All-Conference First Team. Brown also earned an invite to play in the D3 Senior Classic All-Star Game.

Brown finished his career with 135 total tackles — including 57 solo tackles and 2.5 sacks — one interception, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and two blocked kicks in 32 career games. He even got to play alongside his brother, Ervin, during the 2011 season. In 2013, Brown was selected to the USA South's 50th Anniversary Team for football. 

The relationships that Brown cultivated at Averett have impacted him for the rest of his life, especially with Bolen and Coleman.

“Coach Bolen was a brother or father figure for me ever since I went up to Virginia,” Brown said. “He has always been a part of everything I’ve been Involved in. He is just a positive role model for everybody — I think everyone would say the same thing about him. My relationship with him has been great and it still is today.”

Coleman thinks very highly of Brown and they remain in contact. What was once a conversation with a young player and his coach has turned into a longtime friendship between two men.

“Sometimes as coaches when you take different jobs in other states, you can lose the relationship of staying in contact, but ever since Albert graduated and moved back to the area he was from, we always have close conversations,” Coleman said. “Now we are able to have those men conversations about how life is going. He is one of the men that I have had the privilege of coaching that I can still say that I still have a relationship with him and his family.”

When he was a Cougar, Brown delivered the hits. These days, he’s delivering the mail. Brown currently lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and has a daughter, Alliana. He is employed by the United States Postal service as a postal carrier. 

As he prepares to enter the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame during the Oct. 14 ceremony as part of Homecoming, Brown knows he has left his mark on Averett and it has left its mark on him. He is forever grateful for the relationships that he formed with his teammates as well as his coaches, and they will stick with him for the rest of his life.

“It was great being a part of Averett's football team,” Brown said. “It was a great learning experience. … I had a great time at Averett getting a great education, meeting lots of great people that I keep in contact with today and I learned a lot that prepared me for the real world. I can truly say Averett University made me a better person."