Antario Brown adjusting to being NIU’s experienced running back

DeKALB — From pinch hitter to starter, Antario Brown said things don’t feel that different this year.

The NIU junior running back has shared the workload the past two years. And while that figures to be the case again this year with a typically deep running back group under head coach and former Huskies running back Thomas Hammock, Brown figures to be the lead guy.

“I honestly think I can be one of the best in the country. Same O-line for two years now, same system. I expect huge things out of myself because I know that I can do it and I know that my coaches believe in me.”

—  Antario Brown, NIU running back

As the team goes through fall camp ahead of its Sept. 2 opener at Boston College, Brown said preparation is still the same as it’s been the past two years. He said there is a slight tweak in his mindset, however.

“The difference I can say it’s that you know you have to be the guy that gets it going this time around,” Brown said. “You’re the first guy in, let’s go make a play. Get guys going on the sideline, get guys in the game. Preparation doesn’t change. It’s just more of like the aspect of the game, like you’re going to be the guy.”

Brown has started five games in his career and played in 19 total. He ran for 689 yards and seven scores last year after 538 yards and five touchdowns in 2021. He averaged more than 6 yards per carry both seasons and averages 6.4 per touch for his career.

He led the MAC with 6.3 yards per carry last year and was 17th nationally. He was second on the team in carries and total yards behind Harrison Waylee, who transferred to Wyoming.

Brown had six runs of more than 25 yards last year, as many as Waylee but with 55 fewer carries. Hammock said the next step for Brown is to develop more consistency week in and week out.

“Anybody could have a great game one week,” Hammock said. “To play 12, 13, 14 weeks, that takes a different mindset, that takes a different approach. And if he comes out and he plays well, and he comes back on Tuesday and practices his butt off, then that’s what I’m looking for. I think that’s going to help him have the type of season he wants to have.”

Running backs coach Wesley Beschorner, who joined the staff this year after three years as the head coach at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, said he tries to keep things loose in terms of expectations with Brown and the running backs to keep things light in the room and business-like on the field.

“That allows those guys to play as free as they possibly can,” Beschorner said. “We don’t need robots. We need guys who are going to be really good players.”

Beschorner said even in just a few months he’s seen a lot of development from Brown - especially those incremental gains and consistent performances Hammock was talking about.

Hammock said Brown is starting to understand what it takes to fill the role the Huskies imagined for him when they made the Beach High (Savannah, Ga.) graduate what they said was the highest-rated recruit in program history.

“You’re a junior. You’re not a kid anymore, you’re a grown man,” Hammock said. “And so we expect him to do what grown men do and let’s go out there and lay it on the line every single day to be the best player you can be. And I think he understands that.”

Brown didn’t play until Week 5 of 2021, his true freshman season. But he ran for 101 yards in his debut, had more than 20 carries the next week against Toledo, then only had 15 carries over the final six regular season games. He eclipsed 100 yards for the second time in his career in the Cure Bowl against Coastal Carolina.

Last season, Brown only eclipsed 100 yards once, going for 160 against Ohio. He missed two of the last three games of the year.

And while both years might be statistically similar for Brown, they were markedly different for the Huskies. NIU won the MAC Championship in 2021 and finished 3-9 last season.

“Last year doesn’t determine this year’s success,” Brown said. “I kind of think that like two years ago the [running back] room itself was at an all-time high. Probably like top five in the country. And then last year kind of fell off. I just think the room as a whole, guys just have to make plays. I feel like we’re capable of it this year. I know we can’t wait to show what we can do.”

Only two running backs who carried the ball are back this year for the Huskies, with Bill Dozier (five carries, seven yards) back as well. Iowa transfer Gavin Williams expects to be in the mix for carries in the backfield, as does redshirt freshman Christian Nash.

Hammock said there are at least four or five players he expects to contribute this year.

“I think we have some guys that have some power with some wiggle,” Hammock said. “We have some guys that can run behind their pads. It’s a physical game and the more physical we can be at that position the more success we’re going to have.”

Brown said he’s going through practice with the same mindset as the past two years.

“Our new running back coach and coach Ham have kind of been trying to keep it the same for me,” Brown said. “Preparation doesn’t change for me at all. I’m still practicing like I’m going to be the No. 2 guy coming in ready to go because that’s what it takes.

“I honestly think I can be one of the best in the country,” he said. “Same O-line for two years now, same system. I expect huge things out of myself because I know that I can do it and I know that my coaches believe in me.”