The return of ‘Touchdown’ Tony Brown: East Central reunion at PRCC

If you ever went to an East Central High School football game when Touchdown Tony Brown was in the backfield, you knew you were in for something special.

But after going three years without hitting paydirt at South Alabama, the former Gatorade Player of the Year is already back to scoring touchdowns faster than you can say ‘Roll River Roll.’

Just like riding a bike to most people, scoring a touchdown is to Tony Brown even if it has been more than three years since his last trip to the end zone. “One heck of a story. I mean I wouldn’t have guessed I would’ve been here, but I’m still grateful either way.”

The newest Pearl River Community College running back certainly lived up to his nickname during the Wildcats’ spring game with two house calls on his last two carries including the game-winner.

But it was the touchdown run on the previous series that put the Friday Night in Hurley right into the Thursday Night in Poplarville. “Most definitely. I mean the run I had at the end of the scrimmage was the funnest for me.”

Head Coach Seth Smith said, “That was an effort run. I mean that’s who we have to be. Tony has got a ton of ability. A lot of kids have ability. But what separates him is how hard he plays, so that play was a great indicator of kind of who he is as a football player.”

Former East Central Head Coach Seth Smith should know after riding his 50 touchdowns all the way to the 4A State Championship game in 2017.

Two months later, Brown was part of the Hornet’s record National Signing Day class, having put pen to paper with South Alabama where he rushed just seven times for 42 yards, no touchdowns during his three seasons as a Jaguar. “It taught me a lot as far as football, life and everything else goes. And then having the opportunity to come here because things at South just didn’t quite work out was even better, and having Coach Smith here made it even greater.”

“Fun to see Tony do it. His days being buried under a depth chart are now over.”

Reunited at last, though Smith isn’t the only coach with big plans for Brown, now a focal point of PRCC’s new look offense under co-offensive coordinator and former Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace. “Yeah, I think he’s got great vision. And with his size, he runs with a lot of power. It’s a lot more power than you would see. His jump cuts are really unbelievable. He’s just got really great feet and a really good feel for the game.”

PRCC QB Dustin Allison said, “Oh, it’s electric. I mean he can always find an open hole or make something happen when there’s nothing there.”

Brown is currently one of five former East Central players on scholarship at PRCC where he now gets the chance to become Touchdown Tony Brown all over again in a place he says feels like home. “Definitely humbling whenever I left South, but it doesn’t change anything. I’ve still got the same heart, same mindset and I’m going to do what I need to do to get out of here and play again in D1.”

Brown still has three years of eligibility remaining, having red-shirted in 2018 and getting a year back due to the pandemic in 2020.