By Andre Champagne, Tiger Rag News Services
Sometimes an answer to a question is so good, it ends the interview.
That’s what happened when a reporter on Tuesday asked LSU senior transfer wide receiver Barion Brown – one of the Tigers’ speediest deep threats along with Chris Hilton Jr. – when he knew he was fast.
“I never knew I was that fast,” he said. “But probably, I would say sophomore year of high school.”
The reporter smartly followed up with, “What happened?”
“I won the state in the 100, 200 and the 400 (meters),” Brown said.
“That’ll do it,” the reporter answered as the crowd of reporters started cracking up.
“Yes, sir,” Brown said.
Case closed.
COMPLETE BARION BROWN INTERVIEW
Since then, Brown has met few, if any, who can beat him.
“That’s just my mindset,” he said. “On any given day, I wake up with that mindset and go to sleep with that mindset.”
Brown’s speed was not fully taken advantage of in three seasons at Kentucky, where his receptions went down each year in a conservative offense. After catching 50 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman out of Pearl-Cohn High in Nashville in 2022, he fell to 43 receptions for 539 yards and four TDs in 2023. Last year, he caught only 29 passes for 361 yards and three scores.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s numbers from 2024 stood out to Brown. Nussmeier finished second in the nation last year in attempted passes with 525 in 13 games. And he was fifth in passing yards with 4,052 along with 29 touchdowns. Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff threw 218 times in 11 games for 1,593 yards and 10 TDs in 2024.
“Just seeing the past year – the amount of times they threw the ball,” Brown said. “So, it’s just good to have a quarterback back there slinging. They throw the ball, and everybody gets a feel here.”
And Brown can’t wait to get involved and make up for lost time waiting for more passes at Kentucky.
“I let them know that I’m somebody that’s going to take the top off,” Brown said of his entry to LSU. “You can give me screens, too. Whatever you do, just get the ball in my hands, and I’ll go make a play.”
LSU’s coaches, in turn, welcomed Brown – the No. 33 portal prospect overall and No. 9 wide receiver in the portal – with open arms and deep routes.
“They just took me in like a child,” he said. “I love the teammates, coaching staff, cafeteria ladies, janitors, just everybody in general. I just felt at home and like it was a great place to be.”
Brown bonded soon with wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton, who is entering his fourth season with the Tigers.
“I feel like he gets me right with the little things,” Brown said. “A week ago, I was like ‘Coach, I’m thankful for you.’ Because I feel like he’s getting me better in some spots I didn’t even know I could get better at.”
Brown said Hankton has improved his route running, cuts, reading of defenses at the line of scrimmage and playbook retention.
The senior will continue to return kicks for the Tigers as opponents learned quickly how fast he is. He has five kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career.
“It’s fun,” he said. “It brings peace of mind when I’m just back there by myself. It takes patiences. You’ve got to have a little patience to hit the hole and then see daylight.”
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