In searching for a new football program to call home, University of Charleston wide receiver Cedric Brown ultimately decided, in a sense, to come home.
Brown's most notable exploits on the gridiron came with Martinsburg High School, where he won three Class AAA state titles with the Bulldogs, was named to the all-state second team as a sophomore and the first team as a junior and senior. Yet Brown was born in Charleston, where he lived until age 4. His mother Debby is a Winfield High graduate and his younger brother Eric is a redshirt freshman in the Golden Eagles secondary.
"It just made sense," Brown said. "Altogether, it just made sense to come here."
He got his first real on-field taste of UC football this spring, which culminates in Thursday evening's spring game. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Brown signed with Ohio University out of high school after being named a 2013 Semper Fidelis All-American, but he was unable to crack the Bobcats' receiver rotation. His younger brother would mention how much he enjoyed UC's atmosphere, and it helped that the Golden Eagles were climbing the ranks of the new Mountain East Conference.
If anything, UC coach Pat Kirkland said, it would keep Brown's parents from hopscotching between Athens, Ohio, and Charleston on Saturday afternoons.
"From a parenting standpoint, it's great not to have to make a decision on Saturday who you're going to see," Kirkland said. "And I think there's a comfort level there. They're very close and come from a great family. It was a good fit. He was excited we're established a little bit with a winning tradition. I think it was a comforting decision for him."
That comfort grew when Brown saw the talent around him in the Charleston offense. Along with a talented crew of running backs and four of five returning offensive line starters, the Golden Eagles bring back receivers like deep threat Joey Augustin, an all-MEC first-team pick, and Johnny Delahoussaey.
"The talent, it's really exciting to see everyone grow each and every day in practice, getting to know each other in the meeting rooms," Brown said. "It's exciting to see what we can do, because the potential is there."
Brown wants to make his mark on the group through his route-running, a trait Kirkland made sure to point out. Kirkland praised Brown's ability to read coverages before the snap and use his feet to find the weak spots in the opposing defense.
"There are so many more man-to-man concepts being played, so to be able to really step on a DB's toes and get him to open his hips and understand that is huge," he said. "The quarterback doesn't have a lot of time to get rid of it now. So he's got to trust that you can do your job so he can throw it to where he sees it being open."
Brown credits his former receivers coach at Ohio, Dwayne Dixon, for his route-running abilities. They're especially necessary in the college ranks, where everyone is fast. Any advantage a receiver can take is a good one and the key, Brown said, to an effective route is a receiver having his feet down at the top of that route.
"The defender has no idea where you're going," Brown said, "so when you get to the top of the route and stick and create that separation, it works to your advantage."
Familiar haunts have allowed Brown a new lease on his football life. He hopes this spring will act as a springboard for the 2016 season, and offer him an opportunity to get on the field and contribute.
"I've loved playing football since I was 8 or 9 years old," he said. "Just to come in here and play receiver and do what I was brought here to do, I feel like I can be a game-changer on this team. I'm not looking to do things just for me. I want to win and I know this team can win."