Marquan Brown, who has
been dazzling opponents with his speed and agility since his freshman
year at Gray's Creek High School, has accepted a scholarship offer to
play for East Carolina University.
The 5-foot-8, 160-pound
running back-wide receiver led Cumberland County in rushing as a junior
last fall for a second straight season. Brown piled up 1,510 yards and
scored 17 touchdowns to earn All-Cape Fear Valley 3-A Conference and
All-Cape Fear Region honors. He also made 20 receptions for another 631
yards.
"East Carolina fits him,''
Gray's Creek coach David Lovette said. "They've been recruiting him
pretty good all along and made an offer earlier this spring. He just
decided the time was right to go ahead and accept it.
"(ECU) Coach (Skip) Holtz
is very well respected among the different schools around the state.
It's an up-and-coming program and they're going to give him an
opportunity. They aren't scared of his size. They understand he's a
playmaker.''
East Carolina was the
first major college to offer Brown a scholarship, but North Carolina,
N.C. State were also showing serious interest.
Brown has accumulated more
than 4,500 yards rushing in three seasons at Gray's Creek.
ECU running backs coach
Junior Smith, a Fayetteville native, was the chief recruiter for Brown.
Smith, at 5-foot-6, went on to become the Pirates' all-time leading
rusher.
Brown is the second North
Carolina prospect to join ECU's recruiting Class of 2008. He follows
Jacksonville Northside quarterback Joseph Womack in the class.
