FAYETTEVILLE — After representing Arkansas at the U.S. Army All-American game Saturday in San Antonio, Ashdown safety Montaric Brown can now concentrate on his future as a Razorback.
Brown (6-1, 180, 4.5) - the No. 12 safety prospect and No. 191 overall prospect in the country, per ESPN.com, had three tackles as his East team took down the West 27-17 before a crowd of 49,568 at the Alamodome.
“I had a great coaching experience and playing experience at the All-American game,” Brown said Monday. “I got to compete against the best players in the country and and represent my school and my city and my state. It was also great to represent the army.
“I had a lot of people come up - teachers and students and others - and tell me how proud they were of me for being the first guy from here to be in the game. I made a lot of great friends and know I will be playing some of them in college.”
Brown committed to Arkansas in late July and called it his dream school, but other schools continued to pursue him. He considered visiting both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State this month in addition to Arkansas (Jan. 20-22), but has changed his mind on that now.
“I had thought about it, but I have decided not to do that now,” Brown said. “I am strongly committed to Arkansas and can’t wait to get up there.”
Brown had 110 tackles, 7 interceptions - one he took back 71 yards for a score - and 8 pass break ups on defense while also catching 52 passes for 813 yards and 7 touchdowns on offense.
“I think I had a pretty good year and am just trying to keep getting better every day,” Brown said.
He heard Monday that Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith was leaving for the same position at Minnesota and thus Razorback head coach Bret Bielema is in the market for a new defensive coordinator.
“I hate that is happening because I like Coach Smith and I wish nothing but the best for him,” Brown said. “But I am sure Coach (Bielema) will get somebody else great in there and I’ll just wait to see who it is and adjust and work with him.”
Brown, whose chose Arkansas over Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and many others, is hopeful of coming in and playing early at Arkansas.
“I know that I have to come in both mentally and physically ready to play and I will be working on that here until I get up to Arkansas,” Brown said. “I want to do everything I can to to beg able to play early and help out.”