Wednesday, December 30, 2009
He and Howland’s Tyler Scott dot the Wildcats’ roster for the Outback Bowl.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Two Youngstown-area players on the Northwestern University football roster, both of them defensive ends, will try to help the Wildcats defeat Auburn in the 24th annual Outback Bowl on Friday in Tampa.
But while one of them, redshirt sophomore Vince Browne from Lisbon High, will be a starter in the game, the other, freshman Tyler Scott of Howland High, will be relegated to a cheering role after undergoing shoulder surgery in August.
Browne (6-5, 265) is one of the defensive leaders for Northwestern (8-4) of the Big Ten Conference, which will clash with Auburn (7-5) of the Southeastern Conference at 11 a.m. at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., over national television (ESPN).
The Outback Bowl pits the third selection from the Big Ten against the third selection from the SEC.
Northwestern, coached by Pat Fitzgerald (fourth season), gained its first-ever Gator Bowl berth by winning the last three games of the season, including victories over nationally-ranked Iowa and Wisconsin, to finish in a fourth-place tie in the Big Ten with a 5-3 record.
Auburn, guided by first-year coach Gene Chizik, is making its third Gator Bowl appearance and first in 14 years, after posting a 3-5 record in the SEC West Division.
Browne, a 2007 Lisbon graduate who was redshirted his freshman year at Northwestern, is the Wildcats’ sixth-leading tackler with 36 stops, including 22 solo tackles.
He also ranks No. 2 on the team in tackles for losses (7.0 for 34 yards) and tied for No. 1 in sacks (4.0 for 25 yards).
Scott (6-4, 250), a 2009 graduate of Howland where he played football for coach Dick Angle, found out he required shoulder surgery after arriving at Northwestern last summer.
He had the surgery in August and missed the entire regular season, just recently getting clearance to resume training.
Scott’s mother, Bette Scott, said Tyler made the traveling squad for the Outback Bowl and already is in Tampa, but she doesn’t know if he will be in full uniform.
“We don’t know if he will dress for the bowl. If he does, it will be either in full uniform or not full uniform, maybe wearing a jersey,” said Bette. “He has got clearance from doctor to resume training.”
Bette said Tyler and Browne are friends as well as area teammates.
“Vince was [Tyler’s] orientation guide when he went to Northwestern, and they are friends,” said Bette, who won’t be going to the bowl.
“His father, Rodney, will be going to the game but I will be staying home [taking care of the family],” said Bette.
Like Scott, Browne also has bounced back from an injury. He injured his knee last season in the ninth game on Nov. 1 at Minnesota.
But after sitting out the next two games of the 2008 regular season, Browne returned to play in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 27, which the Wildcats lost to Missouri, 30-23.
In Browne’s 10 games last year, he compiled 26 tackles, including 15 solo stops, 7.5 tackles for losses of 41 yards, and 4.0 sacks for losses of 31 yards.
He was selected to the 2008 Sporting News and Rivals.com Freshman All-America second team, and the ESPN.com All-Big Ten Freshman first team.
Entering this season, Browne was named to the All-Big Ten Preseason third team by Athlon Sports and fourth-team by Phil Steele.
He and his defensive-end counterpart, Corey Wootton, give the Wildcats one of the top defensive end combinations in the country.
Browne also is dedicated to weight-room training, and is considered one of the strongest players on the team for his size.
Last year, he hoisted 355 pounds in a hang-clean lift to set a Northwestern weight-room record for athletes under 245 pounds.
The hang-clean lift begins with the lifter already having lifted the barbell off the ground. With the lifter’s arms hanging down and holding the barbell, he lifts the barbell to his shoulder.
Browne is the son of Ed and Mary Browne, and is majoring in social policy.
At Lisbon High, he was coached by Jim Tsilimos.
kovach@vindy.com