Josh Pate saw what quarterback Byrum Brown achieved with the USF Bulls over the past several seasons. He will not fall for any worries about his arm angle during his throwing motion. He's seen it produce 3,158 yards and 28 touchdown passes. Your words mean nothing.
While speaking on the Auburn Tigers' incoming transfer signal-caller, Pate displayed confidence in Brown retaining his head coach, lead play-caller, running back, tight end, and several receiving weapons.
Pate also addressed an ill-directed concern about Brown: that he hasn't faced the type of competition yet that he'll encounter in the SEC. Of note, Brown's Bulls went down to the "Swamp" and upset the Florida Gators last year. USF also famously competed against the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2023 and 2024, nearly upsetting Saban's final squad in Tampa.
"There’s a lot of arm angle propaganda out there about Byrum Brown right now, and I have not bought into it. Mainly because it’s not an unknown commodity. Byrum Brown has played, like, 9,000 games. We know Byrum Brown, and he knows his supporting cast… He’s not having to learn a whole lot new," Pate said on his show. “He is playing at a higher level, but they played multiple high-level opponents when he was at USF. So, I don’t think it’s gonna be cold water to the face, necessarily."
Byrum Brown is more ready to win at Auburn than many are willing to admit
While you'll routinely see the Tigers projected to land among the Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi State Bulldogs, and Arkansas Razorbacks at the bottom of the SEC's barrel, the truth is that Auburn is more ready to compete than it's being given credit for.
Many see Brown among the best transfer QBs in the country. He won't have the elite offensive line in front of him like Sam Leavitt will on the LSU Tigers, but Brown should be able to compensate as a bruising dual-threat who could sustain hits at over 230 pounds.
Now, we can't have too many of those hits come from the blindside. Brown isn't invincible. Michigan State Spartans transfer Stanton Ramill has major responsibilities at left tackle. Ditto for James Madison Dukes transfer Jo Simmons on the other side.
If the line holds up even a little bit, Brown should be able to keep the Tigers in games. It all depends on whether Alex Golesh can manage close games better than his predecessors. While no one wants to hear that Auburn was "close," the Tigers actually were. Mainly because of herculean defensive efforts from DJ Durkin's unit, but Freeze wasn't wrong about the team being "close."
Golesh needs to actually get there. No more "close." With Brown and so many familiar offensive faces, Auburn actually needs the cigar. This isn't horseshoes, although it will sometimes feel like hand grenades.
If the Tigers don't get there, though, as Pate and anyone with sensibility will tell you, it's not because of Brown's arm. Or, more precisely, it won't be because of the way that arm launches a football.
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