Post by Trojan Warrior on Oct 30, 2013 6:27:42 GMT -6
From Tabby Soignier
ULM quarterback Kolton Browning had some fun Halloween costumes growing up, from a red Power Ranger to a Dalmatian.
The senior does not recall being a football player, but on this Halloween night he will be a football player, as well as possibly a version of the Bionic Man or Superman.
Browning returned to the field this past Saturday, one month after being told he had sustained a season-ending injury. The four-year starter refused to go down without a fight and end his record-setting career on the sidelines.
“I didn’t really do anything,” Browning said. “Having a few weeks off and that bye week was good for me and being able to rest it and run around and see where I’m at. The training staff did a great job of preparing me and getting my leg stronger and where it needs to be.”
Browning originally hurt his quad in a preseason scrimmage this August but never showed signs of a setback until he tried running around in the season opener at Oklahoma.
He tried to overcome the pain, but it became too much when he came out of the Tulane game on Sept. 28 with what felt like a complete tear of the muscle, leading to his season-ending diagnosis.
“In 31 years of doing this, I can actually say I’ve never had that happened before,” ULM head coach Todd Berry said. “All indications pointed to him being out for the rest of the season. I hope you guys can appreciate this because you’ve been around me long enough; I’m not covering things up or hiding things under rocks or any of that kind of thing.
“I hate that my credibility comes into question sometimes in things like this.”
Troy head coach Larry Blakeney is not questioning any of the Browning comeback. As a coach of a four-year starting quarterback himself in senior Corey Robinson, Blakeney understands the talent level of Browning. In fact, the Trojans are 0-2 since Browning’s freshman year in 2010.
“If you didn’t know about Kolton Browning, he’s one of those guys that for the Trojans, he would be like jumping out in front of you with a ghost hat on at Halloween,” Blakeney said. “He’ll be the ghost of Halloween. He’s back.”
Also back is the match up of Browning versus Robinson — part three. The two met as freshmen and sophomores, but ULM did not play Troy last season.
The Warhawks beat Troy 28-14 in 2010 — Browning’s first year as a starter and Berry’s first year as the head coach. The quarterback threw for 226 yards, completing 20-of-30 passes with no interceptions and one touchdown. Robinson threw for 167 yards, completing 16-of-38 passes with two interceptions and a touchdown.
In 2011, the last time ULM traveled to Troy, the Warhawks left with a 38-10 win with similar stats. Browning — 23-31-0, 275 yards, 3 touchdowns. Robinson — 19-34-2, 129 yards, no touchdowns.
“I don’t want to make too much out of a quarterback duel because it’s not that,” Berry said. “But I know Kolton’s going to play well, and I know Corey is going to play well. That’s what good players do, and they’re both very good players.”
Despite being 0-2 against ULM, Robinson still has impressive numbers in other categories. The quarterback is the active NCAA career leader with 23 300-yard passing games, and he is on pace to record 3,000 passing yards for the fourth year in a row, as well as 3,000 yards of total offense.
Robinson leads the Sun Belt in pass offense with an average of 325 yards a game and is second in total offense. His 265.5 yards a game is less than two yards shy of conference leader and South Alabama quarterback Ross Metheny.
“Corey is a great player,” Browning said. “He’s shown that over four years. He’s been starting and winning some ballgames. We just want to go in there and execute our game plan and keep playing the way we have this last week and go in there and try to come out with a victory.
“It’s a TV game. It’s exciting. It’s going to be on Halloween night, of course, everybody is looking forward to it.”
Power ranger, Dalmatian, Superman — this Halloween both quarterbacks may just end up looking like two gunslingers at the OK Corral. (Article)