6 days ago
Former USC RB Raleek Brown earns new chance with 2024 playoff team
Three years ago, Raleek Brown looked like the future of USC's running back room. A highly-rated local recruit, Brown had more than 400 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns as a true freshman in 2022, and looked poised to play an even bigger role in the years to come.
Entering his sophomore season, however, USC's coaching staff wanted to switch Brown from running back to wide receiver. This frustrated Brown, and he instead elected to redshirt in 2023 and transfer.
Brown transferred to Arizona State ahead of the 2024 season. Although the Sun Devils won the Big 12 and made it to the College Football Playoff last year, however, a hamstring injury forced Brown to miss the vast majority of the season. Now, he is back with the team and looking to earn more playing time in 2025.
In a recent feature, Michelle Gardner of AZ Central discussed Brown's journey and his new role with the Sun Devils this fall.
'[Brown] looks like he will be the Sun Devils' primary kick return specialist come Aug. 30 when the Sun Devils face Northern Arizona in the season opener at Mountain America Stadium,' Gardner wrote. 'Few in the ASU camp are more excited than Brown about that season opener. In 2024, he was limited to nine carries in two games due to a hamstring issue that began early in fall camp, then was aggravated when he tried to play a month later. He redshirted in 2023 at USC before coming to ASU, so it has been two years since he got to experience that game-day feeling. Brown watched from the sideline as the Sun Devils soared to a Big 12 championship and berth in the Peach Bowl. He was happy to be part of the team, but felt like he was missing out by not being able to participate.
''I've been thinking about this, dreaming about this," Brown said. "It's all I can think about, being out there in that first game. Every day I think about it.''
Brown is one of a number of decorated recruits to sign with USC under Lincoln Riley and transfer out within two years. While each player obviously had his own unique reasons for leaving, the Trojans will need to do a better job retaining talent moving forward.
