Kaleb Brown wisely refuses to poke fun at his former team
Iowa receiver asked to comment on Ohio State not making Big Ten title game
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa sophomore receiver Kaleb Brown was given an easy opportunity to trash talk, or to rub it in at the expense of his former team, but he respectfully declined.
Brown, who transferred from Ohio State before the start of this season, was being interviewed on Tuesday when he was asked the following question:
You’re in the Big Ten Championship, your former school is not. What do you think about that?
Brown chuckled briefly then paused before saying:
“I don’t really have no thoughts towards it. No crazy headline kind of thoughts. It is what it is. Kind of just how it plays out. But I’m glad to be here, though.”
Brown deserves credit for not taking the bait, and for not giving his former team bulletin board material since the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes will meet again.
The person who asked the question probably was hoping for a more provocative answer, but Brown refused to bad mouth or poke fun at Ohio State, which lost to Michigan 30-24 last Saturday with a trip to the Big Ten Championship game on the line.
Big Ten West Division champion Iowa (10-2) will face Big Ten East Division champion Michigan (12-0) in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
This marks the third consecutive season in which Michigan will represent the Big Ten East Division in the title game, while Iowa will represent the West Division for the second time in three years.
Michigan defeated Iowa 42-3 in the 2021 Big Ten Championship game.
Michigan also defeated Ohio State 45-23 in 2022 when Brown was a freshman receiver for the Buckeyes.
Brown’s career as a Hawkeye started slowly as he played sparingly in seven of the first eight games, and he didn’t dress for the Purdue game because of personal reasons.
His breakthrough came in the 10-7 victory over Northwestern in the 10th game when Brown caught a 23-yard pass in the fourth quarter that helped to set up Drew Stevens’ game-winning 53-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining.
The Northwestern game was played at Wrigley Field in Brown’s hometown of Chicago.
Brown also led Iowa with seven catches and 71 receiving yards in the 15-13 victory over Illinois on Nov. 18 at Kinnick Stadium.
He left this past Friday’s 13-10 victory over Nebraska with an injury in the second half, but Brown said Tuesday that he feels fine and will be ready to face Michigan on Saturday.
He had three catches for 21 yards when he left the Nebraska game.