By Liam Griffin
NEFJ Correspondent
Providence, RI – Brown is three practices into training camp, and one word perfectly describes the team early on:
Energy.
Even in a practice that wasn’t fully padded, seemingly every player- offensive or defensive, under or upperclassmen- was loud, proud, and excited to be there. Whether it be the defense mobbing defensive back Landon Heard after recording an interception or constant chants of “let’s go” from the offensive line, there’s a palpable sense of positivity within the program.
“It’s the best time of year,” head coach James Perry said. “The kids are working hard, (I’m) watching a lot of new guys become leaders, it’s fun to be out here.”
Here’s what stood out during our visit with Coach Perry’s squad.
A New Field General – Exit Jake Wilcox, enter James Murphy. The former ranks among the program’s top-5 all-time in passing yards, completions, completion percentage, touchdowns, and total offense. After backing up Wilcox for two years, it’s Murphy’s time to shine.
The Reading, MA native saw action in three games down the stretch last season. Murphy’s strong football IQ was on display at the line of scrimmage. Not only was he making very crisp throws, but his ability to identify the Mike is impressive for someone who hasn’t been a full-time starter.
“Jake played five years for us,” explained Perry. “James learned a lot from him. James is a really talented guy, so it’s fun to watch his progression from the middle of last season to now. It’s on the right trajectory. The next few weeks will be critical for him, but I’m very happy early on.”
Offensive spacing – The most dynamic offenses at any level of football know how to use the whole field to their advantage. With that, it’s no surprise the Bears’ offense was utilizing the whole field when going through plays today.
The variety in formation/play type was noticeable too. Brown ran multiple four-receiver sets. Some of them were evenly balanced, while others were bunched on one side. As for the run game, it was no afterthought. The Bears showed no hesitancy to utilize an RPO or play-action set. That creativity could cause chaos for opposing defenses.
“We’re trying to figure out who the best guys are,” said Perry. “Schematic follows putting those players in the right position. It’s fun for me to see guys kind of emerge.”
A high-octane linebacking core – Be on the lookout for Brown’s linebackers to make some noise.
The unit is anchored by linebacker John Perdue. The First Team Preseason All-Ivy selection tallied 48 total tackles last season and is among the most vocal players on the defense. His versatility sets him apart. Perdue recorded a team-leading four QB hits last season in addition to two pass breakups. Perdue carried his well-rounded game into today’s practice, proving effective against both pass and run plays.
“The goal here is to be the best defense in the Ivy League,” said Perdue. “Whoever’s the catalyst to make that happen makes no difference to me. I don’t care if I’m playing the whole game or 10 snaps, all that matters to me is winning football games.”
Tough schedule – After facing Georgetown to open the season on September 20, Brown’s schedule gets difficult rather quickly. The Bears pay a visit to preseason Ivy League favorite Harvard before meeting No. 10 Rhode Island for the Governor’s Cup at Centreville Bank Stadium. After that, with the exception of a visit to Bryant, it’s all conference play the rest of the way.
It’s no cakewalk, but Brown is not backing down.
“It’s always a tough schedule,” explained Perry. “The Ivy League, I’ve been in it now almost 30 years, it’s as competitive as its ever been. We know what it takes, the kids are competing, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Can the Bears prove the doubters wrong? – The Ivy League was not viewed favorably in the FCS’ preseason coaches poll. Not one school in the conference received a top-25 ranking.
To add insult to injury, Brown was picked to finish last among the Ivy League’s eight schools this season.
But, at the end of the day, preseason polls are what they are: preseason polls. They can be easily nullified once the regular season begins, and that’s what Coach Perry and his players seek to do.
“It’s been like that for the last couple of years,” said Perdue. “This year, everyone’s kind of looked at it a little differently than we have in the past. Now, I think it’s time to let it feed some anger and feed some energy, really try to go and prove people wrong, and we’re looking forward to doing that.
Final thoughts – Brown should not be taken lightly in 2025.
It doesn’t matter what the preseason polls say. It doesn’t matter that the Bears are coming off a 3-7 campaign. It doesn’t matter that the sense of familiarity the offense had under Wilcox is gone. If Brown enters each game with the same energy levels that it entered a practice that was not full pads, it can never be counted out.