He played college football at the University of Maryland and was the Terrapins starting quarterback in 2011, 2013 and 2014.

His father attended Michigan State University, where he played as a quarterback on the football team.

The family later relocated to Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, and Brown attended Seneca Valley Senior High School.

As a junior, he averaged 12.0 points per game in basketball, and according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was athletic enough to execute a 360-degree dunk.

[3] Brown served two seasons as the football team captain,[2] and ran Seneca Valley's spread offense.

[2] As a freshman, he played quarterback for the first time, and showed early promise before suffering a broken collarbone.

[5] After Brown gave a verbal commitment to attend Maryland in April 2008, the Pittsburgh and Penn State coaching staffs said they would be interested if he reopened his recruitment.

On his first snap, he gained 12 yards on an option run, and lowered his shoulder into two opposing tacklers.

[2] During his convalescence, head coach Ralph Friedgen said, "I just told him he has to hang in there, he has to sit in the meetings and learn as much as you can.

"[8] During the season, fellow redshirt sophomore Danny O'Brien captured the starting position and finished with ACC Rookie of the Year honors.

"[10] O'Brien entered the 2011 season as the established starter at quarterback, but the staff hoped to use Brown because of his mobility and athleticism.

12 Georgia Tech, O'Brien struggled, completing one pass on six attempts and throwing an interception.

"[9] Maryland head coach Randy Edsall stated the starting quarterback for the following week's game against No.