In his November 4, 1989, starting debut he threw for 444 yards against Wake Forest University, including a 97-yard touchdown to wide receiver Clarkston Hines to establish Duke's longest play from scrimmage.
[4] Later that month, Brown set a school single-game record with 479 passing yards against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, upending Duke's rival, 41–0, to finish the year with seven straight wins and a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship.
[6] His first appearance came on December 12, 1992, when he was forced into the lineup due to injuries of Phil Simms, Jeff Hostetler, and Kent Graham, dropping a 19–0 decision to the Phoenix Cardinals.
Following Simms' release[7] after the following season, Brown won the starting job in 1994 and helped guide his team to a 9–7 record, including a season-ending six-game winning streak.
Jim Fassel went the rest of the season with Danny Kanell at quarterback and had an unexpected run to the playoffs and division title.