Highlight play for Brown in first game back

<p>The way Jeremy Brown describes his first interception, you'd think he was a seasoned veteran. His thought and instincts used to make the biggest play of his Gator career make the last two years of his life seem like a blur. </p><p>With the defense in cover 2, Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert scrambled to his left to find a receiver. Instead of charging forward or dropping back, the redshirt sophomore cornerback stayed patient along the left sideline, knowing Dysert didn't have the arm to throw deep. He waited for an overthrow or a tipped ball and once Dysert missed his target long, Brown stepped right in front and tiptoed out of bounds with the ball.</p><p>"It's been a long time coming," Brown said of his interception. "It was special."</p><p>Battling a chronic back injury that cost him his first two years of football at Florida, Brown saw his first collegiate game action in Saturday's opener against Miami (Ohio). Brown's first field appearance came in the second quarter when he filled in for junior Janoris Jenkins on the drive following his 67-yard interception that went for a touchdown. </p><p>The first play went right at him as he was a part of the gang tackle of RedHawks running back Thomas Merriweather. </p><p>However, his debut was almost taken away 48 hours before kickoff.</p><p>During a routine Thursday practice that consisted of a harmless walk-through and no pads, Brown went for a ball on a simple route by a wide receiver. Brown jumped it and came up with an interception, but as he was walking away he awkwardly came down on someone's foot.</p><p>"I thought I broke it," Brown said.</p><p>Twisted and swollen, Brown's ankle looked equally as bad as it felt. The early prognosis was that it was sprained too badly for him to play, but there was a chance with much-needed rest that he might. But what figured to be his starting job went to senior Moses Jenkins.</p><p>Saturday morning, Brown woke up feeling like he could play, but said once he talked to coach Urban Meyer and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, his optimism faded when the vibe he got convinced him he'd sit. Brown was fitted with a boot and crutches to hobble around on before the game and said he couldn't walk for most of the morning.</p><p>Brown's name echoed throughout Ben Hill Griffin Stadium's loudspeakers when the PA announcer read his name with the other starters, but he could only watch as Moses Jenkins took reps with the first team.</p><p>Persistent on pushing through pain, Brown ditched the crutches, boot and his old No. 28 jersey for a crisp, new No. 8 to run out of the tunnel with. Coaches were cautious to play him much, but needed him when Moses Jenkins went down with an elbow injury in the third quarter. Brown said he went to Meyer and pleaded until he was allowed to play.</p><p>"I was in coach Meyer's ear, the trainers' ear," he said. "I was begging him to let me play. When coach Meyer told me I could play I almost wanted to squeeze him."</p><p>The ball was rarely thrown Brown's way until his interception, a play that was at first ruled incomplete. The Miami coaches screamed that he juggled the ball while going out of bounds and the refs agreed, though instant replay clearly showed he maintained possession.</p><p>After further review, it was ruled an interception, drawing a huge smile from Brown.</p><p>Brown's debut wasn't only special for him. Austin, who is in his first year coaching Brown, said he was thrilled to see a player that "really bleeds Florida" fulfill his dream after how hard he's worked to come back. </p><p>"It couldn't happen to a nicer guy or better young man," Austin said. "That's what you want as a coach. You like to see good things happen to good young men and he's a good young man."</p>