Q and A With Brandon Brown & David Mackey
By Chris Mitchell
Sports Information Director
Washington University in St. Louis
BRANDON BROWN
What made you choose to come to Washington University?
Brandon Brown: Before visiting Washington University, I didn’t really know much about the school and what it had to offer. But as I started researching the school, I found that it had very strong engineering and business programs, along with a great football tradition. When I visited the school, I knew that it was the place I wanted to be at for the next four years. It is a perfect combination of academics, athletics, and great people.
With so many strong college football programs in the state of Ohio, did you consider playing anywhere closer to home?
Brandon Brown: During my senior year of high school, I was pretty sure I was going to move out of the Cincinnati area for college, so I really only considered two schools in the area: the University of Dayton and Centre College. But when I compared these schools to Washington University, I decided that this was the place I wanted to be.
What does it mean to you to be a student-athlete at Washington University in St. Louis?
Brandon Brown: Being a student-athlete at Washington University was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel like it has prepared me well for life after college. It gives you a lot of great experiences in time management, leadership and team skills, and discipline. At Washington University, athletes don’t get any special considerations in the classroom, so I really believe that balancing academics and athletics has helped me grow as a person. It’s also extremely fun, especially because we have such a great group of guys on the team.
Talk about being selected as a preseason first-team D3football.com All-American?
Brandon Brown: Obviously, I was extremely excited when I found out I had been named a pre-season All-American. But I feel that it is a testament to our entire defense. There is no way I could have been selected without our defensive line and linebackers shutting down the run, making teams have to throw the ball on us. They also contribute to a lot of the interceptions, because the quarterback has to get rid of the ball in a hurry. It also shows how great the rest of our secondary is. On most teams, you can just throw away from a lock-down corner. But for us, our entire secondary locks down receivers, so you don’t have a choice.
What does it mean to you to be a captain on this year’s team?
Brandon Brown: Being selected as a captain of the team is the greatest honor I could get. On a team of really dedicated, hard-working team players, it means a lot to be selected by my peers as a leader. We have a great group of seniors, and I think our experience and leadership is a big strength of our team.
What are your future plans upon graduation from Washington University in St. Louis?
Brandon Brown: Ask me again on October 11th. I have offers from Procter & Gamble and L’Oreal, and I also have been interviewing for Anheuser-Busch InBev. But no matter which company, I will be doing a mixture of manufacturing engineering and management. My ideal situation would be to get hands-on experience at manufacturing plants (or breweries), and then using my knowledge and experiences to move up the company and get into more business management roles.
DAVID MACKEY
What made you choose to come to Washington University?
David Mackey: I knew that I wanted to play football in college, and there aren’t very many Division III schools that offer both football and engineering. I visited Washington University my sophomore year of high school and instantly knew it was the place for me.
With so many strong college football programs in the state of Ohio, did you consider playing anywhere closer to home?
David Mackey: I was recruited by a lot of schools nearby, but none of them offered an engineering program. Most of my friends went to schools in Ohio, but I wanted to go to a school where I could meet new friends instead of hanging out with the same five people from high school.
What does it mean to you to be a student-athlete at Washington University in St. Louis?
David Mackey: It means having a large time commitment. Playing a sport and keeping up with school is a difficult task at times, but playing Division III athletics is about the love of the game. I wouldn’t trade football for anything.
At the end of this season, what would you like to be able to say about your team?
David Mackey: I would love to say that we were conference champions. We haven’t won the UAA championship since I came to Washington University and I would really like to win one before I graduate. I think it is important for the senior class to leave a winning tradition with the program.
What are your future plans upon graduation from Washington University in St. Louis?
David Mackey: I’m not sure right now. I am majoring in mechanical engineering, and I would love to get a job at an engineering firm, but I am also interested in working in business. I had an internship this summer working in marketing analytics and it was really interesting. I think a job that combines both engineering and business would be a perfect fit for me.
Playing on the offensive line, how important is it for the group to all be on the same page on each play?
David Mackey: It is extremely important. Every player on the offensive line must know the assignment of the person next to them to make sure that all the defenders are blocked. Before every play, we give each other calls on the line to make sure we are all on the same page.