NCAA rules prohibit contact between high school juniors and college coaches, but coaches such as Southern California's Pete Carroll, Stanford's Jim Harbaugh, Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer and Colorado's Dan Hawkins have made legal on-campus appearances.
"It wasn't just (Carroll)," Harding athletic director and boys basketball coach Kevin 'Speedy' Starks pointed out. "He walked in and there's five (USC assistants) with him."
Derrick, too, was floored.
"Carroll flew his staff here and they walked our halls. They can't see Marlon, but they were here just to be seen and to be known.
"At one point, (Oklahoma) was in my office, USC walked in, and then, when I walked the OU guy to the parking lot, LSU was coming in -- all on the same day."
Last Friday, Notre Dame offensive coordinator Michael Haywood personally delivered a written scholarship offer for Brown to the school.
"The funny thing about it is I opened the letter, and it was gold," said a blushing Brown, who added that "he doesn't really care" about being ranked among the nation's top junior football prospects.