As a true freshman, Aaron Brown rushed for 163 yards on 17 carries in a nationally televised game against the University of Utah Utes, officially bursting into the Horned Frog scene.Two years later, Brown, now a junior, will begin his second year as TCU’s featured running back, and is no longer in need of an introduction.

Last season, Brown led the team in rushing with 801 yards and finished first in the Mountain West Conference with nine rushing touchdowns. He also averaged an impressive 5.2 yards per carry.

Brown is a do-it-all back who finished second on the team with 34 receptions and 455 receiving yards. The 34 receptions were the most by a TCU running back since Basil Mitchell had 40 in 1996.

Head coach Gary Patterson said the decision to start redshirt freshman quarterback Andy Dalton would not change Brown’s role in the offense.

“The key is you have to stay within it,” Patterson said. “You can only ask people to do what they can do. The older players have to stick up and they have to do a little bit more.”

Entering the 2007 campaign, Brown is now one of the more seasoned players on offense.

Patterson said Brown’s role as a leader on the team has begun to grow with age and experience.

“I took him to media days and he was a lot more of what’s involved with being a guy that’s out in front,” Patterson said. “It’s very tiring being that guy.”

Brown was recently put on a watch list for the Doak Walker Award, which is given to the nation’s top running back every season.

A running back who hopes to ease the burden on Brown this season is sophomore Joseph Turner.

Last season as a freshman, Turner had a limited amount of carries, but rushed for 166 yards. Despite the number of carries, his 6.9 yards per carry is notable.

While the defense has received a good amount of preseason attention, the offense looks to prove itself, especially with the addition of Dalton.

Patterson said his goal going into every game is to win by one. If he can get that one extra point, he will be satisfied.

With Brown handling most of the carries, only time will tell if he takes the next step in his progression as a player.