FITCHBURG — Behind every successful offense in football, there’s usually a talented running back who takes the pressure off his teammates with big plays. While most teams might argue that quarterback’s the most important position, having a skilled running back who can pick his team up in moments of need is just as crucial.
With Lynn native Jevon Brown-Simpson leading the way at Fitchburg State, the Falcons have that need covered.
Brown-Simpson, a starting running back for the Division III Falcons, is having a stellar season in the backfield. A Lynn English alum in his senior season at Fitchburg, Brown-Simpson has tallied 533 rushing yards on 130 attempts, while scoring five touchdowns in seven games.
His 533 rushing yards are a new season-high for Brown-Simpson, after the English product ran for 526 yards his sophomore year and 525 as a junior.
“I just wanted to go out on my own terms and go out the best way I could,” Brown-Simpson said of his goals for his senior season. “I wanted to leave with a positive impact on the underclassmen. I didn’t want to leave the team with question marks. I wanted to leave on the best possible terms and hopefully that means a strong record in MASCAC.”
A two-way starter at running back and defensive end for former Bulldogs coach Peter Holey, Brown-Simpson recalls fighting through adversity to reach success in his days wearing the maroon and white English uniform. It helped that his older brother, Malcolm, was with him every step of the way. Malcolm also played at Fitchburg State, starring as a three-year linebacker from 2014-2016.
“I remember what it was like coming up as a freshman and a sophomore (at English),” Brown-Simpson, a Fitchburg captain this season, said. “We overcame a lot my senior year. It wasn’t easy but me and my brother worked our way up the program. We won a couple of (NEC) championships and it’s a good feeling knowing that I contributed to that.”
Now at Fitchburg, Brown-Simpson still feels connected to home thanks in part to the fact that the Falcons carry five Lynn natives on their roster this season. Other than Brown-Simpson, sophomore linebacker Dakota Mullen (Bishop Fenwick), freshman defensive end Frank Perry (English), senior offensive lineman Stephen Armand (Classical) and sophomore defensive end Jeremy Garcia (English) are also contributing on the team.
“I look at some of these younger guys as a reflection of myself,” Brown-Simpson said. “The work ethic is there. It makes me feel good that the values that were instilled on me when I came up through Lynn are still being taught to Lynn players. It’s good to know that Lynn players still have that fight in them.”
Falcons coach Patrick Haverty, who resides in Fitchburg, has made the Lynn area one of his favorites for recruiting. The work ethic displayed by Lynn football players, Haverty said, makes them a good fit at Fitchburg.
“The players from Lynn remind me of Fitchburg guys,” Haverty said. “They’re hard-working kids. They feel comfortable here at our university and with the guys around them. I like that kind of work ethic. They’re not afraid to roll up their sleeves and work for things.”
Haverty added that a strong work ethic is one of the qualities he appreciates most about Brown-Simpson.
“He’s a great athlete,” Haverty said. “He does a great job at running back, but more importantly, he provides leadership. His overall work ethic and how he presents himself to the guys on the team, that’s a great character trait of his. He’s a natural leader.”
Through seven games, the Falcons are off to a 3-4 start. Fitchburg’s 2-3 against MASCAC opponents, with three conference games (at Western Connecticut State, vs. Plymouth State, vs. UMass Dartmouth) remaining on the regular season schedule.
“We’re playing well as a team,” Brown-Simpson said. “When times get tough, we don’t point fingers. We fight together to get through adversity. After a loss, sometimes you see teams hang their heads and that derails them. After the games we’ve lost this season, we come back at practice ready to work and we look forward to winning our next game.”
On the academic side, Brown-Simpson’s majoring in criminal justice and is on track to earn his degree this spring. Although managing football and school work is often a difficult task, Brown-Simpson’s looking forward to graduation.
“I’m on course to graduate this spring,” Brown-Simpson said. “It’s a little bit of a heavy load this semester but next semester I’ll only be two courses away from graduating. It’ll be great to take that college degree off my to do list.”
Currently in a two-game losing streak, Fitchburg will look to end its slump and on Saturday afternoon at Western Connecticut.
