What to know about Florida football QB Max Brown as he enters first start against FSU

Florida football redshirt freshman quarterback Max Brown is entering his first career start on Saturday against No. 5 Florida State with a chance to pull off one of the biggest upsets in UF football history.

Brown could etch his name in Florida Gators lore if he could guide UF to win over the rival No. 5 Seminoles and spoil their College Football Playoff Hopes.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Brown was a winner in high school, leading Lincoln Christian of Tulsa, Okla., to a 13-1 record and state runner up finish in his senior year in 2021 before enrolling at UF.

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Florida coach Billy Napier said Brown has had a good week of practice working with the first team.

"It's fun to see the players rally around him," Napier said. "You know, I think Max is a player that has the players' respect, his work ethic, the improvement that he's shown."

Here are five things to know about Brown:

Florida football quarterback Max Brown is a two-sport athlete

Brown also plays for UF's baseball team as an outfielder but didn't record an at-bat last season on a team that reached the College World Series finals. Due to the limited role in baseball, Brown was allowed to take part in UF football spring drills during baseball season. But Brown still practiced in both sports throughout the spring semester.

"Communication is a real big thing and Coach Napier, (baseball) Coach (Kevin) O'Sullivan were really flexible and really good with the scheduling side of it. Coach Napier really got my schedule solidified coming into it and Coach O'Sullivan was really understanding."

He almost played for a former Florida Gators football coach

Brown committed to Central Michigan and would have played for former UF head coach Jim McElwain had Napier and his staff not shown interest late in his recruiting process. McElwain, Brown said, took the news OK.

"He kind of understood coming into it, what it was, because I kind of popped some offers more towards the end of my recruiting," Brown said. "But he was understanding, man. McElwain is a great guy and I won't take anything away from that program."

He's a dual-threat quarterback

Brown threw for 2,750 yards and 41 passing TDs while adding 1,343 rushing yards and 20 rushing TDs during his senior season at Lincoln Christian High in Tulsa, Okla. He can use both his arm and his legs, so expect Napier to incorporate that into the gameplan against the Seminoles.

"Being able to hurt a defense with my legs, I feel like that plays another role coming into it," Brown said, when asked about his skillset last spring. "Just being decisive, making plays, being a playmaker."

He beat out 4-star QB Jack Miller for the UF football backup quarterback spot in the fall

Brown was third on the depth chart coming into the spring, but that changed when UF backup quarterack Jack Miller encountered issues with his throwing shoulder during fall camp. As a result, Brown was elevated to second on the depth chart, where he bided his time behind starter Graham Mertz while absorbing the playbook.

"His work ethic, the improvement that he's shown, I think ultimately that's how he's earned the respect of the players and the staff," Napier said. "Everyone knows where he started day one, and they know where he's at now as a player, and I think ultimately they respect that."

He shares his name with a famous British actor

Brown should not be confused with Max Brown, a 42-year-old British actor who made his film debut at the age of 20. The British Brown has appeared in 11 films and 14 television series in his acting career, including as King Robert in The Royals (2016-18) and as Richard Ellis in the 2018 British historical drama Downton Abbey.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football QB Max Brown: 5 things to know