“Kerry Brown loves football,” Collins said. “The thing that I love is how he comes to work every day — he’s always got a smile on his face, but he’s a guy that can do everything. He can play a post, he can blitz, his man coverage is the best that it’s ever been. He’ll hit you, you know. … He’s played six different positions, so being able to do that, that’s what makes him a really special player.”
For Brown, confidence comes through practice and striving to improve.
“I just believe in what I can do,’’ he said. “I make sure to study every single day, get in the film room, work on my technique on the field and off the field and just continue to get better so I can play all those different roles.”
Aidan Gousby was right nearby when Gophers safety Koi Perich made a game-sealing interception against USC in October. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
At 6-0 and 190 pounds, Gousby plays with a physical tone and made 23 tackles last year. The junior from Lehigh Acres, Fla., redshirted in 2022, played nine games in 2023 before missing the final four contests because of injury and started eight games among 10 appearances in 2024. He’s looking forward to expanding his role.
“It’s plug-and-play,” Gousby said. “Wherever I’m needed, I’ll be there. We’ve got so many weapons in the room — defense in general, and the whole team, honestly. Wherever I can plug in and play, I’m going to give my all.”
Gousby sees a benefit for the Gophers secondary when Perich practices with the offense: They get to face him.