Success Story: Perseverance pays off for Jefferson’s Brandon Mosley
The Georgia Dome is a straight 60-mile shot down I-85 from Brandon Mosley’s hometown of Jefferson. But the 21-year-old’s journey to Saturday’s SEC title game has been much more longer and winding.
The former Jefferson Dragon and current Auburn Tiger paid his dues on the lower rungs of college football – playing in anonymity at two junior colleges — before capitalizing on a monster opportunity to play and start this year for a No.-1 ranked Auburn team (12-0) one win shy of the SEC title and two victories away from the BCS crown.
“For him to go from junior college to here, it’s awesome … It’s just a dream come true for him,” said Mosley’s mother, Nancy Beckett.
Mosley, a 6’6,” 300-pounder, played tight end, defensive end and outside linebacker at Jefferson from 2003-2006.
A valued player on both sides of the ball, Mosley moved from defensive end to outside linebacker his senior year “because he was so athletic and so mobile,” Jefferson defensive coordinator Tom Parker said.
“He might not have always had the best technique, but he had a great football sense,” Parker said.
And tenacity. Then-offensive coordinator and current Jefferson athletic director Tim Corbett described Mosley as having “a motor that never stopped running.”
“If you came his way, you’re going to know he was there,” Corbett said.
The rest of the state and area took notice. Mosley earned Class A all-state first team honors in 2006 as a tight end and all-region honors for his play at linebacker. But Jefferson coaches remember Mosley as more than just a player with ability.
“Brandon matured a lot with his personality and character when he came through our program, Parker said.
Unlike a lot of starters at SEC schools, Mosley didn’t have a scholarship to a Division I-A team waiting for him after high school. So he took the junior college route.
Mosley played briefly at Georgia Military College in 2007 before deciding that military school wasn’t for him.
To continue his career, he set out for Coffeyville Junior College in Kansas.
Far away from the comforts of home and family, Mosley thrived in his second season for Coffeyville, earning All-Jayhawk Conference honors in 2009 as a tight end with 12 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns. His play drew the attention of Auburn’s coaches among others, and Mosley signed with the Tigers in December 2009 as a four-star recruit.
By the fourth game of the 2010 season, Mosley was thrust into Auburn’s starting lineup after Tiger lineman A.J. Greene went down with a season-ending injury, and he hasn’t looked back since. Mosley has proven himself a vital piece of one of the nation’s most dynamic offenses.
“He’s been very excited about it,” Beckett said. “He still on occasions will say, ‘we’ll, I’m not doing as good as I could be. I’ve still got a few little techniques that I need to learn. But next year, I’ll get them down and I’ll be even better.’”
Mosley’s move to Auburn, only a about a three-hour drive from Jefferson, has allowed his family to be regulars in the Jordan-Hare Stadium stands.
And the Tigers have not disappointed.
Mosley’s family has been treated to a 12-0 season, which has included eight come-from-behind victories. None were bigger or more improbable than Friday’s 28-27 road win over Alabama in which the Tigers rallied from a 24-0 second quarter deficit — much to the dismay of Crimson Tide fans.
“It was just really intense, especially the first half,” Beckett said. “But that second half, I had a good feeling. I just had a feeling that they were going to pull it off and come away with a win. I’m just so happy that they did.”
Mosley’s family also gets to watch him block for a player you might have heard of. Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy with his video game-like stats: 2,254 yards passing, 1,336 yards rushing and a combined 42 touchdowns on the ground and through the air.
Of course, off the field, Newton is the subject of an alleged pay-for-play scandal during his recruitment that’s garnered major headlines for weeks. So Mosley’s mom does occasionally field questions about what her son and his teammates think about the ordeal.
“They just say that it’s talk, it’s rumor, they don’t believe it, and that Cam is an awesome guy,” Beckett said.
Beckett added that Mosley “thinks a lot of” Newton. “He said he’s just a super nice guy,” she said.
While Mosley had good things to say about his well-known teammate, Beckett has been impressed with Auburn’s coaches since her son has been enrolled there.
She said Tiger coaches like offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and offensive line coach Jeff Grimes keep in contact with her to let her know how Mosley is doing.
“They’ll either call or text me every once in a while … They’re super nice, really nice. I like them,” Beckett said.
Though he’s now in Auburn’s care, those who coached Mosley during his formative years in Jefferson have been keeping tabs on him.
“Even if he is playing for Auburn, we try to cheer for him,” joked Parker, who said he’s a Georgia fan.
Both Corbett and Parker lauded Mosley for his dedication to do whatever it took to play big-time football.
“To go out to junior college, that takes a big leap of faith … and he stuck with it,” Parker said. “That’s what impresses me the most about him.”
Corbett said several try the junior college route, but many don’t make it to the level that Mosley has. That says a lot about Mosley, he said.
“It’s neat to see him on T.V. and to see him so successful,” Corbett said.
And Mosley is just as thrilled, according to his mom. For a player who had to take the long route to success – and the SEC title game — he’s savoring the moment.
“He said that sometimes he kind of pinches himself and says, ‘is this really real? I’m actually playing with a team that is undefeated and now going for an SEC championship,’” Beckett said. “He’s just really happy for his choice and so are we.”
The former Jefferson Dragon and current Auburn Tiger paid his dues on the lower rungs of college football – playing in anonymity at two junior colleges — before capitalizing on a monster opportunity to play and start this year for a No.-1 ranked Auburn team (12-0) one win shy of the SEC title and two victories away from the BCS crown. “For him to go from junior college to here, it’s awesome … It’s just a dream come true for him,” said Mosley’s mother, Nancy Beckett.
Mosley, a 6’6,” 300-pounder, played tight end, defensive end and outside linebacker at Jefferson from 2003-2006.
A valued player on both sides of the ball, Mosley moved from defensive end to outside linebacker his senior year “because he was so athletic and so mobile,” Jefferson defensive coordinator Tom Parker said.
“He might not have always had the best technique, but he had a great football sense,” Parker said.
And tenacity. Then-offensive coordinator and current Jefferson athletic director Tim Corbett described Mosley as having “a motor that never stopped running.”
“If you came his way, you’re going to know he was there,” Corbett said.
The rest of the state and area took notice. Mosley earned Class A all-state first team honors in 2006 as a tight end and all-region honors for his play at linebacker. But Jefferson coaches remember Mosley as more than just a player with ability.
“Brandon matured a lot with his personality and character when he came through our program, Parker said.
Unlike a lot of starters at SEC schools, Mosley didn’t have a scholarship to a Division I-A team waiting for him after high school. So he took the junior college route.
Mosley played briefly at Georgia Military College in 2007 before deciding that military school wasn’t for him.
To continue his career, he set out for Coffeyville Junior College in Kansas.
Far away from the comforts of home and family, Mosley thrived in his second season for Coffeyville, earning All-Jayhawk Conference honors in 2009 as a tight end with 12 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns. His play drew the attention of Auburn’s coaches among others, and Mosley signed with the Tigers in December 2009 as a four-star recruit.
By the fourth game of the 2010 season, Mosley was thrust into Auburn’s starting lineup after Tiger lineman A.J. Greene went down with a season-ending injury, and he hasn’t looked back since. Mosley has proven himself a vital piece of one of the nation’s most dynamic offenses.
“He’s been very excited about it,” Beckett said. “He still on occasions will say, ‘we’ll, I’m not doing as good as I could be. I’ve still got a few little techniques that I need to learn. But next year, I’ll get them down and I’ll be even better.’”
Mosley’s move to Auburn, only a about a three-hour drive from Jefferson, has allowed his family to be regulars in the Jordan-Hare Stadium stands.
And the Tigers have not disappointed.
Mosley’s family has been treated to a 12-0 season, which has included eight come-from-behind victories. None were bigger or more improbable than Friday’s 28-27 road win over Alabama in which the Tigers rallied from a 24-0 second quarter deficit — much to the dismay of Crimson Tide fans.
“It was just really intense, especially the first half,” Beckett said. “But that second half, I had a good feeling. I just had a feeling that they were going to pull it off and come away with a win. I’m just so happy that they did.”
Mosley’s family also gets to watch him block for a player you might have heard of. Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy with his video game-like stats: 2,254 yards passing, 1,336 yards rushing and a combined 42 touchdowns on the ground and through the air.
Of course, off the field, Newton is the subject of an alleged pay-for-play scandal during his recruitment that’s garnered major headlines for weeks. So Mosley’s mom does occasionally field questions about what her son and his teammates think about the ordeal.
“They just say that it’s talk, it’s rumor, they don’t believe it, and that Cam is an awesome guy,” Beckett said.
Beckett added that Mosley “thinks a lot of” Newton. “He said he’s just a super nice guy,” she said.
While Mosley had good things to say about his well-known teammate, Beckett has been impressed with Auburn’s coaches since her son has been enrolled there.
She said Tiger coaches like offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and offensive line coach Jeff Grimes keep in contact with her to let her know how Mosley is doing.
“They’ll either call or text me every once in a while … They’re super nice, really nice. I like them,” Beckett said.
Though he’s now in Auburn’s care, those who coached Mosley during his formative years in Jefferson have been keeping tabs on him.
“Even if he is playing for Auburn, we try to cheer for him,” joked Parker, who said he’s a Georgia fan.
Both Corbett and Parker lauded Mosley for his dedication to do whatever it took to play big-time football.
“To go out to junior college, that takes a big leap of faith … and he stuck with it,” Parker said. “That’s what impresses me the most about him.”
Corbett said several try the junior college route, but many don’t make it to the level that Mosley has. That says a lot about Mosley, he said.
“It’s neat to see him on T.V. and to see him so successful,” Corbett said.
And Mosley is just as thrilled, according to his mom. For a player who had to take the long route to success – and the SEC title game — he’s savoring the moment.
“He said that sometimes he kind of pinches himself and says, ‘is this really real? I’m actually playing with a team that is undefeated and now going for an SEC championship,’” Beckett said. “He’s just really happy for his choice and so are we.”
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