Catching up with Marion's Blair Brooks

MARION — There was a conversation last week between Marion football coach Tim Lovell and one of his players, Blair Brooks.

Brooks, a senior receiver-defensive back, pointed out to Lovell that he needed a certain number of catches for a certain number of yards to break the school's career record in both categories. Coach asked player if he just recently discovered those facts.

Player said no.

'He told me 'I've known what those records were since my freshman year,'' Lovell said.

'Yeah, I did kind of have my eye on those since my freshman year coming in,' Brooks said. 'Having great coaches and great teammates has helped give me the opportunity to do so.'

Not to mention a whole lot of athletic ability. Brooks is a state champion high jumper and long jumper in track and field, skills (at least that first one) that certainly translate to the football field.

He had five receptions for 92 yards and three touchdowns in Marion's impressive 47-22 season-opening win last week over LaPorte City Union. That gave him the career catches record (65) and moved him within a single yard of that record.

Marion plays Friday night at Benton Community.

'I feel like I've gotten a lot faster, a lot stronger,' Brooks said. 'I've grown into my body a lot. I'm able to use my speed and my jumping ability, and I've worked on my route running a lot. That has helped, too. Coach Lovell has worked hard with me on that, so I can be a deep threat, but also catch a screen pass or a short route and also do work in the open field.'

'A phenomenal athlete,' Lovell said. 'So highly gifted. And his dedication to his craft also makes him great. He wants to win, wants to win at everything he does.'

Brooks is the son of University of Iowa football radio sideline reporter and women's basketball play-by-play man Rob Brooks. His grandfather is the late broadcasting legend Bob Brooks.

He also is related to Upper Iowa men's basketball coach Brooks McKowen and Cedar Rapids Kennedy boys' basketball coach Jon McKowen.

With those strong Iowa ties, you'd have to believe the Hawkeyes are high on his college wish list, and they are. He said he is being recruited both by Iowa and Iowa State for football, and Iowa has talked to him about becoming a track decathlete.

Western Illinois is the lone school, thus far, to offer him a football scholarship.

'Ideally, and sometimes it doesn't work out like that, I'd like to have something decided in September. That would be ideal,' he said. 'It's a difficult decision, but it's also a blessing.'

'He has seen big-time college athletics up close and what it's like,' Lovell said. 'Because of that, I don't think he gets wrapped up in the pressure of playing or anything like that.'

Lovell said he knows one thing. The school that eventually lands Blair Brooks will be getting a quality young man off the field.

'He's special. A special kid,' Lovell said. 'The thing that makes him special is his compassion for other people. For instance, I saw him go sit down and have lunch with a special need's student just the other day.

'If you went around and asked anyone who is the most well-liked guy in our school, they'd say it's him. Hashtag FOB: Friends of Blair.'

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com