Littlejohn locked in on future
BUTLER TWP — One role, one position.
That’s what Braylon Littlejohn’s football career has in store for him as the Butler senior has signed his letter of intent to extend his time on the gridiron to Miami of Ohio.
“This is definitely going to feel a little different for him,” Butler football coach Eric Christy said. “Braylon did so many things for us.”
Littlejohn generated 935 yards of total offense for the Golden Tornado this season despite missing games due to injury. He had 319 yards passing, 418 yards rushing and 198 yards receiving.
Now he’ll be focused on the defensive side of the ball as he will play cornerback for the Redhawks in the Mid-American Conference.
“I do love the challenge of that,” Littlejohn said. “Corner is one of the toughest positions to play in football. The other guy knows where he’s going, what moves he’s planning to make. You don’t.
“But I feel like I have the athleticism to compensate for that. And I thrive on one-on-one competition.”
Christy said Miami has been honed in on Littlejohn from the start of the recruiting process for that reason.
“They believe he can be that cover guy that’s so hard to find these days,” Christy said. “Miami did a great job recruiting him and staying with him.
“They believe he can be a lock-down corner, a guy who can line up outside, along the sideline, and take a prime receiver away.”
Littlejohn plans to major in some aspect of sports or in business. He also considered Richmond, Villanova and Vanderbilt, but liked Miami from the start.
“It felt like home when I went there and I like the style of football the coaches want me to play,” Littlejohn said. “They seemed to want me the most.”
He will be stepping into a crowded situation in Miami’s defensive backfield. Transfer portal possibilities not withstanding, the Redhawks have 17 underclassmen defensive backs listed on their current roster.
Miami is coming off an 11-3 season and a MAC championship. The Redhawks took a 13-9 loss to Appalachian State in the Cure Bowl over the weekend.
Chuck Martin is Miami’s head coach. When he arrived on the scene, Miami was coming off an 0-12 season. Martin was 4-18 in his first 22 MAC games.
Since 2016, he is 34-16 in conference play — best record among MAC schools during that stretch — and the Redhawks have been bowl eligible in seven of the past eight seasons.
“My No. 1 goal is to win,” Littlejohn said. “Everything else is secondary in my mind. Just succeed.
“I have my plan in place now. I know where I’ll be the next four years. Just focus on what I need to do to get better at my position. I’m excited about this.”
Christy sees no limit to Littlejohn’s potential at Miami.
“The situation is a perfect fit for him and he can finally concentrate on a certain position and a definite role. We had him all over the place on the football field.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he sees time at safety and some on special teams. I hope he gets a shot at special teams. He could be pretty explosive there.”
