Magnificent 7: Brim a 'playmaker'

Few people would have their taste buds watering over a liquid drink that contained thin pieces of hamburger meat, a splash of gravy and water.

Welcome to the summer diet that was forced upon Victory Christian (Lakeland, Fla.) athlete Demeitre Brim, one of the 25 recruits that has verbally committed to play football at Virginia in the Class of 2012 and is expected to sign on National Signing Day on Wednesday.

During a July visit to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp at Ave Maria University in Florida, Brim delivered a stomach-churning hit on an opposing player that led to a pair of X-Rays and a diet few football players would relish.

“It was a padded camp and we were playing against a bigger school — a 5-A school from Florida — and they were mouthing the whole camp,” Brim said. “I was like, ‘OK, we are playing against ya’ll now,’ and a receiver came across the middle and I hit him. He got a concussion and I broke my jaw.

“I guess the force from his helmet hit me in the jaw and it just fractured it.”

Brim, who is 6-foot-3 and now 203 pounds, chipped a tooth on the play and was spitting up blood, but managed to play through pain to finish the scrimmage.

“I went to a doctor there and they said it was just bruised,” Brim said. “I kept playing the next day, but I couldn’t eat because my mouth wouldn’t close.”

When he returned to Lakeland, Fla., Brim’s parents took him for another X-Ray, one that disclosed the fracture. Weeks away from the first game in his senior season, but with a verbal commitment to Virginia in place, Brim had his mouth wired shut.

Sidelined from football, Brim saw his weight drop fast as he was only able to consume what would sneak through the cracks in his teeth.

“Through all of that I lost 28, 30 pounds,” he recounted. “It was hard. I tried to make the foods appetizing but that barely worked.”

Local doctors would not clear Brim until after the third game of the season and without the team’s quarterback and top defensive back on the field, Victory Christian limped to a 1-2 start.

Brim would send text messages to his teammates during his absence that delivered a simple plea: “Somebody has to step up. Who is going to be that guy?”

“I used to say that every week,” Brim relayed. “I know a lot of my teammates looked up upon me, so when I got injured at that camp I saw their whole demeanor and everything drop as if the season was over.”

With Brim back in the fold, the Storm won seven straight, claimed a district title and advanced to the semifinal round of the Class 2A state playoffs. In October, Brim guided a potent offense that averaged 50.2 points per game and he was named a second-team All-State Class 2A selection at quarterback.

Brim switched his attention from his junior season to his final campaign, partly because of a late-season shoulder injury that limited him to just 44 passing attempts and 607 yards. The speedster rushed for 1,241 yards, accounted for 20 touchdowns and intercepted four passes on defense.

While programs, such as Vanderbilt entered the mix late to test Brim’s commitment to Virginia, a recent “official visit” and an in-home visit from Virginia assistant coach Vincent Brown have appeared to solidify his recruitment.

“Coach Brown just sealed the deal,” Brim told The Daily Progress late Thursday night.

Virginia did not land Brim without hard work and positive recruiting pitch that intensified during his injury, something that spoke volumes to the three-star recruit. It often involved phone calls that were one-sided since Brim could not talk on the phone with his jaw wired shut.

“The coaching staff showed compassion and showed that they cared and when everything wasn’t working out at the time, they were the first to bend their back for me,” he said. “They decided to offer me initially without hesitating and without waiting a week or two to hear from this guy or that guy.

“The injury was a wake-up call. It also humbled me, as well, I would say. It is quick — football could be taken away from you in one play. I think it all made me stronger as an individual and provided another blessing and a way to speak upon others and say what I had went through.”

Brim would like to play offense, the side of the ball that is his “heart,” but is open to playing safety or linebacker at Virginia depending on his weight when he arrives for training camp in August.

“I want to get to 215 [pounds] before I report to Charlottesville,” he said. “Really, Virginia is thinking defense but they brought up [Virginia running back] Perry Jones as he was being recruited as a safety-, corner-type dude and now he is one of the best running backs in the ACC.

“I feel like I am a playmaker and I am very passionate about offense, but either way, whatever gets me on the field and whatever way I can help the team out I am willing to do.”