This Crown College quarterback also throws javelin, and is eyeing another conference championship

Zach Brown's college football career has been bumpy at times. After losing the starting quarterback job at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota, last year, he's back in the driver's seat this season.

"It's been hard sometimes," he said. "But God's gotten me through it and been able to give me the strength to do this and I'm very grateful for it. It's just been an overall incredible experience."

Brown throws a nice ball. He is hoping to lead Crown College to back-to-back conference championships. But when it's not football season still competes for the Polars by throwing the javelin. It all started in high school when he got into track for fitness.

"About two weeks into running practice, I realized dang, this really sucks," laughed Brown. "I found out we have a javelin team at my high school. So I started throwing then."

"It's like a match made in heaven," said Crown head football coach Anthony Franz. "He keeps his arm healthy all year. I think the motion's a little different. So he doesn't throw during the season because he's gotta save those for touchdown passes."

Brown can make music with his arm. His deep ball and his javelin toss can easily clear 50 yards. The latter has helped the former focus on throwing from his base.

"In javelin, you want to have this nice long arm path where you're keeping it all the way back. Whereas in football, you need to worry about more than distance. You need to have a nice compact, quick release so that you're not taking more time from your O-line and your receivers. So that's probably the biggest difference. The difference between a longer power-focused movement and quicker speed-based movement in football where you have to be more concise with your throwing motion," said Brown.

It's an uncommon sports crossover. 

"It's a little bit difficult sometimes, because sometimes the different mechanics seep into each other," said Brown. "But it's also been really good for me to learn how to use my body as I throw. And to get everything I have into a throw rather than just throwing with my arm."