Nov 30, 2016 3 min read

The similarities are remarkable.

The statistics of these wide receivers are so close and the roles they play on their respective teams are so alike that they might seem interchangeable.They even have the same last name: Brown.

Billy Brown is the go-to wide receiver for Shepherd University. Garry Brown is the go-to wide receiver for California University.

The schools play each other in Saturday afternoon’s quarterfinal round game in the NCAA Division II postseason at Adamson Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

Let’s take a quick rundown of the statistics for the Browns.

Billy Brown has 88 receptions; Garry Brown has 81.

Billy Brown has 1,391 receiving yards; Garry Brown has 1,348 receiving yards.

Both have caught 20 touchdown passes.

Billy Brown averages 116 receiving yards per game; Garry Brown averages 122.

The only difference is size and speed. Billy Brown is 6-4, 230 pounds and more of a possession receiver; Garry Brown is 6-1, 200 pounds and is more of a deep threat.

“(Billy) Brown is a great receiver,” said Jordan Bowman, a 6-0, 215-pound free safety for Cal (11-0). “We have to try to slow him down. They throw the ball to him any way possible. Their quarterback likes to look his way.”

Why not?

The combination of Brown and quarterback Jeff Ziemba, a 6-3, 215-pound senior, helped the Rams (12-0) to the NCAA Division II championship game last year. Ziemba is having a super year, completed 68 percent of his passes for 3,315 yards and 28 touchdowns. He has only been intercepted five times in 331 attempts.

“A lot of teams will worry about (Brown) because he’s such a great receiver, and it opens things for guys like Brandon,” Ziemba told the Martinsburg Journal after the Rams’ 40-21 win over LIU-Post last week to reach this regional championship game.

Billy Brown caught 11 passes for 189 yards and grabbed three touchdowns for the second week in a row. Billy Brown has 23 receptions in the postseason and accounts for 33 percent of the Rams’ season passing yardage and 24 percent of their total offense.

“He’s a heckuva player, a little bigger bodied-kid, than our guy,” said Cal first-year head coach Gary Dunn. “He’s had a great career for them. Anytime you are playing December football, you’re going to be lining up against a quality team.”

Last week, Cal’s Brown had similar – of course – stats to his Shepherd counterpart, also catching 11 passes for 129 yards and two TDs in a 44-23 victory over Indiana. His postseason totals are lower because Cal had a first-round bye in the playoffs.

“Shepherd has been here before and was a national runner-up last year,” Dunn said. “Obviously, there are an extremely talented team.”