Storrs — Rayonte Brown feels blessed to be alive after what he’s been through in the last year.

Brown struggled with a serious health issue. He said he had a lower intestinal problem that worsened over time. He couldn’t keep food down.

In December, Brown had emergency abdominal surgery in Hartford. Due to complications, he had a second surgery two days after the first one. He spent about two and a half weeks in the hospital.

His weight plummeted by about 85 pounds. He wondered whether he’d wear a UConn football jersey again. He put his education on hold, missing the second semester last school year.

Months of recovery followed his hospital stay before he eventually returned to football over the summer.

“(Football) was on my mind the whole time,” Brown said Tuesday during UConn football’s weekly media session. “As I was laid out, I was just waiting for my opportunity to get back here. Being away from the guys for that long time was really hard on me. I’m just happy to be back and I’m glad I’m still part of this team.”

“... Ask anybody about me, I’ve been a fighter my whole life. I had a goal to get back here and get back to playing with the team. That’s all I was thinking about.”

Brown’s remarkable comeback story added another chapter last Saturday when he earned his first career start against Syracuse at Rentschler Field.

“It was a good moment,” Brown said. “There were times back then after the surgeries I didn’t think I’d be able to get back on the field again in that capacity.”

Coach Jim Mora added: “In my opinion, it’s one of the great stories in college football this year.”

Recruited as an offensive lineman by now former coach Randy Edsall, Brown switched to tight end after returning from his health scare. At 6-foot-7, 245 pounds, he has the size to play the position. He also played tight end a little bit in high school.

“It’s been fun,” Brown said. “I told the coaches when I came back, whatever they want me to do, I’ll do it. Whatever I can do to help the team. They decided to move me to tight end to help the team and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Basketball, not football, was his preferred sport when he entered Dundalk High School in Baltimore. Edsall reached out to him about playing football. Brown began his freshman season with the Huskies in 2019.

Last season, Brown saw his first playing time, appearing in 10 games.

A substantially thinner Brown showed up at UConn this summer. He had yet to meet Mora.

“I thought he was a basketball player, because he was 6-8 and rail-thin,” Mora said. “He lost a lot (of weight). I’m told that he dipped under 200 pounds. For him to fight back the way he has is just so inspirational. And then to find his way into a starting role last week, I’m beyond words to think about what he did. He earned it and worked for it.

“He endured some serious hardships. He spent a lot of time in the hospital. I’m sure he had doubts, but he came back strong. He’s got his body weight back up.”

Brown is determined to work hard and return to his pre-surgery weight of about 290 pounds. He changed his whole diet, eating healthier.

Mora believes Brown has a bright future as an offensive lineman on the pro level.

“He will grow back into that over time,” Mora said. “You want to be around people like that.”

Through all the adversity, Brown never considered starting fresh at another college football program.

“I’m committed here, 100%,” Brown said. “There was never a thought in my mind of leaving here, especially when we got new coaches. I wanted to see the change and also be a part of the changes.”

Brown credits the support of his family and UConn teammates with helping him during a difficult period in his life.

He’s happy to be back playing football.

“I feel amazing right now,” Brown said. “I feel great.”

News and notes

Mora on visiting No. 4 Michigan (2-0) on Saturday: “A great opportunity for us to play one of the premier teams in college football. A team that played in the college football playoff last year and to me looks better than ever.” … Michigan has six players from Connecticut — Kechaun Bennett (Suffield), Tristan Bounds (Wallingford), Luke Schoonmaker (Hamden), Jake Thaw (Westport) and Cornelius Johnson (Greenwich). … Backup running back Brian Brewton, who fractured his elbow against Syracuse, will have surgery on Wednesday. … Sophomore running back Nate Carter is third in the country in rushing yards (384) and eighth in rushing yards per game (128.0). “He’s a tough runner,” Mora said. “He’s going to get everything out of every single play. … He maximizes every single play. That’s what good football players do. He’s certainly a dependable young man who’s a lot of fun to be around and coach.”

g.keefe@theday.com