On Friday, Indianapolis Colts fans will get their first chance to see RB Donald Brown in a game situation, and when it comes to that situation, Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell says he’s certain about at least one thing:

Brown will be prepared.

“Donald has been very studious,” Caldwell said. “He’s done things in a very, very professional manner. He’s a very, very mature guy for his age, particularly for his first year in the league, just in terms of how he goes about his preparation on a daily basis – it’s outstanding. I think that’s going to pay dividends.”

Caldwell said on Wednesday morning Brown has acquired a broad understanding of the offense, and “has been able to keep the pace when the speed has been quickened a bit.”

“We’re pleased with where he is right now,” Caldwell said.

Brown, the only player in college football to rush for more than 2,000 yards last season, said through a week and a half of camp it is difficult to precisely gauge his progress.

“I’m in the playbook as much as possible,” Brown said. “It will come. I feel pretty confident in my ability to get the playbook down. Obviously, there’s more I have to learn, but right now, I’m pretty confident. . . .

“It’s obviously faster. You’re playing against the elite of the elite, so you just have to keep up the pace. It’s no problem. You just have to adapt. It’s all about adaptation.”

 Addai, a 1,000-yard rusher his first two seasons, rushed for 544 yards and five touchdowns on 155 carries last season. Brown rushed for 2,083 yards and 18 touchdowns on 367 carries, and while Addai remains the starter, Caldwell said Wednesday the Colts historically have played two backs extensively.

“We anticipate the same thing will happen with the backs of the present as well,” Caldwell said.

“It is what it is,” Brown said. “You can’t worry about those situations. You just have to go out there and when your number is called and the opportunity arises make the most of it and give everything you’ve got. . . . I think I put more pressure and more expectations on myself than anybody puts on me. I hold myself to high standards. I just try to do my best to live up to those standards day in and day out. I just want to contribute anyway possible. However they need me, I’m ready to go.”

 Brown said while he has thought some about his NFL debut, which will take place Friday in the Colts’ preseason opener against Minnesota at Lucas Oil Stadium, he doesn’t know exactly what to expect.

 “You don’t know until you’re there,” he said. “In college, I realized you practice hard and you practice at a higher rate, the game seems to be a little bit slower and starts to come a little bit more. So, I just try to practice the way I play and hopefully it will be the same. I’m sure I’ll be nervous, anxious – it will be a little combination of things. You just need to keep your emotions under control and the biggest thing is just to have fun. I’ve played this game for 12 or 13 years. It’s football. It’s football.”

IFR Analysis: A lot of eyes will be on Brown Friday, with Colts fans having waited more than four months to see the player the Colts selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. A word of caution: Don’t read too much into the performance Friday of Brown or for that matter, starter Joseph Addai. Or, really, even the Colts’ offensive line. Addai is likely to play only a series or two, and the same is true of Brown and the offensive line. A series or two isn’t likely long enough for the group to get the cohesion to look impressive and the team uses the preseason to prepare for the regular season. The reality is it’s just very hard to know much about a team’s running game in the preseason. Colts President Bill Polian likes to say he doesn’t know how a team is going to be until six games into the regular season, and it may take nearly that long to know of the running game has improved. That’s not what fans want to hear, and it sounds wishy washy, but that’s the reality.