Official: Michigan Hires DC Don Brown Comment Count

Ace



Straight out of football coach central casting.

It's officially official: Michigan formally announced the hiring of Boston College's Don Brown as defensive coordinator. From the press release:

University of Michigan J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh announced Monday (Dec. 21) the hiring of Don Brown as defensive coordinator. Brown will start his appointment with the program after the conclusion of the bowl season.

"We are very pleased and happy to announce that our top candidate and number one choice, Don Brown has accepted our offer to become defensive coordinator," said Harbaugh. "After a very thorough search and talking with those I respect the most in this game, including Jack Harbaugh, John Harbaugh, Bill Belichick, Bob Sutton, Vic Fangio and others, it led me to Don Brown. Everything he has touched has turned to gold. Just look at his track record as a head coach, defensive coordinator and even as a baseball coach. We are beyond excited to welcome this high character, high achieving individual to our program and university. Teaching and player development are synonymous with coaching and Don Brown epitomizes those qualities."

Brown spent the past three seasons coordinating the defense at Boston College (2013-15). His 2015 defense currently leads the nation in eight defensive categories -- total defense, rushing defense, scoring defense, red zone defense, first down defense, third down defense, fourth down defense and tackles-for-loss -- and lists second in pass defense and pass efficiency defense.

Brown was named the 2015 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year. He was nominated for the Broyles Award which honors the nation's top assistant in college football the past three seasons.

At BC, Brown directed one of the best defenses in the country, on par with Alabama's and Michigan's despite a massive talent gap between those programs. His hiring has received universal praise; we'll have more on that later this afternoon.

Comments

LS And Play

December 21st, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^

I got a laugh out of that second paragraph. For some reason it reminded me of some of the statements Trump has put out in recent months about himself. "Every thing he has touched has turned to gold." 

Alton

December 21st, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^

There is something about that title that makes me want to read it as "the University of Michigan J. Ira and Nicki Harris (pause) Family Head Football Coach" instead of "the University of Michigan J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family (pause) Head Football Coach."

It could all be solved without needing to return any money to the Harrises by removing the word "Family."

Elmer

December 21st, 2015 at 4:31 PM ^

That's a good start.  After removing "family" they shoud remove Ira, Nicki, J and Harris.

I would be embarrassed to have my name used like that...even though it sounds better:

"The University of Michigan Elmer Fudd Head Football Coach."

To bad Brandon didn't pimp out the name to me first.  I can afford it, I own a mansion and a yacht.

alnigoblue

December 21st, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^

I apologize if this ground has already been covered but I've been looking at his history and don't see anything about him wearing a position coach hat as well at any of his previous stops.  When he played football, he was a running back, fwiw.  Anybody know what's going to happen with linebackers coach duties?

wahooverine

December 21st, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^

Consulted with Jack Harbaugh, John Harbaugh, Bill Belichick, Bob Sutton, Vic Fangio.  Not that I doubt the veracity of this statement but where would Brown have come into contact with these guys?  Maybe the implication is that that Brown's name is known broadly across top football/NFL coaching circles.

cGOBLUEm

December 21st, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^

Harbuagh says that Brown was his first choice. Many on the Board yesterday concluded that Brown must have been Michigan's 3rd or 4th choice. 

Honestly, I don't know, but I'll choose to believe JH over a bunch of anonymous internet posters. 

jmblue

December 21st, 2015 at 12:48 PM ^

Some people struggle to understand that coaches can have their own particular timetables and that sometimes you have to wait to hire the guy you want.  (We should have realized this after last year, when we fired Brady Hoke then waited four weeks to hire Harbaugh.)

After the season Brown just had, I see no reason to doubt that he was very high on Harbaugh's list.