Don Brown A Finalist for Temple HC Job

Submitted by winterblue75 on December 12th, 2018 at 9:58 AM

Per the Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Marc Narducci‏ @sjnard

We could find out today the new Temple football coach. Three DC's Mike Elko (Texas A&M), Manny Diaz (Miami), & Don Brown (Michigan) are thought to be in the running. Based on some conversations, my gut says Elko is the favorite, but we will see.

bluebyyou

December 12th, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^

Assuming this story to be true, what is very disconcerting is Brown interviewing in the first place.

The OSU loss notwithstanding, Michigan will be hard pressed to find a better DC.

I haven't heard a single word from Brown since the OSU game.  Has anyone else heard a Brown interview?

Joined: 09/07/2009

MGoPoints: 18580

ijohnb

December 12th, 2018 at 11:00 AM ^

Not that I can recall.

It does not look like Temple officially had a coaching vacancy until December 5.  That does not mean that they did not know they were going to have one earlier than that.  Based on the circumstances, it does not look like he would have interviewed for the job before the OSU game.  That is not to say it could not have happened.  Frankly, it would explain a lot.  It would certainly explain the Daxton Hill situation, even if the interview was after the OSU game.

I think that some people are also missing the possibility that Harbaugh was not exactly thrilled with Brown after the OSU game, either.  He has exclusive control over the preparation and game plan of the defense and his defense gave up 62 points in the most important college game of Harbaugh's career.  I wouldn't expect that their discussions after that game were warm and cozy.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

JPC

December 12th, 2018 at 10:24 AM ^

That seems like too much of a jump. Usually, it's more like "elite position coach somewhere good" to "coordinator somewhere not good" to "coordinator somewhere good". 

That's the most worrying thing about Partridge. He's clearly a good coach and a great recruiter, but he has Jay Harbaugh level qualifications to be a DC at Michigan. That would be an unlikely promotion and eventually, he's going to be a DC somewhere - just probably not at Michigan.  

Joined: 10/13/2018

MGoPoints: 12224

JPC

December 12th, 2018 at 10:40 AM ^

I’m hoping he hangs around for a couple more years, until Brown is near retirement, then leaves for a two-three year stint somewhere as a DC where he can prove himself a viable replacement here. 

Joined: 10/13/2018

MGoPoints: 12224

The Chancre

December 12th, 2018 at 10:24 AM ^

Where there's smock there's fire. Now I know Michigan men don't do this, but it could be a ploy for more $$$$.

Also, it's his part of the country, and he has been made the scapegoat for the OSU loss. These guys can pretend they don't hear the poop flying, but they do. No telling how many Michigan fans assaulted him on Twitter or other social media. I know he's not an 18 year old shirtless recruit, but still, I'm sure there were many Michigan fans who let him have it. Not that they wouldn't have been right, because that defense was total crap (which we ignored during the season at times).

I'm thinking, though, that Manny Diaz is the guy, and why wouldn't he want to escape the Miami fiasco?

Joined: 11/29/2018

MGoPoints: 121

wolve1972

December 12th, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^

Unfortunately, I think you could be correct.  Brown wanting to leave will probably be used as a recruiting tool against us. If he stays, I'm sure the 2020 recruits will be hearing it from opposing coaching staffs.

But in short, retaining Brown is far more important to our success than any recruit. 

 

Joined: 12/07/2018

MGoPoints: 6799

ijohnb

December 12th, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^

I mean, scapegoat?  I don't really think that is the right use of that particular term.  His defense gave up 62 points and looked unprepared and was thoroughly dismantled.  Scapegoat would imply that he didn't have much to do with the loss but was unfairly blamed.  I don't think that is the case in that situation.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

DTOW

December 12th, 2018 at 10:24 AM ^

There’s no way this is true. There were reports last year that Mississippi State wanted Don Brown and he turned them down because he wasn’t interested in being a head coach. Now all of the sudden he’s going to go to Temple?  Doesn’t even make sense. 

Joined: 08/31/2013

MGoPoints: 6381

Reggie Dunlop

December 12th, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^

Immediately thought of this blurb from a pre-OSU article on Brown:

A lesser mystery is that the 63-year-old Brown has never been an FBS head coach. Brown spent 12 years as a head coach at Division III Plymouth State (1993-95), FCS Northeastern (2000-03), and, following his good friend Mark Whipple, at UMass (2004-08). He won everywhere he coached, and in 2006, took the Minutemen to the FCS national championship game, where they lost to Appalachian State. Brown has a career record of 95-45 (.679).

A decade ago, UMass had no interest in moving to the FBS. Brown decided to go work for Friedgen as a steppingstone to getting an FBS head-coaching job. It didn't quite work out that way. Four years after Brown left, UMass moved up to the FBS.

Brown has been a head coach. He was good at it. He left UMass to get a crack at FBS and then lived in virtual east coast anonymity as a DC until Harbaugh came calling.

If his professional goal was to be an FBS head coach, this makes sense. He's an east coast guy; Temple makes sense. And given his age, he's running out of time to sit back and cherry-pick a better opportunity. This all kinda makes sense.

I hope he stays. But nothing here sounds "Harbaugh to Packers"-level crazy.

Joined: 10/24/2018

MGoPoints: 4389

BTB grad

December 12th, 2018 at 10:33 AM ^

That Philly article is the only one I can find mentioning this. I won't believe it until I hear from more sources/Michigan insiders. This could be another case like Cris Carter and NFL reporters going "here's the potential candidates!!" list with names they think are fits without having any real sources

Joined: 12/01/2015

MGoPoints: 23518

smitty1983

December 12th, 2018 at 10:36 AM ^

Anyone else sick of the coaching roulette wheel now a days. I don't understand players getting blasted while having to sit out a year for wanting to transfer when coaches can up and leave for another job, a day after signing day. 

Joined: 05/29/2012

MGoPoints: 13534

Mmmm-43

December 12th, 2018 at 10:40 AM ^

Given the surprise at his interest in a HC job, is it possible there was a post-Game rift between JH and DB?  Maybe JH asked him to look around; and a promotion makes everyone feel better. 

Also, maybe he’s looking at next year’s personnel and thinking this year will be tough to beat. Sell high (although off by one). 

Joined: 01/29/2018

MGoPoints: 143

cp4three2

December 12th, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^

I like Don Brown, I think he's a great coach, but he's not irreplaceable. His defense has hardly been dominant against good teams. We'll be fine if he leaves. There are plenty of guys that can hold bad teams under 10 points with All Americans all over the field.

Joined: 08/03/2009

MGoPoints: 4828

JPC

December 12th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

I agree with you. Harbaugh's defenses are the only thing that has been consistently elite since he's been at Michigan. He has turned Michigan into a great spot for top-flight DCs. 

We were good with Durken. We have been good with Brown. There are zero reasons to think Harbaugh can't hire another good DC if Brown moves on. 

Of course, it's bad for recruiting and continuity. Brown's system isn't that common so there will be transition costs if he goes. 

Joined: 10/13/2018

MGoPoints: 12224

ColeIsCorky

December 12th, 2018 at 12:10 PM ^

I agree, but I don't think this is the time to think about having to replace him. First, I love his style, and I would miss the tenacity and rage our defense plays with under him. And prior to this "Game," his defenses actually performed rather well against OSU. If those defenses would have showed up this year, we would have won. Our offense was good enough. Although Haskins did destroy our defense last year as well, but that is more understandable when you were preparing for Barrett all week.

Not to mention how long it takes to learn a defensive system, which I believe could be a pretty major transition. 

But my biggest concern isn't necessarily the defense but the guys we are recruiting for that defense. Michigan's recruiting class would take a major hit, and that is the most important aspect in my opinion. We need some coaching consistency for once if we really want to start building to an OSU level of talent. Michigan is not to the point where coaching turnover isn't as big of a deal yet. 

Joined: 11/15/2016

MGoPoints: 4627

bronxblue

December 12th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^

I've gotten to just skipping to my comment and not reading anything else.  It's the part of the year where the most scatter-brained, impulsive fans flood message boards because during the season most of them would have been ignored.

Don Brown might leave; I'd be surprised, but who knows.  but Michigan will survive either way.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171787

northernmich

December 12th, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^

If he leaves, promote Partridge, promote Bush Sr. to the safety job, and hopefully Partridge can still field a top 25 defense. Be more aggressive on O (throw the ball to our ridiculously talented WR more), don’t settle for FGs, and I think we would be just fine.

Joined: 10/12/2018

MGoPoints: 3032