DON BROWN NAMED HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Boyden Building
Amherst, MA 01003
Phone: (413) 545-2439
Fax: (413) 545-1556
A T H L E T I C S W E B S I T E : W W W . U M A S S A T H L E T I C S . C O M
DON BROWN NAMED HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
For Immediate Release
February 9, 2004
AMHERST, Mass. — Don Brown, architect of the defense that led UMass to the 1998 national championship, has been named the new head football coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it was announced today by athletic director John McCutcheon. Brown, who spent the last four seasons as the head coach at Northeastern University, becomes the 27th head coach in the 121-year history of the program. He replaces Mark Whipple, who resigned in January to become the quarterbacks coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.
“I spent two of the best years of my life here as the defensive coordinator, and I am really looking forward to coming back as head coach,” said Brown. “This is an outstanding opportunity for me and my family. We could not be more thrilled to be returning to Amherst. We helped build a championship program there and we expect it to continue to be a championship program.”
In his four seasons at Northeastern, Brown led a total transformation of the Huskies’program. After taking over a team coming off a 2-9 record, with just two winning seasons in the previous 12 before his arrival, Brown led Northeastern to a 27-20 mark during his four seasons. The Huskies posted winning records each of the last two seasons, going a combined 18-7 during that two-year span, and made the program’s first-ever NCAA playoff appearance.
During the 2003 season, Brown led Northeastern to an overall record of 8-4, and a third-place finish in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 6-3 mark in league games. The eight victories tied for the second-most in school history, while the Huskies were the only team in the country to defeat eventual national champion Delaware, posting a 24-14 victory over the Blue Hens on November 8. Brown had Northeastern ranked at or near the top of the Atlantic 10 in several statistical categories, including total offense (first / 431.8 yards per game), scoring offense (second / 34.5 points per game), scoring defense (third / 18.2 points per game), total defense (fourth /338.2 yards per game).The Huskies finished the season ranked 20th in the nation. In 2002, Brown led Northeastern to its best season in school history, as the Huskies went 10-3 overall and 7-1 in the Atlantic 10. Northeastern set a school single-season record for victories, while claiming a share of the Atlantic 10 title for the first time ever. In addition, the Huskies made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I-AAplayoffs, while playing in only the second postseason game in school history. Northeastern ended the year leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring offense (31.0 points per game), while ranking second in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) and third in total defense (299.3 yards per game).
After the Huskies finished the season ranked 11th in the country, their highest-ever season-ending ranking, Brown received several coaching honors. He was selected as the 2002 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, the 2002 New England Football Writers Coach of the Year, and the 2002 American Football Coaches Association Region I Coach of the Year.
“Through my own interaction with him and the feedback I have received throughout the last several days, it became very clear to me that Don Brown was the perfect fit for the head coaching position at UMass,” said McCutcheon. “He has won wherever he has been and was a major reason why we have a national championship trophy in the trophy case. He will run a top-notch program and he will do it with tremendous integrity. The program could not be in better hands.”
Prior to his time at Northeastern, Brown served as UMass’defensive coordinator under Whipple during the 1998 and 1999 seasons. He helped UMass to two of the best seasons in school history, as the 1998 team posted an overall record of 12-3 and won the Division I-AA national championship. The 1999 season was also a successful one, as the Minutemen went 9-4 overall, claimed a share of the Atlantic 10 title with a 7-1 mark in league games, and made a second straight trip to the Division I-AA playoffs. UMass’ 21 victories during Brown’s two years as defensive coordinator set a school record for most wins during any two year-span.
During the 1996 and 1997 seasons, Brown served as Whipple’s defensive coordinator at Brown University. In 1997, the Bears posted an overall record of 7-3, matching the school’s best record in 20 years. In addition, Brown’s 1997 defense led the nation with a school record 28 interceptions, while ranking second in the country in takeaways (36) and holding opponents to just 19.4 points per game. From 1993-1995, Brown spent three seasons as the head coach at Plymouth State (N.H.) College. He led the Panthers to a pair of Freedom Conference titles in 1994 and 1995, while posting an overall record of 25-6 (6-4 in 1993, 10-1 in 1994 and 9-1 in 1995). Brown was named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year during each of his three seasons, and led Plymouth State to a pair of Division III playoff appearances in 1994 and 1995. In addition, he was named the American Football Coaches Association District I Coach of the Year in 1994.
A native of Spencer, Mass., Brown began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Dartmouth in 1982, helping the Big Green win the Ivy League title. He moved on to Mansfield (Pa.) University as an assistant coach in 1983, before returning to Dartmouth as defensive coordinator from 1984-1986. Brown then served as defensive coordinator at Yale from 1987-1992, helping lead the Elis to the 1989 Ivy League crown. His coaching career started at Hartford High School in White River Junction, Vt., where he served as an assistant football coach and physical education instructor from 1977-1982.
The 48-year old Brown (born July 31, 1955) is a 1977 graduate of Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., where he starred as a running back for the Cadets’ football team. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Plymouth State College in 1996.
Brown and his wife, Deborah, have four children: Echo (27), Zachariah (25), Rana (21) and Chelsea (11).
BROWN’S COLLEGIATE HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE
Year School Overall League Accomplishments
1993 Plymouth State 6-4 5-1 (2nd)
1994 Plymouth State 10-1 6-0 (1st) Freedom Conference Champions / NCAADiv. III Quarterfinals
1995 Plymouth State 9-1 7-0 (1st) Freedom Conference Champions / NCAA Div. III First Round
2000 Northeastern 4-7 1-7 (10th)
2001 Northeastern 5-6 4-5 (6th)
2002 Northeastern 10-3 7-1 (1st) Atlantic 10 Champions / NCAA Division I-AA First Round
2003 Northeastern 8-4 6-3 (3rd)
Seven Years 52-26 36-17 .667 overall winning percentage
BROWN AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AT UMASS
Year School Overall League Accomplishments
1998 Massachusetts 12-3 6-2 (2nd) NCAA Division I-AA Champions
1999 Massachusetts 9-4 7-1 (1st) Atlantic 10 Champions / NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinals
Two Years 21-7 13-3 .750 overall winning percentage
Amherst, MA 01003
Phone: (413) 545-2439
Fax: (413) 545-1556
A T H L E T I C S W E B S I T E : W W W . U M A S S A T H L E T I C S . C O M
DON BROWN NAMED HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
For Immediate Release
February 9, 2004
AMHERST, Mass. — Don Brown, architect of the defense that led UMass to the 1998 national championship, has been named the new head football coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it was announced today by athletic director John McCutcheon. Brown, who spent the last four seasons as the head coach at Northeastern University, becomes the 27th head coach in the 121-year history of the program. He replaces Mark Whipple, who resigned in January to become the quarterbacks coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.
“I spent two of the best years of my life here as the defensive coordinator, and I am really looking forward to coming back as head coach,” said Brown. “This is an outstanding opportunity for me and my family. We could not be more thrilled to be returning to Amherst. We helped build a championship program there and we expect it to continue to be a championship program.”
In his four seasons at Northeastern, Brown led a total transformation of the Huskies’program. After taking over a team coming off a 2-9 record, with just two winning seasons in the previous 12 before his arrival, Brown led Northeastern to a 27-20 mark during his four seasons. The Huskies posted winning records each of the last two seasons, going a combined 18-7 during that two-year span, and made the program’s first-ever NCAA playoff appearance.
During the 2003 season, Brown led Northeastern to an overall record of 8-4, and a third-place finish in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 6-3 mark in league games. The eight victories tied for the second-most in school history, while the Huskies were the only team in the country to defeat eventual national champion Delaware, posting a 24-14 victory over the Blue Hens on November 8. Brown had Northeastern ranked at or near the top of the Atlantic 10 in several statistical categories, including total offense (first / 431.8 yards per game), scoring offense (second / 34.5 points per game), scoring defense (third / 18.2 points per game), total defense (fourth /338.2 yards per game).The Huskies finished the season ranked 20th in the nation. In 2002, Brown led Northeastern to its best season in school history, as the Huskies went 10-3 overall and 7-1 in the Atlantic 10. Northeastern set a school single-season record for victories, while claiming a share of the Atlantic 10 title for the first time ever. In addition, the Huskies made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I-AAplayoffs, while playing in only the second postseason game in school history. Northeastern ended the year leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring offense (31.0 points per game), while ranking second in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) and third in total defense (299.3 yards per game).
After the Huskies finished the season ranked 11th in the country, their highest-ever season-ending ranking, Brown received several coaching honors. He was selected as the 2002 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, the 2002 New England Football Writers Coach of the Year, and the 2002 American Football Coaches Association Region I Coach of the Year.
“Through my own interaction with him and the feedback I have received throughout the last several days, it became very clear to me that Don Brown was the perfect fit for the head coaching position at UMass,” said McCutcheon. “He has won wherever he has been and was a major reason why we have a national championship trophy in the trophy case. He will run a top-notch program and he will do it with tremendous integrity. The program could not be in better hands.”
Prior to his time at Northeastern, Brown served as UMass’defensive coordinator under Whipple during the 1998 and 1999 seasons. He helped UMass to two of the best seasons in school history, as the 1998 team posted an overall record of 12-3 and won the Division I-AA national championship. The 1999 season was also a successful one, as the Minutemen went 9-4 overall, claimed a share of the Atlantic 10 title with a 7-1 mark in league games, and made a second straight trip to the Division I-AA playoffs. UMass’ 21 victories during Brown’s two years as defensive coordinator set a school record for most wins during any two year-span.
During the 1996 and 1997 seasons, Brown served as Whipple’s defensive coordinator at Brown University. In 1997, the Bears posted an overall record of 7-3, matching the school’s best record in 20 years. In addition, Brown’s 1997 defense led the nation with a school record 28 interceptions, while ranking second in the country in takeaways (36) and holding opponents to just 19.4 points per game. From 1993-1995, Brown spent three seasons as the head coach at Plymouth State (N.H.) College. He led the Panthers to a pair of Freedom Conference titles in 1994 and 1995, while posting an overall record of 25-6 (6-4 in 1993, 10-1 in 1994 and 9-1 in 1995). Brown was named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year during each of his three seasons, and led Plymouth State to a pair of Division III playoff appearances in 1994 and 1995. In addition, he was named the American Football Coaches Association District I Coach of the Year in 1994.
A native of Spencer, Mass., Brown began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Dartmouth in 1982, helping the Big Green win the Ivy League title. He moved on to Mansfield (Pa.) University as an assistant coach in 1983, before returning to Dartmouth as defensive coordinator from 1984-1986. Brown then served as defensive coordinator at Yale from 1987-1992, helping lead the Elis to the 1989 Ivy League crown. His coaching career started at Hartford High School in White River Junction, Vt., where he served as an assistant football coach and physical education instructor from 1977-1982.
The 48-year old Brown (born July 31, 1955) is a 1977 graduate of Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., where he starred as a running back for the Cadets’ football team. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Plymouth State College in 1996.
Brown and his wife, Deborah, have four children: Echo (27), Zachariah (25), Rana (21) and Chelsea (11).
BROWN’S COLLEGIATE HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE
Year School Overall League Accomplishments
1993 Plymouth State 6-4 5-1 (2nd)
1994 Plymouth State 10-1 6-0 (1st) Freedom Conference Champions / NCAADiv. III Quarterfinals
1995 Plymouth State 9-1 7-0 (1st) Freedom Conference Champions / NCAA Div. III First Round
2000 Northeastern 4-7 1-7 (10th)
2001 Northeastern 5-6 4-5 (6th)
2002 Northeastern 10-3 7-1 (1st) Atlantic 10 Champions / NCAA Division I-AA First Round
2003 Northeastern 8-4 6-3 (3rd)
Seven Years 52-26 36-17 .667 overall winning percentage
BROWN AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AT UMASS
Year School Overall League Accomplishments
1998 Massachusetts 12-3 6-2 (2nd) NCAA Division I-AA Champions
1999 Massachusetts 9-4 7-1 (1st) Atlantic 10 Champions / NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinals
Two Years 21-7 13-3 .750 overall winning percentage
posted by Don @ 2/09/2004 06:16:00 PM
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