[NU Sports] Jerry Brown as DC

[Peter C. Warner]

Coach Roy wrote:

>According to the media guide, he [Brown] was out of coaching from 93-96
when he >was
>brought back to try to replace Van, but had to work with Okruh - I'm not
sure
>who did what, but I seem to remember Brown upstairs and Vince down.

Not so:
"Brown's coaching career includes stops at the high school, collegiate and
professional levels. Before his return to Evanston in 1993, . . . 
" In 1995, Brown's secondary was one of the main reasons that NU led the
country in scoring defense (12.7) and was third in turnover margin (+1.82).
Three of his defensive backs from that year, Rodney Ray, Hudhaifa Ismaeli
and Chris Martin, earned All-Big Ten honors."
See: http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/brown_jerry00.html


>In any case, by the time JB came back, the team had lost most of the Rose
Bowl
>players, and the defense was in disarray. Walker's defensive crew from
Miami
>[specifically Hoeppner] stayed behind and Brown was in a difficult position
>having to work with a new group of assistants as the newly minted DC.

Brown was there the whole time.  His supposedly great recruiting abilities
combined with d-back positions coach job and/or experience in that job
presumably should have kept good d-backs like Ray, Ismaeli & Martin coming
to NU.  They didn't come.

As you state, Brown stayed behind when Barnett left.  Brown, as defensive
coordinator, should have been the one able to keep the defense together and
performing well.  He couldn't.

>If you think about it, JB was promoted to Assistant HC because he is very
good
>at working with players, and recruiting inner city kids. 

OK, Brown's good at working with players.  That means he's a good
personnel/human resources guy.  But can he manage and direct the team as
head coach (CEO)?  He couldn't do it for 1/2 the team (defense).  What makes
you think that will change if he's the head coach?

>He's [Brown's] a good guy, who I personally think will be able to carry the
torch for >NU through 2006, and then we'll see what happens. 

I was at NU throughout John Pont's tenure at NU.  Many of my closest friends
were on the football team - those recruited by Alex and those recruited by
Pont.  Everybody thought John Pont was a "good guy."  Look what that got us.

>Anyway, I don't want to beat this horse over and over - NU has been playing
>defense for the past 5 years with 5 or 6 top players and kids who are
having to
>play above their heads most of the time and have been doing so since 1997. 
>To try to blame one assistant for 10 years of defensive problems isn't
fair, and
>its wrong.

To absolve Brown isn't fair either.  Brown has been at the center of NU's
defense downfall and been largely responsible for it staying there.  If
there was one person who could have and should have rectified the defensive
problems, it was Brown.

Roy, your king-to-be has no clothes.  Unfortunately, you may be right about
one thing: next week it may be announced that he will don that attire for
the year.

Peter Warner 


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate
Computer Applications & Support Associates
and Publisher of Purple Reign, 
The Scout.com Northwestern University Site
(http://www.purplewildcats.com)
AIM Handle: CoachRoy74
======== Go Cats -  Beat 'em All ===========
"You have a Republic Madam --
     If you can keep it" - Benjamin Franklin
============================================


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