PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Dec. 7, 2019) – Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano announced that Francis Brown has been named secondary coach. Brown, a native of Camden, N.J., becomes the first defensive assistant coach to join Schiano’s staff.
“Fran is a rising star in this business with tremendous expertise on the defensive side of the ball,” said Schiano. “Fran is a tireless worker and someone who truly cares about the people he’s around which are principles this program will be built on. The combination of hard work and love are what will make us successful and I’m excited to have Fran help us get there.”
Brown arrives at Rutgers after spending the 2019 season at Temple where he served as the co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Brown guided a defensive unit that ranked nationally in red zone defense (fourth), sacks (10th) defensive touchdowns (11th), tackles for loss (12th) and fumbles recovered (13th).
Prior to his time at Temple, Brown coached at Baylor during the 2017 and 2018 season, serving as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach.
Brown began his college coaching career with his first stint at Temple beginning in 2011 as the assistant director of internal operations. He became a graduate assistant the following season and was promoted to defensive backs coach from 2013-15. In 2016, Brown was named associate head coach and defensive backs coach for the Owls, before joining the Baylor staff.
In 2015, Brown mentored sophomore cornerback Sean Chandler to a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection, recording four interceptions that season, including two that were returned for touchdowns. His 2014 cornerback unit led by Tavon Young who earned All-American Athletic Conference honors with four interceptions and a conference-best 153 return yards.
The most dramatic improvement in Temple's defense in 2014 came in the passing game where the unit shaved off over 100 yards per game from the previous year. The unit allowed just 186.9 yards per game after allowing 298.6 the previous year. The Owls allowed just nine scoring passes after 24 in 2013.
In 2014, Rivals.com named Brown one of the top recruiters in the American Athletic Conference. He has built a reputation developing countless players for the next level, including former pupils P.J. Walker, Nate Hairston, Haason Reddick, Jullian Taylor, Sharif Finch, Jacob Martin, and Ryquell Armstead.
Brown received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Western Carolina University in 2006. He was named a team captain and earned first-team All-SoCon selection at cornerback for the Catamounts. Brown spent two seasons in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Brown was a three-time All-Conference quarterback at his hometown Camden High School, setting the school record with 47 touchdown passes.
Brown and his wife Teara are the parents of two children, Fran Jr. and Brayden.
“Fran is a rising star in this business with tremendous expertise on the defensive side of the ball,” said Schiano. “Fran is a tireless worker and someone who truly cares about the people he’s around which are principles this program will be built on. The combination of hard work and love are what will make us successful and I’m excited to have Fran help us get there.”
Brown arrives at Rutgers after spending the 2019 season at Temple where he served as the co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Brown guided a defensive unit that ranked nationally in red zone defense (fourth), sacks (10th) defensive touchdowns (11th), tackles for loss (12th) and fumbles recovered (13th).
Prior to his time at Temple, Brown coached at Baylor during the 2017 and 2018 season, serving as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach.
Brown began his college coaching career with his first stint at Temple beginning in 2011 as the assistant director of internal operations. He became a graduate assistant the following season and was promoted to defensive backs coach from 2013-15. In 2016, Brown was named associate head coach and defensive backs coach for the Owls, before joining the Baylor staff.
In 2015, Brown mentored sophomore cornerback Sean Chandler to a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection, recording four interceptions that season, including two that were returned for touchdowns. His 2014 cornerback unit led by Tavon Young who earned All-American Athletic Conference honors with four interceptions and a conference-best 153 return yards.
The most dramatic improvement in Temple's defense in 2014 came in the passing game where the unit shaved off over 100 yards per game from the previous year. The unit allowed just 186.9 yards per game after allowing 298.6 the previous year. The Owls allowed just nine scoring passes after 24 in 2013.
In 2014, Rivals.com named Brown one of the top recruiters in the American Athletic Conference. He has built a reputation developing countless players for the next level, including former pupils P.J. Walker, Nate Hairston, Haason Reddick, Jullian Taylor, Sharif Finch, Jacob Martin, and Ryquell Armstead.
Brown received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Western Carolina University in 2006. He was named a team captain and earned first-team All-SoCon selection at cornerback for the Catamounts. Brown spent two seasons in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Brown was a three-time All-Conference quarterback at his hometown Camden High School, setting the school record with 47 touchdown passes.
Brown and his wife Teara are the parents of two children, Fran Jr. and Brayden.
[cheers]
