Getting to know Neal Brown
As we told you earlier, Mark Stoops is on the road today, meeting with Neal Brown, who is rumored to be the Cats’ next offensive coordinator. Neal is no stranger to the BBN. A Danville, KY native (represent!), Brown played at UK under Hal Mumme for three years before transferring to UMass. With the decisions expected in the next few days, let’s take a look at the man who may lead Kentucky’s offense next season:
NEAL BROWN
Birthdate: 1980
Hometown: Danville, Kentucky
Family: wife, Brooke; daughters Adalyn and Anslee
Played college at: Kentucky (wide receiver, 1998-2000), UMass (wide receiver, 2001-2002)
Coaching history:
2003: UMass (Tight Ends Coach)
2004: Sacred Heart (Quarterbacks Coach)
2005: Delaware (Wide Receivers Coach)
2006-2007: Troy (Wide Receivers Coach)
2008-2009: Troy (Offensive Coordinator)
2010-2012: Texas Tech (Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach)
Why he’s being interviewed:
Brown’s name has popped up in several coaching searches, even Kentucky’s. He considered an up-and-comer in the game with an exciting offensive system, which is reason alone to consider him, but here are some specific reasons Stoops is going to see him today:
Kentucky Ties
Neal is not only a great offensive coordinator, he’s also a Kentucky boy. Born in Danville, Neal attended Boyle County High School, where he is now a member of the Baseball and Football Hall of Fames. He went on to play wide receiver at Kentucky under Hal Mumme (and assistants Mike Leach and Tony Franklin) and transferred to UMass after Mumme left. A few years later, Franklin hired Brown as Troy’s Wide Receivers coach and when he left for Auburn in 2007, Brown took his old job. Because of his ties to the Bluegrass, you have to think that Brown will seriously consider Stoops’ offer. Hopefully Stoops takes him a box of Burke’s Bakery doughnuts to seal the deal.
The Tim Couch Connection
Tim Couch was instrumental in the coaching search, and in his comments to the media afterwards, he openly lobbied for Neal Brown, his former teammate, as offensive coordinator:
“I think he’s a hot candidate at a lot of places. Especially him being a Kentucky guy, Neal was an old teammate of mine, and he’s gone on to do great things. He’s one of the hottest young offensive coordinators in the country right now. I think he has the second-rated pass offense in the country at Texas Tech and he does a great job. Certainly if that’s the route Mark wants to go, I would fully support that and I know everyone at Kentucky would as well.”
Air-Raid offense
Hear that? It’s the old air raid siren! Stoops said he wants to bring the excitement back to Kentucky’s offense. Has there been a more exciting time for Kentucky fans than the days of the Air-Raid? Brown, a receiver in the Air-Raid offense under Mumme, is now a protege of the system, listing Mumme, Franklin, Leach and Chris Hatcher as coaching influences. Under his tenure as offensive coordinator this season, Texas Tech finished 12th in the nation in total offense, with 501.42 yards, and 16th in scoring, with 37.75 points. Last season, Texas Tech QB Seth Doege was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and led the nation in completions per-game at 33.17. This season, Doege has passed for 3934 yards and 38 touchdowns.
For those of you too young to remember (bless you), the Air Raid offense is an extremely pass-heavy system that relies on short passes as an extension or sometimes a replacement of the running game. The majority of the time, the quarterback audibles in and out of plays based on the defense’s alignment. Almost all of the plays are called at the line of scrimmage, giving the quarterback almost unlimited control. On Sunday, Tim Couch said that Patrick Towles would flourish in Kentucky’s next offensive system, which makes you think that he’s referring to Brown and the Air-Raid.
In his own words:
Twitter profile: @CoachNealBrown
Brown is much tamer than the Florida State guys on Twitter, but he did post a picture of the Texas Tech team giving Lane Goodwin a thumbs-up:
Thumbs up for Lane Goodwin from Texas Tech Football!lockerz.com/s/247342283
— Neal Brown (@CoachNealBrown) September 24, 2012
He also put his “guns up” at Fenway over the summer:
Come home, Neal.
53 Comments for Getting to know Neal Brown
Definitely ditch that “Guns up” thing if you come to UK. It can be confused for “L” as in “Loser”. I know someone who moved to OK and went to an Okie St. game and wondered “Why is everyone doing the ‘Loser’ sign?” 🙂
Didn’t get FSU OC? Gotta be Tubby’s fault, that damn Tubby!
Oh, and Franklin left Troy (not TX Tech) for Auburn.
Yeah, I caught that too just as it went up. Thanks.
COME HOME NEAL!!!!
Good thing this hire doesn’t matter… cause he’s raising some “L”!!!
I don’t get it. His TT teams have lost 17 games since he was there. 5,7,5. Can’t we do better?
Guess you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. This guy LOOKS like he knows more about playing video games and building computers than he does about running an offense. Hope he comes here and does well and makes UK football FUN to watch.
Now that I think about it, Neal’s actually better than FSU OC.
Sorry, my mistake. I had my diapers on too tight! I guess
I’m getting a li’l TOO TUBBY.
Neil Brown is scheduled for a live interview at 12:30 here (TT radio):
http://player.radioloyalty.com/Universal/stationPreview.php?stationID=3637
Isn’t this pretty much a lateral move by Brown?
Does this get James Quick’s attention?
Troy’s Wide Receivers sounds like a gay boy band or a fantasy football team.
That 12:30 time could be CDT since it’s Tech radio station.
Just like the Most Beautiful Small Town in America contest, I hate to have Bardstown beat Danville again over Neal Brown. “Brown grew up in Bardstown until age 14, when his father, Tom, the Bethlehem athletic director and a longtime teacher and coach in the Nelson County Schools system, took a job at Centre College. Brown went on to star at Boyle County in baseball and football before heading to UK, where he earned two letters and was a three-time member of the SEC’s All-Academic Team before transferring to Massachusetts to complete his playing career and get his Master’s degree, as well as his first coaching experience.”
His offense is not a carbon copy of Mumme’s. People can call it the Air Raid but it is a far cry from the dink and dunk of old. The spread offense has been modified over the years. The biggest problem with a Neal Brown offense is the pressure it will put on your defense. I am sure Stoops is aware of the balancing act necessary to add Brown into the mix. His brother hired Leach from UK when he went to Oklahoma. I believe they won a National Campionship with that balance the year after Mike Leach went to Texas Tech.
#11 No, its a downward move by Brown. But I guess he’s a homeboy that wants to get back to Central KY.
Every time you hear “Touchdown Red Raiders,” drink. Guaranteed to give you alcohol poisoning.
From Mark Story’s LHL column today: “Worrisome about Mark Stoops: In seven games against ranked teams during Stoops’ three seasons as Florida State defensive coordinator, the Seminoles gave up 418 yards and 34.3 points a contest. You play a lot of ranked teams in the Southeastern Conference.”
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/12/03/2430313/mark-story-if-uks-stoops-cant.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop#storylink=cpy
Neal Brown – OC/IT guy. LOL. I crack myself up.
At least the offense will have some life to it. We have a couple of QB’s with strong arms and on 3rd and 18 we throw 3 yard passes to covered receivers. Bet that changes. Now if we can just improve the defense,,,,might have something here.
Neal grew up in Bardstown but we moved to Danville just as Neal started high school. Our dad did not move us to Danville to coach at Centre, he was the principal at Boyle County where we both graduated from. Danville is definitely our home town. Really don’t understand why anyone would think its not since our parents still live there, and when we come home we go to Danville not Bardstown. Oh by the way, Neal Brown has a sister who is an alumni of the University of Kentucky and a two year letterman of the football program!
wow I had no idea Neal Brown’s sister lettered 2 years in football!
Can he recruit? He is going to have to be able to recruit to have any kind of exciting offense. The players that we have currently can’t block,catch the ball and they are slow.
In the SEC, I’d like a bit more running attack. You must run some in the SEC. So, I am not too sure.
I think this staff is an awesome get for UK, having said that, is Neal the guy that Tubberville slapped?
A buddy of mine here in Texas, who went to Tech, had this to say about him when I asked….
“He is freaking horrible. I hope you like the Wildcat offense, running the ball on 3rd and 12 when you’re losing in the 4th quarter, throwing fade routes from the 1 yard line, and running wide receiver screens for an average of -4 yards per play. Look at it this way, against Big 12 teams he can’t move the ball with his play-calling, so against the SEC what will happen? Please, please, please take him!!! He is another Lane Kiffin, has never done shit but somehow will keep getting job offers.”
Sounds to me like the bullsh*t offense we just got rid of.
If we get him, Elliot, and even Scott, we’re going to have one of the younger staffs around. Lots of potential for long-term success (or they could move on to HC positions if they do well, which is okay).
Bring back the Air Raid!
wampus, I take it you’re a Morrissey fan then? “Wide To Receive” and alla that jive?
Welcome to La Familia, buddy. We Big Blue gay men gotta stick together! Take it how
ya want it, brother!
I wonder if mary jo perino knows neal brown as well as she knew joker? Maybe when florida comes to town, she can double up.
#30 Why? Are you 10 years old or just an #sshole? Joker said your girlfriend was the best
geez i cant wait till all the 5000 new football coaches are set in stone and over with… or does football teams need a coach to explain where the end zone is? either way nothing ruins my day then to get on KSR and see football stuff about people i dont know or care about.. that is all
I’m all for Neal Brown if they hire him, but from the description of the “Air Raid”, isn’t that effectively what we were doing with Max Smith??
31 – you showed him. We don’t need people spreading the truth about a nice guy like joker. We ignore his faults because he is one of our own. Cheating on wives is ok as long as you’re a ky boy
#27 Current Tech student here. Those are my thoughts exactly. I do think it would be a step up from the previous Kentucky offense, but we Tech students/fans would love nothing more than to have Brown gone. We’re winning and putting up huge numbers because of our QB, not because of Neal Brown’s play calling.
Nothing is a lateral move if u get a pay raise… thought that was common knowledge.
If I work for Microsoft and make 70k a year but a local company wants to hire me at a 100k Is that a lateral move?
Interesting Boyle County/Highlands connection/rivalry……..
Got a candidate for an open anchor position in Gainesville. Just received Mary Jo Perino’s resume yesterday. Joker listed as reference.
7.
2011 season Brown’s offense ranked #13 in total offense at 470.58 yards-per-game and #22 in scoring at 33.83
2012 season Brown’s offense ranks #12 at 501.42 YPG and #16 in scoring at 37.75
^That^ plus a Stoops D would see a better record than 5, 7, 5 losses
TexasCatFan, thanks for the confirmation. I’ll continue not to be real excited about this guy…..
34. You’re dead on. Plus, it wasn’t just MJP. Joker had a lot of conquests. The staff at the Hilton could tell a lot of stories.
#34 Are you an @sshole too? Why is it the truth? Because a bunch of chickensh!t posters on a message board like to spread lies? More to the point, when can you small-minded people just let it go? Joker’s gone, now try to summon up what little class you have and stfu about it. (same for #38 and #41…did you see something while you were cleaning the rooms? If not, stfu)
42 – you mad bro? Why you mad? You showed great class in your comment. I only wish I could strive to be like you. You are the epitome of what we all should be. Thank you foe gracing us with that amazing comment. It’s like jesus hinself has interacted with us.
#43 Don’t strive to be like me. Instead, strive not to be the dumbass that you are.
44 – you’re wisdom is unrivaled. You tell that troll what it’s like to be an enlightened one such as yourself. I bet matt jones will use lube tonight because you have been such a good boy.
45 – don’t tell matt that. I like it unlubed just like tyler does. I’m trying to get a job here. Don’t need matt taking it easy on me. I gotta work for it. Tyler is an inspiration to all of us who want a job but aren’t qualified to get it. Thank you tyler for showing us that sleeping with the boss gets results
#46 Nice try. LOL you capped the “b” though. Guess you can’t argue with a 12 year old with schizo affective multiple internet personalities.
I love people with samip. It makes life fun. Hey, taste the rainbow
#22 – I understand your loyalty to Danville, but you have to understand our desire to claim the Brown family as Nelson Countians. I know your parents very well. Your Mom was my elementary school librarian, and your Dad was Asst. Principal my first year at NC. I (and many others) were dumbfounded when he did not get the principal job (they hired an outsider, and it did NOT work at all). Hence, Boyle County saw our mistake and the rest is history. You all are a wonderful American family and I wish you the very best.
I’d like to know Neal Brown…biblically.
UK would be a step down from TT.
After watching that video, how can you not love that guy. Neal Brown for offensive coordinator? Yes please!
The difference between Stoops, Brown, and the programs they have left or may leave are these three things: Florida, Texas, and Kenucky. One of these things does not belong.