Boston College to Name Don Brown Defensive Coordinator

New Boston College football head coach Steve Addazio is filling out his staff, and he stayed in the region for his next major pick. Reports from Bruce Feldman and Pete Roussel have confirmed that Don Brown, most recently the defensive coordinator at Connecticut, will be the Eagles’ next coach in the same capacity.

Brown has been a college football assistant since 1982, also having head coaching experience at Plymouth State, Northeastern, and UMass. He pulled a reverse Randy Edsall, going from Maryland to UConn, in both places as defensive coordinator. Brown’s defense in 2012 was impressive, posting some of the following FBS rankings:

• 7th in rushing defense
• 10th in total defense
• 13th in tackles for a loss
• 19th in sacks per game
• 23rd in scoring defense
• 33rd in pass efficiency defense

All of these things are particularly appealing, as Boston College has not had anything resembling a pass rush for years, the defense scheme made for some poor pass coverage, and the rush defense crashed from tops in the nation to near the bottom in only two years.

There’s nothing to dislike about this hire. Brown is an experienced coach whose defenses play aggressive football, which is a stark contrast to the conservative, “bend but don’t break” style to which the Eagles had been accustomed in recent years. One can expect Boston College to do a lot more blitzing in 2013 and take some chances, which will be a welcome change to being dead-last in the nation in tackles for a loss and sacks per game. It has been a little while since we’ve seen exciting defense at BC, and with any luck, Brown can change the philosophy and bring it back.

He does not seem like the kind of coach who will “let the game come to the players:” he’s going to make BC’s players go after the football and the quarterback, and that is cause for optimism.

Welcome to Boston, Coach Brown.