The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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46 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2024 BY EJ HOLLAND T exas is the mecca of high school football with the most active play- ers in the NFL and the most Pro Foot- ball Hall of Famers. Every year, college coaches from across the country flock to the Lone Star State in an attempt to pull pros- pects from one of America's true re- cruiting hotbeds. Michigan is no ex- ception. The Wolverines blitzed Texas prior to the start of spring football with al- most the entire staff, including new head coach Sherrone Moore, making the rounds in Austin, Dallas and Houston. From past defensive backs Gemon and German Green to senior running back Tavierre Dunlap, junior quarterback Alex Orji, sophomore edge Enow Etta and freshman offensive tackle Blake Frazier, Michigan has recently been able to land a Texan in almost every cycle. With Moore running the show, it ap- pears Michigan will put an even bigger emphasis on Texas. And now, the Wol- verines have something on staff they've never had before — a direct gateway. Landing the state's elites is always going to be a daunting task. Everyone wants players from Texas on their ros- ters. However, U-M is capable of taking the next step when it comes to recruit- ing Texas, thanks in large part to the promotion of special teams coordinator J.B. Brown. Texas may be the largest state in the contiguous United States, but the community feeling is very real. Ev- erybody knows somebody that knows somebody in the state of Texas. If you have a connection and you're good at what you do, you can have success. Insert Brown. The son of former Texas high school coach and current SMU director of high school relations James Brown, J.B. was born in Alvin, Texas — about 30 miles south of Houston — and saw his father have multiple successful coaching stints in the area before making two stops in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Brown grew up around Texas high school football. He was literally em- bedded in the culture since birth. "I've been in this business for a while, and his father is one of the best peo- ple I've worked with," said Mansfield Timberview High School co-defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator Robby Sevier. "It's a great family with a great foot- ball heritage. James was a Texas high school coach for a long time. When J.B. comes to events with his dad, he's a leg- end. He knows everybody, and every- body knows him. J.B. is very personable, and I think that's going to help him with recruiting. He has good familiarity with everyone in Texas. He has familiarity in Houston and Dallas. That's big. "It's hard to say a guy is a savant, but J.B. is really sharp. He loves learning and studying the game. He's always getting better. We pick his brain a lot, and he's a great resource for us. He's always will- ing to help out." Unlike his father, Brown wanted to make a name for himself in the college ranks. He began his career as a gradu- ate assistant at Kansas before returning home and spending time at both Hous- ton and Texas Southern. Brown took an opportunity to work closely with former special teams coach Jay Harbaugh at Michigan in 2021 and never looked back. He did a ton of quality work under Harbaugh over the last couple years but wasn't exactly a household name for Michigan fans, especially on the re- cruiting trail. However, with multiple openings on the staff, Moore was able to send Brown on the road before he was elevated to the full-time staff. Brown helped lead the Texas re- cruiting blitz for Michigan. He began his baptism by fire by returning to the Houston metro, where he dished out multiple offers and made stops at some of the area's most notable programs, in- cluding Pearland Shadow Creek, which won a Class 5A state title in 2019. "I've known Coach Brown for a ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Meet New Michigan Assistant J.B. Brown: A Sharp Football Mind With Deep Recruiting Ties In Texas Following three seasons as an analyst at Michigan, Brown was promoted to special teams coordi- nator in February 2024. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY