The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/653976
BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan head coach Jim Harbaugh knew what he was looking for when de- fensive coordinator D.J. Durkin left to take the head coach job at Maryland, leaving Harbaugh to find his replacement — he wanted some- one with plenty of experience, a person who had earned the respect of some of the game's best. He also sought a coach who would bring pressure a good amount of the time, rely on his athletes to make plays, even if it meant taking risks, and a guy with unquestioned integrity. Most of all, he wanted someone at the top of his profession. He found all of that in former Bos- ton College defensive coordinator Don Brown, a veteran and 60-year-old en- dorsed by some of football's greatest minds, including New England Pa- triots head coach Bill Belichick. Only one day into spring practice and after spending time with him on the recruit- ing trail and in the office, Harbaugh knew he had the right guy. "Love him, love him, love him," Harbaugh said Feb. 29 after U-M's first spring practice from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. "We had a meeting last night and there was a nice partition between the offensive and defensive [meeting rooms], and the paint peeled off the walls. "He is an intense man — a ball of fire. We're going to have the meeting room repainted because he was peeling the paint off. It's very exciting watching him coach. We learned a lot of football after just one day … I did, personally. I know our players did even more. I'm beyond excited. [I'm] thrilled." Brown hit the ground running and learned quite a bit about his defense before setting foot on the field on day one. He first started studying it several HUNT OR BE HUNTED New Defensive Coordinator Don Brown Plans To Apply, Not Receive, Pressure