Corwin Brown Position: Assoc. HC/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Alma Mater: Michigan '94

The Irish ranked 39th in total defense in `07, 26 places higher than when it finished 65th in 2006, and allowed 357.0 yards per game. The strength of the defense was its secondary, demonstrated by the second-ranked pass defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Only Ohio State allowed fewer than the 161.58 yards per game the Irish permitted. In fact, the 161.58 yards passing allowed per game ranked as the best by an Irish defense since 1996 and the fifth best average in the past 25 years.

As a coordinator, Brown helped put defensive end Trevor Laws in position to record a breakthrough season as he registered 112 tackles, the second-most ever by a Notre Dame defensive lineman. Laws led the nation in tackles by a defensive lineman and increased his draft value in the eyes of National Football League scouts. He wound up being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round with the 47th pick overall, the earliest an Irish defensive tackle had been drafted in 14 years. Safeties Tom Zbikowski and David Bruton both flourished from Brown's teaching as they each set career highs for tackles. Zbikowski left Notre Dame as just the eighth player to reach the 300-tackle plateau and is the career leader for tackles by an Irish defensive back. He was selected in the third round of the NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens, and became the third Irish defensive back drafted in the last two years. Bruton had never started prior to the start of the '07 season and started 11 games at free safety while ranking third on the team and first in the secondary with 85 tackles.

Brown worked primarily the outside linebackers in `07, and the growth made by multiple players in that position group is one reason why there's optimism about the future of the Notre Dame defense. John Ryan started eight games in `07 as a sophomore at outside linebacker and ranked ninth on the team with 39 tackles. Two freshmen also saw their playing time increase during the `07 season as Kerry Neal and Brian Smith showed flashes of bright futures. Neal started five games at outside linebacker, while Smith started the final three contests and both made an impact every in game they appeared. The duo combined to record 45 tackles for the season including 3.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, one interception, two passes broken up, one forced fumble and two recovered fumbles.

On Jan. 19, 2007, Brown was hired as defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, highlighting his meteoric rise in the coaching profession. In the 14 years that preceded Notre Dame, Brown had the privilege to either play for or coach under some of the best defensive minds in collegiate and professional football. The list of Brown's mentors includes Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Al Groh and Eric Mangini.

Brown moved to South Bend after coaching the defensive backs of the New York Jets for three years. During that span, the Jets intercepted 56 passes, tied for the fifth-most in the NFL from 2004-06. Of those 56 picks, Brown's defensive backs were responsible for 46. By contrast, in the three seasons prior to Brown's arrival, the Jets secondary had accounted for 36 interceptions. He helped turn veteran cornerbacks, such as Ty Law, into Pro Bowl cornerbacks and took one rookie in 2004 (Erik Coleman) and 2005 (Kerry Rhodes) and developed them into solid contributors who started all 16 games in their first years.

In 2006, Brown was one of a few select coaches retained by first-year head coach Mangini. Brown was part of a coaching staff with the Jets that generated six more wins than in 2005, tied for the second-best improvement in the 46-year history of the franchise. His defensive secondary accounted for 14 of the team's 16 interceptions, led by cornerback Andre Dyson and second-year safety Kerry Rhodes who each tallied four picks. Brown's defensive backs also prevented the big play as they allowed just 21 pass plays of 25 yards or longer. Only six NFL teams permitted fewer big plays.

In 2005, Brown oversaw a secondary that allowed an average of only 172.2 passing yards per game, second-best in the NFL, and recorded 18 of the team's 21 interceptions. Only one Jets team in the previous 17 seasons intercepted more passes in a single season than the 2005 squad. Law was selected for the Pro Bowl after he recorded a career-high 10 interceptions, tied for most in the league. Law's 10 pilfers were the third-most in Jets history and the best single-season total in 41 years. Brown also helped break two rookies into the starting line-up as Rhodes started all 16 games at safety and Justin Miller started the final eight contests at cornerback. Rhodes ranked third on the team with 108 tackles and was named to the All-Rookie Team by Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers of America.

Hired as the assistant special teams/assistant defensive backs coach by the Jets on Feb. 17, 2004, Brown was elevated to defensive backs coach by head coach Herm Edwards prior to the start of training camp. Brown's defensive backfield was credited with 14 of the team's 19 interceptions, a 40 percent increase from the previous season. He helped develop 2004 fifth-round selection Coleman into a solid player who started all 16 games at safety for the Jets in his rookie campaign, becoming the first Jets player to accomplish that feat since 1988. He led the secondary while ranking third on the team with 88 tackles, adding four interceptions and nine pass break-ups. Brown prepared Coleman well enough that he earned AFC Rookie Defensive Player of the Week honors after his first game and he was tabbed the AFC Rookie Defensive Player of the Month for September.

Brown received his first full-time coaching job on Jan. 12, 2001, as Groh hired him to be special teams coach at the University of Virginia. He was one of the initial hires announced to Groh's coaching staff as Brown moved into coaching following his retirement from the NFL. He coached the Cavaliers' special teams unit for three seasons, helping punter Mike Abrams earn all-ACC honors in 2001.

Brown retired in 2000 following an eight-year NFL career where he was a safety and special teams stalwart for three teams, starting 20 of the 120 games he played. He totaled 177 tackles in his NFL career and was credited with at least 10 special teams tackles in each season except his rookie year. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played four seasons for the Patriots. Brown then signed with the New York Jets and played there from 1997-98 as Parcells, Belichick, Crennel, Groh and Weis all moved to the Jets from New England. While with the Jets, he was selected as the first alternate for the 1998 Pro Bowl as a special teams player. Brown finished his career playing two seasons with the Detroit Lions.

Brown got his first taste of coaching in 1996 as he served as a volunteer coach at Boston University while playing for the Patriots. After moving to the Jets, he was able to develop player evaluation skills as he worked with the Jets' coaches and scouts at the 1997 and 1998 NFL scouting combines.

A member of four Big Ten Conference championship teams at Michigan, Brown played in three Rose Bowls during his time in Ann Arbor (1989-1992). Recruited to the Wolverines by legendary head coach Bo Schembechler, Brown was a four-year letterwinner who played on teams that finished with a 38-7-3 record and never finished a season ranked lower than seventh in the Associated Press poll. He was a tri-captain of the 1992 Wolverine team and also earned first-team all-Big Ten honors that season after ranking second on the squad with 82 tackles. Brown started every game as a junior and received second-team all-Big Ten accolades following a 71-tackle season. He majored in English and received his degree in 1994.

A native of Chicago, Ill., Brown was an all-state football player and lettered in track and field at Julian High School. Both of his parents taught in the Chicago Public School system and are now retired. His father, Albert, turned down the chance at a professional baseball career because of his fear of flying. As a matter of fact, Albert took the train to all three of Corwin's Rose Bowl Games. Born April 25, 1970, he and his wife Melissa are the parents of one son, Corwin, Jr., and two daughters, Tayla and Jaedan.