For Immediate Release
February 18, 2022
ATHENS—— Fran Brown, secondary coach at Rutgers, has been named Defensive Backs Coach at the University of Georgia according to an announcement Friday by UGA head coach Kirby Smart.
A native of Camden, N.J., and graduate of Western Carolina University, he has also held coaching positions at Temple and Baylor.
Brown just completed his second season with Rutgers after being the first defensive assistant to join head coach Greg Schiano’s new staff in 2020. Rutgers gained 19 turnovers in 2020, most in a season since 2012, and 10 more than forced the previous season. That included at least one takeaway in eight games, multiple in four games and at least four two times. Helped the team establish a +5 turnover margin, its best in a Big Ten season.
Four members of the Rutgers secondary have earned All-Big Ten honors. Cornerback Tre Avery (eight passes defended) earned third-team accolades, while safety Christian Izien (four interceptions, three fumble recoveries), safety Brendon White (40 tackles) and cornerback Avery Young (led Big Ten with three forced fumbles) all garnered honorable mention status.
In 2021, CB Kessawn Abraham earned All-Big Ten first team honors and won the team’s defensive MVP in his first year as a starter. Rutgers also finished second in the Big Ten in third down defense (33.9 percent).
Prior to joining the Rutgers staff, Brown served as Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks at Temple during the 2019 season. Brown guided a defensive unit that ranked nationally in red zone defense (fourth), sacks (10th) defensive touchdowns (11th), tackles-for-loss (12th) and fumbles recovered (13th).
Brown recruited or coached five players from the 2019 Owls’ defense that advanced to the NFL, including three draft picks: Harrison Hand (Minnesota Vikings, fifth round), Shaun Bradley (Philadelphia Eagles, sixth round), Chapelle Russell (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, seventh round), Sam Franklin (Carolina Panthers) and Isaiah Wright (Washington).
Prior to his time at Temple, Brown coached at Baylor during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, serving as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs.
Brown originally joined the Temple staff as Director of Internal Operations in 2011. He served as a graduate assistant in 2012 before being named Defensive Backs Coach in 2013. In 2016 he was promoted to Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs.
In 2015, Brown mentored sophomore cornerback Sean Chandler to a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection, recording four interceptions that season, including two that were returned for touchdowns. His 2014 cornerback unit was led by Tavon Young who earned All-American Athletic Conference honors with four interceptions and a conference-best 153 return yards. The most dramatic improvement in Temple’s defense in 2014 came in the passing game where the unit shaved off over 100 yards per game from the previous year. The unit allowed just 186.9 yards per game after allowing 298.6 the previous year. The Owls allowed just nine scoring passes after 24 in 2013.
In 2014, Rivals named Brown one of the top recruiters in the American Athletic Conference. He has built a reputation developing countless players for the next level, including former pupils P.J. Walker, Nate Hairston, Haason Reddick, Jullian Taylor, Sharif Finch, Jacob Martin and Ryquell Armstead.
Brown received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Western Carolina University in 2006. He was named a team captain and earned first-team All-SoCon selection at cornerback for the Catamounts. Brown spent two seasons in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
He was a three-time All-Conference quarterback at his hometown Camden High School, setting the school record with 47 touchdown passes.
Brown and his wife, Teara, have two sons, Fran, Jr., and Brayden.
