Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Football
Brown, Greg
Greg Brown
- Title:
- Safeties
Brown served as a defense analyst at Oklahoma State for the 2024 season. He is an accomplished defensive mind who has spent time in the NFL, Big 12, SEC, Big Ten and Pac-12.
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Throughout his collegiate coaching career, he has been a part of 12 bowl teams and three conference championship teams. As a defensive backs coach, Brown has developed three Jim Thorpe Award recipients. Deon Figures (Colorado, 1992), Chris Hudson (Colorado, 1994) and Gerod Holliman (Louisville, 2014) each won the award, which is presented to the nation's top defensive back, and each of them were first team All-Americans. Other highlights include Colorado’s 1992 defense leading the nation in pass completion defense and the Big Eight in pass defense, and Louisville's Holliman leading the NCAA with 14 interceptions in 2014 as the Cardinals put together an impressive string of 17 straight games with at least one interception.
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Brown spent the 2023 season as a senior defensive analyst at USC and the 2022 season at Charlotte as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach.
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Prior to that, he was a defensive assistant at Colorado in the 2021 season after spending two years (2019-20) as the cornerback coach with Purdue.
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Brown was the secondary coach at Auburn during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In his two years, the Tigers went a combined 18-9 overall, won the SEC Western Division in 2017 and played in the Peach Bowl (2017) and Music City Bowl (2018). In 2017, the Tigers ranked 12th in the country in scoring defense and 14th in the nation in total defense, while allowing just 4.67 yards per play, eighth-best nationally.
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Brown's other stops at the collegiate level include Missouri (2016), Louisville (2014-15), Alabama (2013), Colorado (1991-93, 2006-09 and 2011-12), Arizona (2010), Purdue (1989-90), Wyoming (1987-88) and UTEP (1981).
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A 15-year NFL coaching veteran, developing high-performing defensive backs became Brown's specialty, He was often sought after for new coaching staffs around the league, working with six different teams in his NFL career.
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He spent time in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints (2002-05), Atlanta Falcons (2000-01 and 1994), San Francisco 49ers (1999), Tennessee Oilers (1997-98), San Diego Chargers (1995-96) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1984-86). He also served two seasons on the Denver Gold's staff in the USFL (1983-84).
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Brown's NFL highlights include coaching some of the league's top secondary talent and helping develop stout defenses. While serving as the secondary coach for San Diego, the Chargers finished in the top five both years (1995-96) in fewest yards allowed per completion. He also coached Rodney Harrison, who eventually would become one of the league's top safeties. While with the Tennessee Oilers, he again coached three of the top defensive backs in the game in cornerback Samari Rolle and safeties Blaine Bishop and All-Pro Marcus Robertson.
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Lettering two seasons as a cornerback at UTEP, Brown graduated in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in education (history/physical education) and held his first coaching position as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1981. He earned an associate's degree from Glendale (Ariz.) Junior College in 1978.
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Throughout his collegiate coaching career, he has been a part of 12 bowl teams and three conference championship teams. As a defensive backs coach, Brown has developed three Jim Thorpe Award recipients. Deon Figures (Colorado, 1992), Chris Hudson (Colorado, 1994) and Gerod Holliman (Louisville, 2014) each won the award, which is presented to the nation's top defensive back, and each of them were first team All-Americans. Other highlights include Colorado’s 1992 defense leading the nation in pass completion defense and the Big Eight in pass defense, and Louisville's Holliman leading the NCAA with 14 interceptions in 2014 as the Cardinals put together an impressive string of 17 straight games with at least one interception.
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Brown spent the 2023 season as a senior defensive analyst at USC and the 2022 season at Charlotte as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach.
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Prior to that, he was a defensive assistant at Colorado in the 2021 season after spending two years (2019-20) as the cornerback coach with Purdue.
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Brown was the secondary coach at Auburn during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In his two years, the Tigers went a combined 18-9 overall, won the SEC Western Division in 2017 and played in the Peach Bowl (2017) and Music City Bowl (2018). In 2017, the Tigers ranked 12th in the country in scoring defense and 14th in the nation in total defense, while allowing just 4.67 yards per play, eighth-best nationally.
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Brown's other stops at the collegiate level include Missouri (2016), Louisville (2014-15), Alabama (2013), Colorado (1991-93, 2006-09 and 2011-12), Arizona (2010), Purdue (1989-90), Wyoming (1987-88) and UTEP (1981).
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A 15-year NFL coaching veteran, developing high-performing defensive backs became Brown's specialty, He was often sought after for new coaching staffs around the league, working with six different teams in his NFL career.
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He spent time in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints (2002-05), Atlanta Falcons (2000-01 and 1994), San Francisco 49ers (1999), Tennessee Oilers (1997-98), San Diego Chargers (1995-96) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1984-86). He also served two seasons on the Denver Gold's staff in the USFL (1983-84).
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Brown's NFL highlights include coaching some of the league's top secondary talent and helping develop stout defenses. While serving as the secondary coach for San Diego, the Chargers finished in the top five both years (1995-96) in fewest yards allowed per completion. He also coached Rodney Harrison, who eventually would become one of the league's top safeties. While with the Tennessee Oilers, he again coached three of the top defensive backs in the game in cornerback Samari Rolle and safeties Blaine Bishop and All-Pro Marcus Robertson.
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Lettering two seasons as a cornerback at UTEP, Brown graduated in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in education (history/physical education) and held his first coaching position as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1981. He earned an associate's degree from Glendale (Ariz.) Junior College in 1978.
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| Year-By-Year | Â | Â |
| 1981 | UTEP | Graduate Assistant |
| 1982 | Green Mountain HS | Defensive Coordinator |
| 1983-84 | Denver Gold (USFL) | Secondary |
| 1984-86 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Def. QC/Off. QC/Tight ends |
| 1987-88 | Wyoming | Defensive Backs |
| 1989-90 | Purdue | Defensive Backs |
| 1991-93 | Colorado | Secondary |
| 1994 | Atlanta Falcons | Defensive Backs |
| 1995-96 | San Diego Chargers | Secondary |
| 1997-98 | Tennessee Oilers | Secondary |
| 1999 | San Francisco 49ers | Defensive Backs |
| 2000-01 | Atlanta Falcons | Defensive Backs |
| 2002-05 | New Orleans Saints | Defensive Assistant |
| 2006-09 | Colorado | Defensive Backs/Passing Game Def. Coord. |
| 2010 | Arizona | Co-Defensive Coordinator |
| 2011-12 | Colorado | Defensive Coordinator |
| 2013 | Alabama | Secondary |
| 2014-15 | Louisville | Secondary |
| 2016 | Missouri | Cornerbacks |
| 2017-18 | Auburn | Secondary |
| 2019-20 | Purdue | Cornerbacks |
| 2021 | Colorado | Defensive Assistant |
| 2022 | Charlotte | Defensive Coordinator/Secondary |
| 2023 | USC | Senior Defensive Analyst |
| 2024 | Oklahoma State | Defense Analyst |
| 2025 | Oklahoma State | Safeties |
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