COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Watson Brown is coming home. Brown, 56, was named Saturday as the new head football coach of the Tennessee Tech University Golden Eagles. He returns to his hometown as the 10th head football coach in Tech history.
"We're excited to be coming back to Cookeville. It's a great time for us at Tennessee Tech. The time is right, and this is a great opportunity to make a quick move and really improve the Golden Eagle football program to the point where we can win conference championships and make a run at a national championship," Brown said. "We want to win immediately."
Brown leaves his position as head coach at UAB after 12 seasons. He replaces Mike Hennigan, who spent 10 years as TTU head coach but spent the 2006 season on medical leave. Doug Malone served as acting head coach for the Golden Eagles during the past season.
Mark Wilson, TTU Director of Athletics, echoed the excitement voiced by Brown about the future of TTU football.
"We are excited to attract a coach with the head coaching experience that Watson Brown has," Wilson said. "We look forward to him leading our team to Ohio Valley Conference championships, regional and national prominence."
Brown has previously coached at two schools that are members of the Ohio Valley Conference, serving as head coach at Austin Peay for two years and assistant coach at Jacksonville State, then a Division II program, for two years.
"Cookeville is home. It's where my wife and I are from, and it's neat to have that as part of this decision, too," Brown said.
"The decision to make a change is always difficult, especially when you've spent 12 years building a program from scratch," Brown said, "Mark (Wilson) had a lot to do with it. I felt comfortable with him, and I really respect his attitude and what he wants to accomplish."
Brown returns to his hometown, where he was a talented baseball, football and basketball player at Cookeville High School. He signed with Vanderbilt out of high school and was a standout quarterback for the Commodores from 1969-72. He is best remembered by many Commodore fans for leading Vandy to a 14-10 victory over Alabama in 1969. Brown was named the Sports Illustrated National Back of the Week for his efforts.
"It will be great to have Watson Brown back in the Upper Cumberland," Wilson said. "It's an exciting homecoming, both for him and the fans in the Upper Cumberland, as he leads our program.
"Watson Brown is a man of high character, a focused recruiter, and an exceptional football coach," Wilson said. "He will focus on both the academic and athletic success of our student-athletes which is the perfect fit for Tennessee Tech.
"We went through an extensive and exhaustive search process that attracted a very high level of candidate, and it was determined that Watson Brown was the best for the Upper Cumberland, Tennessee Tech University and the Golden Eagle football program." Wilson said,
"We're anticipating tremendous support for coach Brown and the Golden Eagles in the years to come," Wilson said.
The remarkable growth of the UAB program under Brown's guidance during the past several years was a major factor in UAB's entry into Conference USA play in 1999. That year for their C-USA debut, the Blazers recorded a 6-6 overall record against a brutal all I-A schedule, finishing in a four-way tie for second place with a 4-2 league record.
Under Brown, UAB was bowl-eligible three times in the past seven seasons and in 2004 attained their previously elusive first bowl invitation with a trip to Honolulu to play in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.
Brown made an impact off the field as well at UAB. Since his arrival in 1995, the program saw tremendous improvement in its facilities. The program also made tremendous progress in the classroom with improved academic programs and assistance for the players. The team's graduation rate and cumulative grade-point average improved each of the past 10 years.
The success Brown engineered on the field did not go unrecognized by UAB. In November of 2002, the institution named Brown the third athletics director in school history. Brown stayed in the capacity until last December when he made the decision that he wanted to devote more time to concentrate on the football program.
A veteran of 34 years in the coaching profession, Brown is known as one of the best offensive minds in football.
He made his head coaching debut in 1979 in the Ohio Valley Conference, directing the Austin Peay Governors, and at age 29, he was one of the youngest head coaches in the nation. He posted 7-4 records in both 1979 and 1980, twice being runner-up for Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Brown began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Vanderbilt in 1973 and was a full-time assistant coach for the first time in 1974 as Pat Dye's quarterback and receiver coach at East Carolina. The Pirates were 7-4 in 1974 and 8-3 in 1975, posting victories over several Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.
Brown was the offensive coordinator at Jacksonville State University in 1976 and 1977 (at the time JSU was a Division II program, and currently is a member of the OVC). During those two seasons, the Gamecocks finished 7-4 and 11-3, and played for the Division II national championship in 1977.
Brown was the quarterback and receiver coach at Texas Tech in 1978, where the Red Raiders posted a 7-4 record in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year.
While serving as offensive coordinator at Vanderbilt for two seasons (1981-82), Brown's offense set 57 school records and the Commodores posted an 8-3 record and made a Hall of Fame Bowl appearance (1982).
In 1983, Brown was head coach at Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats to a season-opening 14-3 victory at defending national champion Penn State.
Before coaching at Vanderbilt, Brown was athletic director and head football coach at Rice (1984-85). He led the Owls to two of their best offensive seasons.
From 1986-90, Brown was the head coach at Vanderbilt, his alma mater.In 1991 and 1992, Brown was the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State under head coach Jackie Sherrill. During those two seasons, the Bulldogs posted a 14-10 record, made two bowl appearances and upset three nationally-ranked opponents.
Prior to going to UAB, Brown was the offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma (1993-94).
Coaching is a big part of Brown's family. His brother Mack Brown is the head coach at Texas, winning a national championship last season with the Longhorns. His grandfather, Eddie "Jelly" Watson, is a legendary prep football coach, compiling a 106-51-13 record at Cookeville High School.
Brown's brother Mel resides in Cookeville along with his mother Katherine. Watson Brown is married to the former Brenda Arnold, and they have two children; daughter Ginny, who was a four-year letterwinner at Georgia State University (1996-00), and a son Steven, who is a wide receiver on the UAB football team.
Tech has had nine head football coaches since 1922, starting with Loyall Duck and including Putty Overall, Hooper Eblen, Star Wood, Wilburn Tucker, Don Wade, Gary Darnell, Jim Ragland and Mike Hennigan
Brown's many achievements as a student-athlete and later as a coach in the state of Tennessee have not gone unnoticed. Two years ago he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.