University of South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier has added former Southern Miss assistant Grady Brown to his coaching staff, it was announced today. Brown will serve as the Gamecocks’ secondary coach and assistant special teams coordinator in 2012.
“We’re pleased to announce the hiring of Grady Brown, a sharp, young defensive secondary coach who has had much success the last three years at Southern Miss,” said Coach Spurrier. “He will also assist Joe Robinson with the special teams. He and Joe were together at LSU and know each other well. He will fit in extremely well here and be an excellent addition to our staff.”
Brown, 34, has spent the past two seasons as the Golden Eagles’ cornerbacks coach. During the 2011 campaign, Southern Miss was No. 7 nationally in pass efficiency defense (108.47 rating) and set an NCAA record for interceptions returned for touchdowns with eight. As a unit, the Golden Eagle defense finished the season as a Top-30 defense.
In his first year at USM, Brown, who was hired just prior to the start of fall camp, quickly instilled a toughness and physicality into his corners that amounted to a pair of freshman being selected to the All Freshman squad.
“I’m excited to work with Lorenzo Ward, someone I’ve known since I was 17,” said Brown. “It should be a smooth transition and a blessed opportunity for me to work with someone I’ve known for such a long time. I also am excited to have the opportunity to work with Coach Spurrier. He is such a well-respected coach and has done some great things here at South Carolina. I’m looking forward to becoming part of the Gamecock family.”
Brown came to Southern Miss after spending the previous year and a half working in the strength and conditioning area at LSU.
*The above is from the press release sent from USC today.
