More often than not Lane Kiffin has had to find replacements within his coaching staff after each season. But that’s usual and common for a program that is ahead of schedule (or right on) because the team has to be doing something right to get these coaches more exposure to land their next gig.
Sometimes it’s a bigger brand with the same role or smaller time school with a bigger role. All can be beneficial for a coach's career. We’ve seen it all through Kiffin’s tenure at Ole Miss. Even current running backs coach Kevin Smith is on his second stint on Kiffin’s staff, after choosing Miami for a season (same job) just to eventually find himself back in Oxford.
One change that Kiffin made himself within his coaching staff was to the secondary unit. Last year Wes Neighbors III (safeties) and Keynodo Hudson (cornerbacks) manned down those responsibilities, which marked both of their first seasons with Ole Miss. However, only Neighbors has made it back for year two.
Kiffin opted to move on from Hudson and brought Bryan Brown aboard in January. Hudson certainly brought the fire, energy and results in his first year with the Rebels. Ole Miss had more interceptions than they did in 2022 and his two primary corners Deantre Prince and Zamari Walton each lasted the entire season as starters on the outside, but of course neither will be there in 2024.
Why the change and what does Brown bring to the table?
“He and Pete (Golding) have known each other for a long time. Obviously he played here in multiple sports, so it was really good to bring him back here. I think he does a great job with the guys, he’s got great experience coaching a lot of players and as a coordinator, which is always valuable. I think when you teach players at a certain position, (and) you’ve been a coordinator, you can teach them better because you understand everything that goes around it,” Kiffin said of Brown. “We’re very pleased with him.”
Though Brown and Golding are clearly familiar with one another, they never coached on the same staff in the same season. They did however coach Delta State around the same time. Brown was a GA in 2009 and Golding was the DC just a season later. Brown not only has a familiarity on the staff, but the environment as well. The Magnolia State native played for the Rebels from 2003-2006 as a cornerback.
Brown’s most recent jobs, following his time with Ole Miss (2010-2011) as a graduate assistance, have been defensive coordinator roles at Appalachian State (2018), Louisville 2019-2022) and Cincinnati (2023) with some secondary side gigs. He’s expected to have a role with both the safeties and corners.
What does senior safety Trey Washington think of one of his newest coaches?
“I think (he’s) really good. When they hired him, I had a conversation with him and he sounded like a good dude and he’s been good. He’s held on to his word and it’s been really good. He’s again emphasizing communication,” Washington said of Brown earlier this week. “That was one of our weaknesses last year, so I’ve been growing in strengths already in the few days that we have (had) practice.”
“It’s like a system. If 11 guys aren’t on the same page, that can be a 70-yard touchdown, but if everyone is playing fast on the same page, that’s when the crowd sees the big hits and interceptions.“
Inside the Rebels will continue to provide wall-to-wall football coverage all throughout the offseason, the spring and all the way up to the 2024 season. Inside the Rebels will be on site at spring practices to provide updates, notes, observations, quotes and more.The Ole Miss Rebels will open up a heavily-anticipated 2024 season inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium against the Furman Paladins on Saturday Aug. 31. Not an Inside the Rebels board member yet? Click HERE to join!