Dennis Brown (quarterback)
Encyclopedia
Dennis M. Brown is a former American football
player and coach. He played at the quarterback
position for the University of Michigan
from 1966 to 1968, the final two years of Bump Elliott
's tenure as the school's head football coach. In his first start at quarterback, Brown broke two Big Ten Conference
single game records with 338 yards of total offense and 61 plays. At the end of his playing career at Michigan, he held most of the school's career passing records, including passing yards (2,534), pass attempts (388), and touchdown passes (20). He later served as an assistant football coach at Michigan (1972–1979), West Virginia University
(1980–1987), and Arizona State University
(1988–1990).
, before enrolling at the University of Michigan
. As a sophomore in 1966, he was a back-up to quarterback Dick Vidmer
. His first appearance for Michigan was as a substitute for Vidmer in a 41–0 victory over Oregon State
on September 17, 1966. He completed both of his passes, including a touchdown pass to Jim Berline. Brown also saw brief action in a loss to an undefeated Michigan State team
(0–1 passing) and against Minnesota
(1–1 passing).
Vidmer began the 1967 season as the starting quarterback, and Michigan won one game and lost three under Vidmer. Brown was brought into the game in the second half against Michigan State
. Although the Wolverines lost the game 34–0, Brown's performance was good enough to win him the starting assignment the following week. Teammate George Hoey
later recalled, "From an emotional standpoint, I know that when Dennis came in, he was just a spark plug. He had a fiery spirit and that permeated through the team." Vidmer had the stronger throwing arm, but Brown was more mobile.
Brown's first start came against Indiana
. Although Michigan lost the game 27–20, Brown established himself as a star. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 211 yards and led the team in rush
ing with 127 yards and two touchdowns. He also broke two Big Ten Conference
records. He accumulated 338 yards of total offense, breaking the single game conference record set by Bob Griese
with 317 yards in 1966. He was also involved in 61 plays to surpass the conference record set by Paul Giel
with 53 plays in 1953.
Three weeks later against Wisconsin
, Brown completed 12 of 17 passes for 232 yards. He threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Jim Berline and 31 yards to Ron Johnson and scrambled 44 yards for a rushing touchdown. He totaled 274 yards of total offense before leaving the game in the fourth quarter after he had the wind knocked out of him by a Wisconsin tackler.
In the final game of the 1967 season against Ohio State
, Brown was 17 for 24 passing for 179 yards and two touchdowns. In the closing minutes of the first half, Brown led the Wolverines on an 80-yard drive, capped by a six-yard touchdown pass to Jim Berline. The second score came on a 47-yard drive in the fourth quarter, ending with a 13-yard touchdown pass to John Gabler. Brown's two touchdown passes were not enough as Michigan was limited to 128 rushing yards and lost to the Buckeyes, 24–14.
In the final six games of the season, with Brown as the starting quarterback, Michigan improved to 3–3. During the 1967 season, Brown completed 82 of 155 pass attempts for 928 yards and sevem touchdown passes. Despite starting only six games, Brown set a new Big Ten season record for most offensive plays with 290, breaking the prior record of 276 plays by Gary Snook in 1964.
that finished 8–2 in Bump Elliott's last year as head coach.
In mid-October, Brown led Michigan to a come-from-behind win over Michigan State. One sports writer opened his game coverage as follows:
After Brown led Michigan to a 33–20 win over Minnesota
with 152 passing yards and passing touchdowns to Billy Harris and Paul Staroba, the Golden Gophers' head coach Murray Warmath
said: "Brown was the big player. He was a genius on the field. I've never seen a better game from a quarterback. This is what chopped us up. His quick passes were tremendous. [Ron] Johnson's a great back and he runs real well, but Brown was the big man today."
Two weeks later, Brown had his best game of the 1968 season against Illinois
. He led Michigan to a 36-0 win, completing 13 of 27 passes for 226 yards and throwin touchdown passes of 69 yards to Billy Harris and 14 yards to Paul Staroba
. In that game, Brown added 45 rushing yards for 271 total offensive yards. In the third quarter, he threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to William Harris for Michigan's longest scoring play of the 1968 season. After the score, Brown ran for a two-point conversion.
Brown finished the season with 109 complete passes for 1,562 yards, 12 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, and ranked as the Big Ten's leader in total offense.
He was selected as the first-team All-Big Ten quarterback by the Associated Press
, and was also selected to play quarterback in the 1968 East–West Shrine Game and the 1969 Hula Bowl
.
in 1971.
From 1972 to 1979, Brown was an assistant coach at Michigan under Bo Schembechler
. Michigan compiled a record of 76-14 in the eight years that Brown served as an assistant coach.
After the 1979 season, Don Nehlen
left Schembechler's staff at Michigan to become the head football coach at West Virginia
. In January 1980, Brown joined Nehlen's staff. Brown remained at West Virginia for eight years and was the Mountaineers defensive coordinator when future Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez
played there from 1981 to 1984. Brown later recalled, "Rich was always a very nice young man. He couldn't have been more cordial. He's just really a great example of what college football should be like."
In January 1988, Brown became the defensive coordinator for the Arizona State Sun Devils
. He held that position during the 1988 and 1989 seasons. He was fired in January 1990 after the Sun Devils allowed 258 points in the 1989 season.
In 1995, Brown was hired as the head football coach at East Detroit High School in Eastpointe, Michigan
.
in Dearborn Heights, Michigan
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He played at the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
position for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1966 to 1968, the final two years of Bump Elliott
Bump Elliott
Chalmers W. "Bump" Elliott is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played halfback at Purdue University and the University of Michigan...
's tenure as the school's head football coach. In his first start at quarterback, Brown broke two Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
single game records with 338 yards of total offense and 61 plays. At the end of his playing career at Michigan, he held most of the school's career passing records, including passing yards (2,534), pass attempts (388), and touchdown passes (20). He later served as an assistant football coach at Michigan (1972–1979), West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
(1980–1987), and Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
(1988–1990).
1966 season
Brown attended Lincoln Park High School, in in Lincoln Park, MichiganLincoln Park, Michigan
Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It lies in an area of cities and communities known as Downriver. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census . The settlement was organized as a village in 1921, and reorganized as a city in 1925. The area was originally home to...
, before enrolling at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. As a sophomore in 1966, he was a back-up to quarterback Dick Vidmer
Dick Vidmer
Richard F. "Dick" Vidmer was an American football player who played quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1965 to 1967....
. His first appearance for Michigan was as a substitute for Vidmer in a 41–0 victory over Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-12 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver...
on September 17, 1966. He completed both of his passes, including a touchdown pass to Jim Berline. Brown also saw brief action in a loss to an undefeated Michigan State team
1966 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 1966 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1966 college football season.-Regular season:The 1966 Michigan State Spartans football vs. Notre Dame football game remains one of the greatest, and most controversial, games in college football history...
(0–1 passing) and against Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
(1–1 passing).
1967 season
In 1967, Brown started six games at quarterback for a Michigan team that finished the season with a 4–6 record. It was Michigan's last losing season for more than 40 years.Vidmer began the 1967 season as the starting quarterback, and Michigan won one game and lost three under Vidmer. Brown was brought into the game in the second half against Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
. Although the Wolverines lost the game 34–0, Brown's performance was good enough to win him the starting assignment the following week. Teammate George Hoey
George Hoey
George William Hoey is a former American football defensive back, punt returner and kickoff returner. He played college football for the University of Michigan Wolverines and professionally in the National Football League for the Arizona Cardinals , New England Patriots , San Diego Chargers ,...
later recalled, "From an emotional standpoint, I know that when Dennis came in, he was just a spark plug. He had a fiery spirit and that permeated through the team." Vidmer had the stronger throwing arm, but Brown was more mobile.
Brown's first start came against Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
. Although Michigan lost the game 27–20, Brown established himself as a star. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 211 yards and led the team in rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
ing with 127 yards and two touchdowns. He also broke two Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
records. He accumulated 338 yards of total offense, breaking the single game conference record set by Bob Griese
Bob Griese
Robert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...
with 317 yards in 1966. He was also involved in 61 plays to surpass the conference record set by Paul Giel
Paul Giel
Paul Robert Giel was a football and baseball player from Winona, Minnesota.Giel attended the University of Minnesota, where he was a star quarterback for the Gophers. His career totals were 2,188 yards rushing, 1,922 yards passing...
with 53 plays in 1953.
Three weeks later against Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
, Brown completed 12 of 17 passes for 232 yards. He threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Jim Berline and 31 yards to Ron Johnson and scrambled 44 yards for a rushing touchdown. He totaled 274 yards of total offense before leaving the game in the fourth quarter after he had the wind knocked out of him by a Wisconsin tackler.
In the final game of the 1967 season against Ohio State
1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team is considered one of the strongest in OSU history, fielding 11 All-Americans and six first-round NFL draft picks...
, Brown was 17 for 24 passing for 179 yards and two touchdowns. In the closing minutes of the first half, Brown led the Wolverines on an 80-yard drive, capped by a six-yard touchdown pass to Jim Berline. The second score came on a 47-yard drive in the fourth quarter, ending with a 13-yard touchdown pass to John Gabler. Brown's two touchdown passes were not enough as Michigan was limited to 128 rushing yards and lost to the Buckeyes, 24–14.
In the final six games of the season, with Brown as the starting quarterback, Michigan improved to 3–3. During the 1967 season, Brown completed 82 of 155 pass attempts for 928 yards and sevem touchdown passes. Despite starting only six games, Brown set a new Big Ten season record for most offensive plays with 290, breaking the prior record of 276 plays by Gary Snook in 1964.
1968 season
As a senior, Brown was the starting quarterback in 9 of 10 games for the 1968 team1968 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1968 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1968 college football season. Bump Elliott served as the team's head coach for his tenth and final season...
that finished 8–2 in Bump Elliott's last year as head coach.
In mid-October, Brown led Michigan to a come-from-behind win over Michigan State. One sports writer opened his game coverage as follows:
"Bundle up when you go out in the cold, Dennis Brown. Wear your galoshes and that maize and blue muffler. And please don't slip in the shower or slam a finger in a car door. Michigan needs you, Dennis Brown. You were charmed Saturday when you brought your Wolverines from behind in the fourth quarter to hand Michigan State its first loss, 28–14."
After Brown led Michigan to a 33–20 win over Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
with 152 passing yards and passing touchdowns to Billy Harris and Paul Staroba, the Golden Gophers' head coach Murray Warmath
Murray Warmath
Murray Warmath was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State University from 1952 to 1953 and at the University of Minnesota from 1954 to 1971, compiling a career college football record of 97–84–10...
said: "Brown was the big player. He was a genius on the field. I've never seen a better game from a quarterback. This is what chopped us up. His quick passes were tremendous. [Ron] Johnson's a great back and he runs real well, but Brown was the big man today."
Two weeks later, Brown had his best game of the 1968 season against Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
. He led Michigan to a 36-0 win, completing 13 of 27 passes for 226 yards and throwin touchdown passes of 69 yards to Billy Harris and 14 yards to Paul Staroba
Paul Staroba
Paul Louis Staroba is a retired American football wide receiver and punter who played in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the Cleveland Browns. He had previously played for the Michigan Wolverines football team. Paul attended St...
. In that game, Brown added 45 rushing yards for 271 total offensive yards. In the third quarter, he threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to William Harris for Michigan's longest scoring play of the 1968 season. After the score, Brown ran for a two-point conversion.
Brown finished the season with 109 complete passes for 1,562 yards, 12 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, and ranked as the Big Ten's leader in total offense.
He was selected as the first-team All-Big Ten quarterback by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, and was also selected to play quarterback in the 1968 East–West Shrine Game and the 1969 Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
.
Career statistics
In three years at Michigan, Brown completed 194 of 388 pass attempts for 2,534 yards, 20 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. Brown also rushed for 616 yards and had 6 rushing touchdowns. At the end of his playing career at Michigan, he held most of the school's career passing records, including passing yards (2,534), pass attempts (388), and touchdown passes (20).Coaching career
After graduating from Michigan, Brown spent the next two decades as an assistant football coach. He spent the 1970 season as a graduate assistant and then coached the freshman football team at Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1971.
From 1972 to 1979, Brown was an assistant coach at Michigan under Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
. Michigan compiled a record of 76-14 in the eight years that Brown served as an assistant coach.
After the 1979 season, Don Nehlen
Don Nehlen
Don Nehlen is a former American football player and coach. He was head football coach at Bowling Green State University and at West Virginia University . Nehlen retired from coaching college football in 2001 with a career record of 202–128–8 and as the 17th winningest coach in...
left Schembechler's staff at Michigan to become the head football coach at West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
. In January 1980, Brown joined Nehlen's staff. Brown remained at West Virginia for eight years and was the Mountaineers defensive coordinator when future Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
played there from 1981 to 1984. Brown later recalled, "Rich was always a very nice young man. He couldn't have been more cordial. He's just really a great example of what college football should be like."
In January 1988, Brown became the defensive coordinator for the Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
. He held that position during the 1988 and 1989 seasons. He was fired in January 1990 after the Sun Devils allowed 258 points in the 1989 season.
In 1995, Brown was hired as the head football coach at East Detroit High School in Eastpointe, Michigan
Eastpointe, Michigan
Eastpointe is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 34,077. Eastpointe forms a part of the Metro Detroit area. It borders on 8 Mile Road on the northern edge of Detroit.- History :The community was first settled by Irish and German...
.
Later years
Since the 2000-2001 school year, Brown has been an assistant principal at Annapolis High SchoolAnnapolis High School (Michigan)
Annapolis High School is a high school located in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, United States. Annapolis High School is one of three high schools located in Dearborn Heights, the others being Crestwood High School and Robichaud High School....
in Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Dearborn Heights is a city in Wayne County, in the Detroit metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 57,774 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.