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Boston College defensive coordinator Don Brown has accepted the same position with the Michigan Wolverines, per multiple reports. The news was first broken by Sports Illustrated's Thayer Evans.
Boston College DC Don Brown will be Michigan's new DC per source.
— Thayer Evans (@ThayerEvansSI) December 20, 2015
Under Brown, the Eagles had the #1 ranked overall team defense in 2015, despite going 3-9 and finishing with a winless conference record. That top-ranked defensive rating was enhanced by the fact that the offense finished with the 127th ranked total unit out of 128 teams.
Brown is one of the most accomplished coordinators in college football. A former UMass and Northeastern head coach, he's been the defensive coordinator for schools such as Maryland and UConn before coming to Chestnut Hill as part of Steve Addazio's hiring in 2013.
The 60-year old Brown helped install a "hair on fire" defense that ranked as one of the best units in college football. Under Brown, the Eagles allowed an average of 254 yards per game this past season, tops in the FBS. They allowed an average of 83 yards per game on the ground and held offenses to just over 170 yards per game passing. BC allowed 15.3 points per game on offense.
Brown will join a Michigan staff under head coach Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines ranked #4 in total defense last season, right alongside BC for much of the season until they lost to Ohio State, 42-13, in the season's final week. Michigan went 9-3 with only losses to Ohio State, Utah, and Michigan State and will play in the Citrus Bowl against #19 Florida. Michigan enters bowl season ranked 17th.
He will replace DJ Durkin, who lasted one season as the defensive coordinator in Ann Arbor. He left Michigan at the end of the season to become the head coach at Maryland.
No word yet on Brown's replacement.
This is a huge loss for the Eagles, who will now need to replace the architect of their defense over the past three seasons. Stay tuned this week for more coverage and reaction.
Congratulations to Don Brown on his new position, and join us in thanking him for the memories. We wish him the best of luck in the Big Ten with Michigan.