secondary making 'smooth' transition

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Auburn secondary making 'smooth' transition under coach Greg Brown

James Crepea | jcrepea@al.com

Kevin Steele wanted a veteran coach to take over Auburn's secondary when Wesley McGriff departed for Ole Miss after the Sugar Bowl and the Tigers got just that in Greg Brown.

A 36-year veteran with 19 years at the college level and 15 years in the NFL, Brown is exactly what Steele was aiming for as he helped coach Gus Malzahn review candidates for the job.

After two months, including two weeks of spring practice, Brown has made a seamless transition for the staff as well as Auburn's players.

"I think the biggest thing was the transition was so easy because terminology-wise we're on the same page," Steele said. "There was no training going on. We didn't have to go in there and spend a week with just me and him in a room, 'OK, this is how we do this; this is how we do that. This is what we call this; this is what we call that. This is the alignment of this; this is the alignment of that.' That takes some time. He has been in this system. The verbiage and the adjustments are the same. He understands that.

"He is a guy that has coached the techniques at that position at a high level for a long time. So, it transitions easy on the grass."

The Auburn defense has grown accustomed to change over the past five years, especially in the secondary, where Brown is the fifth position coach in four years.

Senior safety Tray Matthews, who is playing for his fifth position coach in as many years, said the change in coaches has been smooth and hardly noticeable by way of Brown's expertise and temperament.

"He's been in this business for a long time now, so it'll be an amazing opportunity for me as well as the other players in the room," Matthews siad. "He's laidback, very cool, but he's very detailed. He wants everything done his way, pretty much like the other coaches we've had, but he's just laidback and cool."

Brown's demeanor is in line with McGriff's, who also spent time working with Steele previously and was a stickler for details.

"They both let you do your work and study film, but the differences between them--they're both coaches that can flat get after it," safety Stephen Roberts said. "They don't mind a little contact. That's what I like about both of them."

Brown will keep things light at times too, but when it's time to work, his vast experience, which helped him produce three Jim Thorpe Award winners, is evident.

"You can just tell that all the players respect him," Malzahn said. :He fits in great. He's a great compliment to coach Steele ... he's a teacher. You can tell he's a teacher, and when he talks they listen."