Bowling Green State University Athletics
Gregg Brandon Named Head Football Coach
December 19, 2002 | Football
Dec. 19, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University Director of Athletics Paul Krebs has tabbed Falcon assistant head coach Gregg Brandon to become the 16th head coach in the history of the BGSU football program. Brandon replaces Urban Meyer, who left BGSU to become the head coach at the University of Utah. Brandon will be introduced to the media today at 1 p.m. in room 207 of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union. Additionally, he will speak to the public during halftime of Thursday night's (Dec. 19) BGSU/Oakland men's basketball game at Anderson Arena
Brandon has more than 22 years of coaching experience at the Division I level, including the last two years at BGSU where he has served as assistant head coach and directed the Falcons' record-setting offensive attack. For his efforts at BGSU, The Sporting News selected him as the top coordinator in the Mid-American Conference.
Under his guidance, the Falcons finished third in the nation in scoring (40.8), eighth in total offense (448.9) and 15th in rushing (219.1). In addition, the Falcons set 17 school records and seven MAC records and saw quarterback Josh Harris set a league mark with 41 TDs responsible for. Under his direction, Brandon saw wide receiver Robert Redd earn first-team All-MAC honors for two straight seasons. In addition, BGSU had the top red zone efficiency in the nation (96.8) converting on 61 of 63 opportunities inside the opponents 20-yard line.
In his first season at BGSU, the Falcon offense showed tremendous improvement, accumulating 124.46 more yards per game and 14.48 more points per game than the 2000 squad. Among MAC schools, the Falcons improved from 13th to fourth in total offense and from 11th to third in scoring offense under his leadership.
 Gregg Brandon gets a hug after being named the head football coach.  |
|
BGSU set five school records on offense including total offensive plays in a game (100 vs. Kent State), individual receiving yards in a game (215, Redd vs. Marshall), individual total offense in a game (498, Harris vs. Northwestern), rushing yards by a quarterback in a game (148, Harris vs. Ohio), and individual receptions in a season (72, Redd).
He joined the Falcons after spending two seasons at Colorado under Gary Barnett, where he coached the receivers and kickoff return units both years and was the team's passing-game coordinator in 2000 and recruiting coordinator in 1999.
Brandon, 46, played football for Barnett at Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, and stayed in close touch with him throughout the years. When Barnett was hired as head coach at Northwestern in 1992, Brandon joined the Wildcat staff as receivers coach. He was also Northwestern's recruiting coordinator for his last two seasons there (1997-98). In his seven seasons at Northwestern, Brandon assembled an extremely talented group of receivers, including D'Wayne Bates, the second all-time leading receiver in Big Ten history. Bates was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award and an All-America candidate.
Brandon played collegiately as both a defensive back and wide receiver at Mesa State (1974) and Northern Colorado (1975-77). He graduated from UNC in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in education, and began his coaching career that fall as head football coach at Ellicott (Colo.) High School. He spent three seasons there (1978-80) before joining the college ranks at Weber State (under current Alabama coach Mike Price), where he would coach the next six seasons (1981-86). He coached the tight ends and special teams in his first four seasons, the linebackers in his fifth year and the receivers and tight ends during his final year in Ogden. He was then named receivers coach at Wyoming, where he would work the next four years (1987-90). During his tenure with head coach Paul Roach, the Cowboys posted a 35-15 record, including a 16-0 run in Western Athletic Conference play in 1987 and 1988, and played in three bowls ('87 and '88 Holiday and '90 Copper). In 1991, he returned to Utah where he coached the linebackers for one season (1991) at Utah State. Brandon, born Feb. 29, 1956, in Tucson, Ariz., is married to the former Robyn Mitchell. They are the parents of two sons, Nicholas (18), a freshman at Purdue, and Timothy (10).
QUOTES RE: GREGG BRANDON
Mike Price, University of Alabama Football Coach
"I would drive out there today at my own expense to give Gregg a recommendation -- that's how strongly I feel about him being a great choice as the next head coach -- he's that good. I brought him out here early this year to talk to my offensive coaches. He helped us (Washington State) get to the Rose Bowl."
"That amount of time (22 years) gives you the full picture -- a great coach, a real innovator on offense, a tenacious recruiter, and one of the hardest-working guys I've ever been around. Gregg has the football smarts, and he has all of the intangibles you need to be a solid head coach. The best guy they would ever have at Bowling Green is right under their nose."
Gary Barnett, University of Colorado Football Coach
"Gregg Brandon is a guy who has really has paid his dues. He's been in tremendous programs around the country, and has learned from tremendous coaches, like Paul Roach, for example. He's always been a great position coach, and he easily made the transition to coordinator. I'm extremely pleased that he's getting the chance, and I'm confident that he will do a great job."
Paul Roach, former University of Wyoming Football Coach
"He has an outstanding dedication to the career. He has a really good football mind. He's got a very creative offensive mind. He is a good motivator and will do a good job of keeping the players focused and performing."
Urban Meyer, University of Utah Football Coach
"It's a well-deserved promotion. Gregg is one of the finest football coaches in the country. I knew that when I hired him as our offensive coordinator. The program is headed in the right direction and his hiring will result in a smooth transition for the players at BGSU. I was hoping that would be the direction they would go."
THE BRANDON FILE
1978-80 Ellicott H.S. (Colo.) Head Coach 1981-86 Weber State Tight Ends/Special Teams 1987-90 Wyoming Receivers 1991 Utah State Linebackers 1992-96 Northwestern Receivers 1997-98 Northwestern Receivers/Recruiting Coord. 1999 Colorado Receivers/Kickoff Return 2000 Colorado Passing Game/Recruiting Coord. 2001-02 Bowling Green Assistant Head Coach
BOWL EXPERIENCE
1999 Insight.com Bowl (Colorado) 1997 Citrus Bowl (Northwestern) 1996 Rose Bowl (Northwestern) 1990 Copper Bowl (Wyoming) 1988 Holiday Bowl (Wyoming) 1987 Holiday Bowl (Wyoming)
