Auburn has hired Greg Brown, who in his photo is being interviewed as a member of the Louisville coaching staff, as its new defensive backs coach

Auburn has hired Greg Brown, who in his photo is being interviewed as a member of the Louisville coaching staff, as its new defensive backs coach

AUBURN – After 36 years of coaching experience at the college and professional level, Greg Brown knew exactly what kind of room he was walking into at Auburn.

The defensive backs room at Auburn is filled with players that were extremely loyal and loved their position coach Wesley “Crime Dog” McGriff. Instead of trying to immediately turn their allegiance over to McGriff, Brown immediately decided to use that faithfulness to their old position coach to the advantage of the program and for their own success.

At least publicly, Brown has no problem with players loving their old position coach and wants the players on this current Auburn roster to use those techniques going forward in these spring practices.

“Great coach,” Brown said. “Wesley is a great coach, great developer of talent and is great at building relationships with players. It’s what makes ‘Crime Dog’ great. Why would I try to break that down when I walk into the door?’

Similarly to how Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele took the basics of what his predecessor Will Muschamp built schematically in the year before he arrived, Brown is using the spring practice sessions to learn how his players feel comfortable playing in their current scheme.

“This isn’t about me,” Brown said. “For example, if we’re doing a one-on-one drill and my player comes to me and says ‘Coach I feel more comfortable taking this first step because that’s what I was taught last year’ that’s fine with me? There’s not one way to be a good football player and good defensive back.”

After the first scrimmage, Auburn junior cornerback Carlton Davis said he thought the transition to Brown would be difficult but his new coach’s ability to be receptive to listening to the veteran leadership has changed his viewpoint immediately.

“Coach Steele runs a system you know and the system hasn’t really changed,” Davis said. “When one person leaves we just plug them right in and just keep the factory rolling so it’s not a real big deal.”

Auburn safety Tray Matthews joked that the only difference between McGriff and Brown is “their skin color”.

Auburn cornerback Javaris Davis (13) covers wide receiver Eli Stove during an Auburn spring football scrimmage on Saturday, March 25, 2017 in Auburn, Ala.

Auburn cornerback Javaris Davis (13) covers wide receiver Eli Stove during an Auburn spring football scrimmage on Saturday, March 25, 2017 in Auburn, Ala.

Three of Brown’s former players (Deon Figures at Colorado, 1992; Chris Hudson at Colorado, 1994 and Gerod Holliman at Louisville in 2014) have won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s best defensive back. Brown is the only coach to have ever coached three players that have won the Jim Thorpe Award. Brown has been the defensive backs coach at Wyoming (1987-88), Purdue (1989-90), Colorado (2006), Alabama (2014) and last season with Missouri. Throughout his career as a defensive backs coach, Brown has been known as a “players coach” because of his adaptability to each job, situation and program he’s arrived at.

“That day-to-day involvement with your players, getting them ready, strategy, you meet with your fellow coaches and figure out what you want to do,” Brown said. “I feel like I’ve actually never worked a day in my entire life. Even though you work all these tremendously long hours and pour your heart and soul into it but I get paid for it? That’s the feeling I get. Most coaches would say they feel the same way.”

Auburn defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, shown here during a Auburn spring football practice on March 1, 2016, is currently in negotiations with Ole Miss to become their next defensive coordinator.

Auburn defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, shown here during a Auburn spring football practice on March 1, 2016, is currently in negotiations with Ole Miss to become their next defensive coordinator.

Brown spent one season with Alabama after two years as Colorado’s defensive coordinator but it was reportedly Brown’s NFL experience that Alabama head coach Nick Saban found attractive as Brown had a 12-year run coaching the secondary with five different NFL franchises: Falcons (1994, 2000-01), Chargers (1995-96), Oilers (1997-98), 49ers (1999) and Saints (2002-05). It is that NFL experience, similarly to what McGriff brought after a three-year stint with the New Orleans Saints, which Auburn players have bought into with Brown.

“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,” Auburn safety Stephen Roberts said. “They don’t mind a little contact. That’s what I like about both of them.”