Cincinnati Bearcat football looking for new defensive coordinator as Bryan Brown exits

Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer

With the majority of recruiting complete, University of Cincinnati head football coach Scott Satterfield finds himself in need of a defensive coordinator as the man who was associate head coach last season, Bryan Brown, has departed for Lane Kiffin's staff at Ole Miss.

Brown will be the co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach at his alma mater where he was a Rebel defensive back from 2003-2006. He also spent time on the Ole Miss coaching staff after his playing career until joining Scott Satterfield at Appalachian State, then following him to Louisville and here.

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According to 247Sports.com, Ole Miss has the No. 15 incoming recruiting class and the No. 1 class of transfer portal players. UC's transfer portal class is currently ranked No. 25.

In his last season at Louisville before coming to Cincinnati, Brown's defense led the nation in sacks with 50. The 3-9 Bearcats, despite having Deontay Corleone, Jowon Briggs, Malik Vann and Eric Phillips plus talented linebackers, were held to 18 sacks this past season.

It's the second straight year UC has lost a coordinator prior to spring practice. Last season, Tom Manning was hired from Iowa State to be the offensive coordinator before leaving to be tight ends coach for the NFL Colts. He was replaced by Brad Glenn from Virginia Tech.

Who's the next coordinator?

As always there will be some in-house candidates as well as some worthwhile names to look at around college football. In no particular order, here are some compelling names:

Greg Gasparato in action while coaching Louisville. He came with Scott Satterfield to Cincinnati, then left for Troy in Feb. 2023.
Greg Gasparato in action while coaching Louisville. He came with Scott Satterfield to Cincinnati, then left for Troy in Feb. 2023.

Greg Gasparato

Gasparato briefly came with Satterfield from Louisville to be UC's outside linebacker coach. In late February, he left to become defensive coordinator at Troy. The Trojans were third in the NCAA in sacks this season with 47, 12th in rushing defense and 14th in total defense. Gasparato became Troy's interim head coach when Jon Sumrall was hired by Tulane. He coached Troy in the Birmingham Bowl where they lost to Duke 17-10.

Then-Wisconsin head coach Jim Leonhard, center, is shown during the first quarter of their game Saturday, November 26, 2022 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis
Then-Wisconsin head coach Jim Leonhard, center, is shown during the first quarter of their game Saturday, November 26, 2022 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis

Jim Leonhard

Leonhard was defensive backs and defensive coordinator at Wisconsin from 2017-2022. When Paul Chryst was dismissed at Wisconsin, Leonhard was the Badgers interim coach. He left after the head coaching job was given to former UC coach Luke Fickell. Leonhard is currently a defensive analyst at Illinois. The former safety played 10 years in the NFL.

Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens works with players during Notre Dame football fall camp Thursday, July 27, 2023, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens works with players during Notre Dame football fall camp Thursday, July 27, 2023, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.

Mike Mickens

Mickens was a Bearcat cornerback from 2005-2008 and has served as a Cincinnati assistant as well as at Indiana State, Idaho and Bowling Green. He's been at Notre Dame since 2020 and is the cornerbacks coach for the Irish as well as the defensive pass game coordinator under former UC defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman. Notre Dame was 10th in the nation in interceptions this season and No. 5 in total defense. Mickens has coached in nine bowl games.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, left, talks with Cincinnati Bearcats special teams coordinator and secondary coach Kerry Coombs, center, and head coach Scott Satterfield, right, in the first half of a second-round Division I OHSAA high school football game between the Moeller Crusaders and the St. Xavier Bombers, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at St. Xavier High School’s RDI Field in Cincinnati.

Kerry Coombs

Coombs is in his second stint with the Bearcats. He was with Brian Kelly and Butch Jones from 2007-2011 until joining the staff of Urban Meyer at Ohio State between 2012-2017. He spent two seasons with the NFL Titans before returning to Ohio State as defensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021. The 2020 Buckeyes won the Big Ten championship and advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship game. Coombs has coached numerous NFL draft choices.

Nate Fuqua is UC's outside linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator.
Nate Fuqua is UC's outside linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator.

Nate Fuqua

Fuqua came to UC from Georgia State and was the co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach this past season for the Bearcats. He served at Georgia State from 2017-2022. His 2021 team set a school record with 38 sacks. The Panthers also defeated Tennessee in 2019 and he was a Broyles Award nominee for top assistant in 2017. The former nose tackle coached at Wofford before that and is in the Terrier Hall of Fame.

As a player, Walter Stewart (54) was a top defensive lineman. He now coaches the Bearcats defensive line.
As a player, Walter Stewart (54) was a top defensive lineman. He now coaches the Bearcats defensive line.

Walter Stewart

Possibly a player's favorite, Stewart has been an outside linebackers coach under Fickell in 2022 and defensive line coach under Satterfield in 2023. Before UC, Stewart coached defensive lines at Temple, Northern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and Florida A&M. He played defensive line for the Bearcats between 2009-2012.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC football without a defensive coordinator as Brown goes to Ole Miss

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