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Criticized most of career, status of Texas coach now legendary to some
By Bill Rabinowitz
Columbus Dispatch
Published on Sunday, Dec 28, 2008
For years, he was derided as Coach February. Great recruiter. Couldn't win the big one.
But sustained excellence, capped by a national championship three years ago, has elevated coach Mack Brown's status among the Texas Longhorns' faithful.
''Oh, man, he's a legend,'' Texas All-American defensive end Brian Orakpo said. ''Coach Brown is a true legend.''
Brown has long been one of college football's most well-liked coaches. He's gracious, thoughtful and congenial. But for most of his career, he was criticized for failing to win championships. In fact, the 2005 season in which Texas won the national championship is the only time a Brown team has won its conference title.
But that epic national-title game, when Vince Young led the Longhorns over favored Southern California, transformed Brown's image. It's hard to say you can't win the big one when you've won the biggest one.
Once that stigma dissolved, Brown's body of work was judged more fairly, and it is an impressive record.
''He handled all the adversity and all the setbacks in his career and all the doubts from people in the media to a T,'' Orakpo said.
Brown turned around programs at Appalachian State, Tulane and North Carolina before arriving in Austin, where Texas football had sagged in the generation following Darrell Royal's departure.
After three nine-victory seasons to start his Texas career, the Longhorns have won at least 10 games the past eight seasons. This year, they came within a last-second touchdown against Texas Tech of having a perfect season and narrowly missed out on a BCS championship game bid. Texas beat Oklahoma, which was Brown's nemesis in his early Longhorns years, but watched helplessly as the Sooners overtook Texas in the BCS standings with some impressive late-season victories.
Brown lobbied for his team to play for the Big 12 championship, but once that was settled he moved on and now embraces the Fiesta Bowl matchup against Ohio State.
Perspective, after all, seems to be one of his strengths. After Texas' victory over USC three years ago, he spoke to his team in the locker room. His message in the glow of his and his players' greatest victory: Don't let this be the highlight of your life.
''He's not a guy who just wants to use you for your football skills,'' Orakpo said. ''He wants you to be successful on the field, but to be a better man off the field, as well.
''It's been a complete honor to play for coach Brown. He's a great person, a great motivator for each and every one of us.''
True to his nature, Brown brushed off Orakpo's glowing words.
''Brian is a senior and he's won a lot of awards, so he's probably real happy right now,'' Brown said.
He said that whatever success he has, Texas will have only one truly legendary football coach — Royal.
Brown simply is content to restore the program to the glory he believes is befitting of Royal's legacy. It's a testament to his status and his security that he was able a few months ago to push school officials to name defensive coordinator Will Muschamp as his successor. Brown, 57, has eight years left on his contract and has no plans to step down.
It's the kind of move that only a coach at the top of his profession can make.
''I feel really comfortable because most coaches do not get to coach at a place like Texas, and when you do, you should win here,'' Brown said. ''You should be good.''
As his friend Jim Tressel can attest, with such advantages come high expectations.
''It's a place that takes a lot of energy and takes a lot of decisions,'' Brown said. ''You want to be fair to the school. I really feel we continue to get better as a program. We continue to grow. We would like to win another national championship, like everyone else. But we feel like we have done what Texas asked us to do when we came here and have done it in the manner that they want us to, and that's really important.''
For years, he was derided as Coach February. Great recruiter. Couldn't win the big one.
Get the full article here.
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