Second Thoughts

Brown wears 200-loss tag with pride

Tennessee Tech head coach Watson Brown watches the fourth quarter wind down against Georgia in their NCAA college football game Saturday Nov. 7, 2009, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won 38-0. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Tennessee Tech head coach Watson Brown watches the fourth quarter wind down against Georgia in their NCAA college football game Saturday Nov. 7, 2009, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won 38-0. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Watson Brown's coaching career is closer to its end than its beginning, but Brown, head coach at Tennessee Tech, received some national attention he probably didn't want this week.

Brown, in his 30th year as a college head coach coach, was highlighted during a segment for ESPN's College Gameday on Saturday morning, rare national exposure for the NCAA FCS Ohio Valley Conference program located in Cookeville, Tenn.

The reason: Brown, the older brother of former Texas Coach Mack Brown, was nearing a milestone that nobody had ever achieved. On Saturday, Brown got there, when Northern Iowa beat Tennessee Tech 50-7 for his 200th loss in his career to set a college record.

"It's never easy," Brown told the Waterloo Cedar Falls (Iowa) Courier. "It's not what you set out to do."

Brown, 64, is 128-200-1 in 30 seasons at Austin Peay (1979-1980), Cincinnati (1983), Rice (1984-1985), Vanderbilt (1986-1990), Alabama-Birmingham (1995-2006) and Tennessee Tech, which he took over in 2007. He took Tennessee Tech, which is 1-3 this season, to its first FCS playoff appearance in 2011, where it lost to Central Arkansas, 34-14 in the first round.

He told ESPN that he doesn't think his career will be remembered for the losses.

"I guess the better word would not be successful as much as proud," Brown told ESPN. "I'm very proud of what I have done and would do it again."

New threads

Bill Snyder displayed a new piece of wardrobe during Kansas State's 58-28 victory over Texas-El Paso. The longtime Wildcats coach wore a white windbreaker with a purple Wildcat on the front.

The jacket differed from what he wore during Kansas State's 20-14 loss to Auburn on Sept. 18, a game that was shown on national television.

Snyder wore a purple jacket with a white Wildcats logo in the game against Auburn. But also on that jacket was a logo for the now defunct Buffalo Wild Wings bowl, a game that is now known as the Cactus Bowl.

Why the switch? Snyder said it was requested by the Big 12 office, which receives sizable payouts from its bowls and its sponsors.

"Truth be known, I got a memo from the conference office that said whatever bowl was on the back is no longer a conference bowl," Snyder told the Kansas City Star. "So I thought that if we cannot get that bowl game again, I am not going to advertise for them. That is a true story."

Tackling machine

Ohio State might want to consider finding shoulder pads and some eligibility for Anthony Shlegel. The former Ohio State linebacker and current assistant strength coach for the Buckeyes showed he's still got it during OSU's victory over Cincinnati on Saturday night.

Schlegel, who was watching from the sideline, sprung into action when a fan ran onto the field. He stopped the fan at the 50, grabbed him around the neck, and slammed him to the turf onto his back. Then Schlegel helped drag him to the sideline by his jersey.

Former Ohio State Coach Earl Bruce called Schlegel "the best tackler we've ever had," after Saturday's move. After Saturday, few can argue with him.

Sports quiz

Q. What are the most victories Watson Brown has ever had as a coach?

A. Seven. Brown coached Austin Peay to seven victories in 1979-1980, Alabama-Birmingham in 2000 and 2004 and Tennessee Tech in 2011.

Sports on 09/29/2014

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