Michigan agrees to a new 5-year deal with defensive coordinator Don Brown

Michigan and Don Brown have agreed to a new contract that will pay the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator close to $1.4 million per year for a five-year deal, a source has told FOX Sports.

In his first year with Michigan, Brown produced the nation’s No. 2 defense. Under Brown, the Wolverines led the nation in third-down defense, allowing conversions at 21 percent, and they allowed just 4.21 yards per play, trailing only Alabama’s 3.94 ypp this season. In 2015, Michigan allowed 4.46 yards per play. The Wolverines also ranked No. 2 in points allowed per game at 14.1, an improvement from 16.4 last season. In addition, Brown’s defense was second in the nation in tackles for loss per game (9.2).

Before coming to Ann Arbor, the 61-year-old Brown led the Boston College defense to an exceptional year, with the unit leading the nation in eight defensive categories: total defense, rushing defense, scoring defense, red-zone defense, first-down defense, third-down defense, fourth-down defense and tackles for loss. Boston College also ranked second in pass defense and pass efficiency defense.

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BC’s front seven improved greatly during the three years Brown was at the helm of the defense. The Eagles recorded six sacks (last in the nation) the year before he arrived, accumulating just 45 tackles for loss. In just one year, Brown helped those numbers jump to 36 sacks and 88 tackles for loss. And one year later, the group recorded 33 sacks and 89 tackles for loss. In 2015, his final year at BC, the team registered 34 sacks, piling up 115 tackles for loss to take 470 yards from their opponents.

Prior to his work at BC, Brown produced top defenses at UConn and Maryland.