Arizona is hiring veteran defensive coordinator Don Brown, who most recently coached at Michigan, to oversee its defense, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Brown spent the past five seasons at Michigan before being dismissed Dec. 22. Michigan led the nation in total defense during the first three years of Brown’s tenure (269.3 YPG) and ranked in the top three in many statistical categories. But the unit slipped in 2019 and again this season, as Michigan finished 95th in points allowed (34.5 PPG) and 114th in first downs allowed (24 per game).
New Arizona coach Jedd Fisch worked alongside Brown at Michigan in 2016. Brown, 65, also has held coordinator roles at Boston College and Maryland, among other schools, and served as head coach at Massachusetts, Northeastern and Plymouth State, going 95-45 overall.
He rounds out Fisch’s first staff at Arizona, which also features veterans Chuck Cecil and DeWayne Walker on defense.
Yahoo Sports first reported Brown’s hire.