He likely didn’t notice, but Don Brown owes Clemson a debt of

gratitude. Thanks to the Tigers’ 511 total yards in the national

championship game, Alabama’s total defense average spiked from
244 yards per game allowed to 261.8 yards per game, which means
Don Brown’s defense allowed the fewest yards per game in FBS for
the second consecutive season.

After limiting opponents to a stunning 254.3 yards per game at

Boston College in 2015 despite an 0-8 finish in ACC play, Brown
left for Michigan and immediately led the nation’s stingiest
defense yet again. His Wolverines surrendered 3,403 yards in 13
games — a 261.77 average that narrowly edged out the Crimson
Tide.

The 2016 season marked Brown’s 40th in coaching, and he spent

most of those four decades in anonymity. His start came as an
assistant in the Vermont high school ranks in 1977, and he
remained in the Northeast for the duration of his career. He has
coordinated defenses at nine separate schools, with three
successful head coaching stints sprinkled in between. Brown went
25-6 in three seasons at Plymouth State, a Division III school in
New Hampshire, from 1993-95, 27-20 in four seasons at
Northeastern from 2000-03, and then 43-19 at Massachusetts in
2004-08, including a trip to the FCS championship game in 2006.

That UMass stint allowed Brown to serve as defensive coordinator

on forgettable teams at Maryland, Connecticut and Boston College
before Harbaugh hired him away after his impressive 2015 season.
(Brown loves Harbaugh, saying, “I really believe I work for the
best head coach in the country. He gives me space to do my job
and provides input when asked. He doesn’t just allow me to be
creative, he expects it.” A new contract worth a reported $1.4
million a year over five years certainly doesn’t hurt.)
All this to say: Brown is a coach’s coach who’s in it not to get
noticed, but for his love of the game. He shouts in his native
Massachusetts accent not because he’s angry, but because he’s
passionate about the material. “I may be 61,” he told a gathering of
hundreds of coaches at the AFCA Convention in Nashville earlier
this month, “but I can still come at you like a rattlesnake.”

Brown’s defenses are predicated around stopping the run. “You’ve

got to stand for something,” he said. “You’ve got to be willing and
able to say, ‘You’re not doing this.'”

That aggressive mentality extends to the passing game as well,

where defensive backs are instructed to play press coverage
without regard for risk. “We’re going to come up and deny any free
access,” Brown said. “You might be a DB, look behind you and say,
‘Holy s—, there’s 90 yards behind me.'”
All 11 players are involved in each defensive scheme, and each is
expected to contribute until the ball-carrier is brought to heel. “If
you’re not running to the ball,” he said, “you’re a traitor. Might as
well play for the other team.”

Brown sets a list of 17 goals for his defense to hit each season:

1. WIN! — Michigan won 10 of its 13 games this fall, matching the

program-high number of regular season victories since 2006. The
Wolverines did fall to Florida State in a classic Orange Bowl, however.
“Dalvin Cook ruined my New Year’s,” Brown joked.
2. Create one more turnover than TDs against. — Michigan created
19 turnovers against 22 touchdowns allowed. The Wolverines produced
one takeaway combined in losses to Iowa, Ohio State and Florida
State.
3. No more than 17 points allowed. — Michigan ranked second
nationally at 14.1 points per game allowed. They were 8-1 when
allowing 17 points or fewer and 2-2 when permitting more than 17.
(They did hold Ohio State to 17 points in regulation before falling 30-
27 in double overtime.)
4. Intercept 1 of 15 passes. — Brown said he’s considering relaxing
this standard to 17 to account for today’s offenses. Michigan
intercepted 13 of 328 passes defended, good for one pick every 25.2
attempts, falling well short of Brown’s standard while still ranking
second nationally in pass efficiency defense.
5. No runs over 20 yards. — Michigan allowed 40 such rushes last
season, tied for 40th nationally.
6. No rushing TDs in Red Zone. — Michigan allowed six red zone
rushing scores this season — three against Ohio State, and three in the
other 12 games combined. The Wolverines were 8-1 when meeting this
goal and 1-2 when not.
7. Hold opponents to 3.3 yards per carry OR 99 yards rushing. —
Michigan allowed 3.22 yards per carry on the season and 119.23 per
game.
8. No passes over 25 yards. — Michigan allowed 27 completions of 20
or more yards (CFBStats.com does not track completions of 25-plus
yards specifically), which tied for third fewest in the nation.
9. Stop 70% of 3rd/4th down plays. — Michigan’s third down defense
(21.02%) was the best in college football over at least the past nine
seasons. Opponents converted 40.74% of their 27 fourth down tries.
10. Score or set up a score. — The Michigan defense scored three
touchdowns last season.
11. Third quarter SHUTOUT. — Brown places a high emphasis on his
halftime adjustments beating his counterpart’s. Michigan accomplished
this goal six times in 13 games.
12. No Defensive penalties.
13. 4 minus yardage plays per game (3 sacks). — The maize and
blue ranked fourth with 3.54 sacks per game and placed second with
9.23 tackles for loss per game.
14. Wreck the decision maker (7 or more knockdowns).
15. Tackle with relentless passion. Get everyone to the ball. No
traitors on this Defense.
16. Hold opponent to 40% TD ratio in the Red Zone. — Michigan
allowed touchdowns on an even 50 percent of opponent red zone trips.
That number tied for 15th nationally.
17. Create 36 sacks over the course of the regular season. — A
bit redundant with Point 13, Michigan produced 44 sacks in its 12
regular season games.
Brown said most plays are won or lost before the ball is snapped,
placing a high emphasis in deducting where an offensive player
will move by his pre-snap stance and alignment. “See a little to see
a lot,” he teaches. “We’re not on our heels. We’re on our toes and
we’re attacking.”

In addition to the quote below, Brown is a subscriber to Chinese

philosopher Sun Tzu’s thinking. He used a number of Sun Tzu
quotes throughout his 50-minute presentation:

“When you feel most secure you become most vulnerable to

surprise.”

“We cannot compete as individuals against others who are

functioning as a team.”

“The first blow is as much as two.”

“When the strike of the hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is
because of timing. The timing is similar to the release of the
trigger.”

At the end of the day, Brown’s defense defaults to one strategy:

attack.