University of Richmond Athletics
Jeff Hanson, Vincent Brown Added To Football Staff
Feb. 1, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - University of Richmond head football coach Mike London continues to assemble his staff, announcing Friday that Jeff Hanson has been hired as the assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator and Vincent Brown as an assistant coach. Hanson returns to Richmond after a one-year stint at VMI, while Brown - a former NFL linebacker - joins the Spiders from Virginia.
Hanson, who played for the Spiders and graduated in 1972, is back for his third stint on the Spiders' football coaching staff after serving from 1971-79 under Frank Jones and Jim Tait and again from 1989-2006 under Jim Reid and Dave Clawson. He will take the role of assistant head coach, serve as the program's recruiting coordinator and coach the defensive line.
"I'm very please to welcome Jeff and his family back to the University of Richmond," said London. "He possesses a tremendous amount of coaching experience and a great history here with the Spiders."
Hanson, London and new assistant coach Scott Burton, who was named last week, all played for and graduated from the University.
Boasting 36 years of collegiate coaching experience - 26 with Richmond - Hanson spent last season with Reid at VMI where he was the Keydets' defensive line coach and the program's Chief of Staff.
While with the Spiders, Hanson mentored defensive lineman Sherman Logan, Johnny Campbell and Dan Mangiero, who were key parts of the Spiders' 2005 Atlantic 10 Championship team. That trio totaled 20.5 sacks; with a league-leading 11 coming from Logan on his way to the A-10's Defensive Rookie of the Year honor. Campbell was a two-time All-Conference performer.
A native of Beloit, Wis., Hanson graduated from Beloit High School in 1967, following a successful scholastic football career. After earning All-Big Eight Conference honors, he came to the University of Richmond as a linebacker. He played on the 1968 Tangerine Bowl championship team and coached the 1971 Tangerine Bowl team.
Hanson remained with the Spiders as a graduate assistant, coaching the freshmen defensive lineman from 1971-73 while completing his degree in physical education and his master's in education. Hanson then became a full-time member of Richmond's staff, working with the tight ends and receivers during his first year and with the defense for the next four seasons.
Before returning to Richmond in 1989, Hanson had coaching stints at Marshall (1980-81), Lamar (1982-83), SW Texas State (1983-86) and West Texas State (1987-88).
Hanson and his wife DeDe have three daughters, Laurie, Kristin and Katie.
Vincent Brown will serve as the linebackers coach, after spending last season as the graduate assistant coach at the University of Virginia.
"I am very pleased to have Vincent as a member of the Richmond family," said London. "He was an accomplished linebacker in the NFL and I look forward to him continuing his teaching ability with our current corps of linebackers."
In 2006, Brown worked as an inside linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys under Bill Parcells. Brown played for Parcells during the final three years of his eight-year career with the New England Patriots before retiring in 1995. Brown spent the 2005 Cowboys training camp as part of the team's minority coaching internship program.
Brown's previous coaching experience includes a four-year stint as an assistant coach at Meadowcreek High School near Atlanta. He was also the school's assistant athletics director for one year.
A native of Atlanta, Brown played at Mississippi Valley State where he earned Kodak All-America honors as a senior in 1987. He was a Second Team AP All-American as a junior. A three-time All-Conference pick, he broke the school's record for career tackles with 570 stops while leading the team in tackles his last three seasons. He graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
After being selected in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft, Brown went on to start 103 of 123 career games for the Patriots, logging 811 tackles, 16.5 sacks and 10 interceptions.
Brown and his wife, Chandra, have four children, Dane, Vincent III, Raven and Jorian.