After spending more than three decades coaching in college football, the former defensive coordinator of the Michigan Wolverines, Don Brown, is back into coaching an entirely different sport. This time, he has a very special reason for continuing.

The 69-year-old former college football coach joins his son, Zach Brown, who is a baseball coach for Franklin High School.

Don Brown also joins Jacoby Brown, his grandson, who plays on the Franklin baseball team.

“As a grandfather, it doesn’t get much better than that,” Don said.

Jacoby, a high school sophomore, always wanted to play for his grandfather but feared it would not be possible once Don retired. The youngster now gets to live out his dream of being coached by his grandfather, who has traveled all over, coaching at various levels. 

Before Don Brown became a football coach, he coached for the Ivy League school, Yale University, as an interim baseball head coach. Under his leadership, Yale achieved an Ivy League title.

Don’s son Zach was never around the programs led by his father. The father and ‌son always spoke about coaching together in theory, and that came to fruition in mid-March as the spring season approached. 

"I felt like if we were ever going to give it a shot, this would be the time," Zach said. "Nobody’s guaranteed tomorrow."

For the Brown family, three generations are involved in that baseball dugout. Don and Zach live out their dream of coaching together, as Don Brown is now an assistant baseball coach at Franklin High School. 

Don spends most of his time on the lawn chair just outside the baseball dugout. Some of his duties include charting plays, retrieving discarded bats, and collecting baseballs that reach the backstop during warm-ups. 

“I do whatever they ask me,” Don said. “I feel great about it. I’m having some fun.” 

However, even at that age, the veteran coach is setting standards, and this is what the Franklin captain had to say about Don Brown. 

Don Brown Setting Standards at Franklin Baseball

While it is a family affair at Franklin High School. Don, Zach, and Jacoby are all part of the same baseball team. Don texts and calls regularly about Franklin’s program.

"It sets a standard, higher standard, than we already have,” Franklin captain Sean Kryzak said. “You see our energy, it’s already super high. Then you have Don Brown coming here, it’s awesome."

The former Wolverines DC is fully suited up by 11 am for Franklin’s 7 pm game. Don leads bunting drills and makes sure he arrives early so when the seniors get out of their senior project early, he can take them to batting practice. 

"It’s not like he’s not a baseball coach. He’s a throwback that could really coach anything," Zach Brown said. "It's fun to see him fully engaged."

Don Brown has done it all, be it football, basketball, and baseball, and now he is living the dream with his son and grandson. 

Read more at the Michigan Football Community

Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote