Sept. 8, 2003
By Stephanie Peterson * Host Communications
Fate, destiny, karma. Call it what you like, but defensive backs coach Steve Brown is a firm believer that everything that happens, happens for a reason. In his case, the precise explanation of why he ended up in Lexington, Ky., this year.
Some may say it was the Cats new head coach, Rich Brooks, who brought Brown to Wildcat country, not destiny. And Brown would agree to some extent. But on the other hand, he felt that the timing was right, his purpose was here and more than anything, there was something he could lend to the program.
“I believe we are all here for a positive reason. I don’t think God would have brought me here just to have me work. I think he brought me here, just like how he brought me to St. Louis,” said Brown. “There were times I wanted to leave thinking I could find greener pastures, but I stayed and we ended up winning the world championship.
“I think us being here with the type of university, facilities, coaching staff and support staff that we have, I think we could build something very special. I ended up here because I was supposed to.”
A former collegiate and professional player, as well as NFL coach, Brown understands the game at the highest level. He has seen the physical and mental tolls the game can take on a man. He has been in the thick of it and he feels that his experiences can add a great deal of insight to UK’s future.
“Being a player and coach at the NFL level may add more credibility because you fully understand all the stress that goes with the game,” Brown said. “I’ve been through what they are going through; I’ve felt it all before. However, it doesn’t matter what level of experience you have if you can’t get your players to play the way you need them to. I think, as a staff, we can do that.”
As a former player under Brooks while an undergraduate at Oregon, Brown feels blessed that he was asked to join the Wildcats and help bring it to the elite level that he says he knows it has the potential to be.
The father-son-like relationship he shares with Brooks has only grown stronger since Brown became a coach alongside his mentor. In 1995, Brown joined Brooks on the St. Louis Rams team as the defensive assistant and was later promoted to cornerbacks coach, followed by two years as the secondary coach. Brown expects that the mutual respect and knowledge he, Brooks and the rest of the coaching staff share will work well as they try and teach the Cats a different way to play the game.
“There are a lot of things you come in thinking these guys will know, basic things,” Brown said. “But after you get going, you realize some things need to be taught again, or altogether. You can’t take anything for granted. You have to make sure every aspect is covered and for some of these guys, it is a completely new ways to do things.”
Brown and the rest of the UK staff may be doing things a bit differently this season, but they still have the same goal in mind as has been since the inception of Kentucky football in 1880 – to win.
“Just win. That would be our slogan for this year,” Brown said when asked what he thought would be apropos. “There is a lot of potential here to be a great team. Kentucky has a history of having outstanding sports programs and I believe we could add football to that list. There is a definite possibility of having a fantastic season and making it to a bowl game for this team. But we need to do it as a team.”
Brown is of the mind set that everything begins with the individual and from there, sets off a chain reaction.
“My goal is to get every player to play to the best of his ability,” Brown said. “Then, get them collectively to play together, trust each other. I want everyone on defense to play well together, then get the team to play well together. But it all starts with the individual. They have to want to perfect their craft, be the best at their position,” he added. “You can’t develop group pride until you develop individual pride.”
Having gone through three different coaching staffs in four years, it could have been a tough transition for the 2003 team to make, but they seem to have adjusted well. While there are some things both the coaches and players will have to continue to learn as the season goes along, in the big picture the foundation has been set, has settled nicely and it is time to build the program.
“Historically, as whole, the defensive backs [at Kentucky] have not been a group that has been that grizzly,” said Brown. “They’ve had some good individuals and some guys have gone on to play professional football. We’re trying to instill in them the thought of playing great as a group.”
Brown’s group of 15 to 18 players was, for the most part, rearranged with new positions assigned and new faces being asked to step up.
While the secondary does have two starters returning – senior cornerback Leonard Burress and junior strong safety Mike Williams – there will be fresh talent on the field this year with junior Earven Flowers moving to cornerback and the development of talented sophomore free safety Muhammad Abdullah.
“We’re doing something totally different than we’ve ever done before,” Brown said when asked if he feels his guys are ready. “I’ve got two guys that have never started a football game, one that is playing a totally new position and others that are starting to learn everything from scratch. They’ve all been really good about doing what we’ve asked of them and I think they’re going to keep getting better.”
Even though the majority of his players could still be considered wet behind the ears, Brown won’t count anybody out as a soon-to-be star. He doesn’t feel as if there are holes to fill this year. Instead, he says there is “just some cement that has to dry.” When asked who the starters will be, his easy smile doesn’t give anything away.
“I don’t look for four starters, I look for each kid to start,” Brown said. “If something happens, each kid can step in and get the job done. You always have to be prepared for the what-ifs.”
While the hope is that there won’t be any what-ifs or if-onlys this season, Brown and the rest of the coaching staff ensure they are doing all they can to mold the Cats into an exemplary team.
And if destiny has its way, just like Brown believes, then this season will belong to the Wildcats.
