Former Wildcat Neal Brown joins staff as offensive coordinator

Former Texas Tech offensive coordinator Neal Brown was named the new offensive coordinator at Kentucky on Monday.

Brown joins Mark Stoops' first UK staff.

"Neal is a young, hungry, dynamic coach who has had a lot of success in the Big 12 (Conference)," Stoops said in a release. "I want a style of offense that puts defenses in difficult situations. Also important to me was Neal's familiarity with the people of Kentucky and the University. When you put together the football and the relationships, it was a no-brainer."

Brown, a Danville native who played wide receiver at UK from 1998-00, had been offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Texas Tech for the last three seasons. He previously served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Troy in 2008 and 2009 after spending two seasons as the team's wide receivers coach.

He'll be tasked with resuscitating a unit that ranked 115th in the nation in total offense this year and 118th last year. In five seasons as an offensive coordinator at Troy and Texas Tech, Brown's offenses have never ranked worse than 27th nationally.

Adding Brown to the coaching staff means the Wildcats now employ the architect of the nation's No. 2 defense and the No. 12 offense this season. Head coach Mark Stoops' defense at Florida State allowed just 253.4 yards per game this year, while Brown's offense averaged 501.4 yards per game.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to come home to the University that I grew up rooting for, and having played here, have a true personal investment in the program," Brown said in a release. "Coach Stoops sold me on the job. I'm excited about his plan. He has a great vision about where he wants to take the program and how he wants to do it."