Ole Miss DB Trey Washington speaks on the impact of Coach Bryan Brown, Jr. on the Rebel defense
OXFORD, Miss. — Everyone knows Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is a master at bringing in the nation’s best talent through the portal, as the Rebels sit at No. 1 in the rankings for 2024. However, Coach Kiffin has also quietly assembled an elite college football staff, hiring three new position coaches, one of whom was a former Rebel, Bryan Brown Jr.
Welcome back to the 'Sip 🦈
Ole Miss officially hires Bryan Brown as Co-Defensive Coordinator & Secondary Coach
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— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) January 12, 2024
Brown, who played defensive back at Ole Miss from 2003–2006, was hired to be the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach in January. Prior to Ole Miss, Coach Brown spent several years as a defensive coordinator with Louisville and Cincinnati.
Ole Miss safety Trey Washington talked with media this week about what Coach Brown is bringing to the defense.
Despite only being a couple of weeks into practice with his new position coach, Washington says that Brown has already made a strong impression on his players.
“When they hired him, I had a conversation with him, he sounded like a good dude. He’s held on to his word. He’s emphasizing communication, which was one of our weaknesses last year, so I’ve seen growing already in the few days we’ve had practice.”
Trey Washington on Brown’s impact
A Hewitt-Trussville (AL) native, Washington finished the 2023 season leading the Rebel defense with 83 total tackles, 45 of which were solo. This was the eighth-most in the SEC. He also notched three interceptions, tied with John Saunders, Jr. and Daijahn Anthony for the most, and forced one fumble.
Washington was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against Georgia Tech, one where he tallied a career-high 10 tackles (seven solo) in addition to his second career forced fumble and his first two tackles for loss on the season.
🏈 WK9 | SEC Football Player of the Week
CO-DEFENSIVE: Trey Washington@OleMissFB x #SECFB pic.twitter.com/tPdaH0cOXD
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 30, 2023
Washington dove deeper into what fluent communication looks like for this defense.
“It’s like a system. If 11 guys aren’t on the same page, that can be a 70-yard touchdown, but if everyone is playing fast on the same page, that’s when the crowd sees the big hits and interceptions.“
Trey Washington on communication
While the secondary group is adjusting to Coach Brown, being in their second year of Pete Golding’s defense has given Washington a new level of anticipation heading into next season.
“Year two, this is a pivotal year because we get to go through a year with learning curves, and now we can apply that to next year. I’ve seen some really good stuff and some stuff to grow through, so I’m really excited for this year too.“
Trey Washington
As spring ball continues, be sure to stay here with The Rebel Walk for all of your football updates and more. Hotty Toddy!
