Football Coaches

Since Phil Estes became head coach of the Bears in 1998, his Brown football teams have captured three Ivy League titles (1999, 2005, 2008), finished second four times, third five times, and overall have finished in the top half of the Ivy League in 13 of his 15 seasons, while compiling an impressive 64-41 Ivy mark (.615), 97-57 (.605) overall.

Estes' 64 career Ivy League wins are the most ever at Brown and rank sixth in the Ivy League record book, while his 92 career wins rank 11th all-time in the Ivy League.

Estes may very well be the greatest coach in Brown football history with three Ivy League Championships in his tenure as head coach of the Bears.  Prior to his arrival on College Hill, Brown had earned one Ivy League Championship in the previous 42 years of Ivy League competition.

Estes, the 19th head coach in Brown history, is the second winningist coach in Brown football history, guiding the Brown football program to an unprecedented level of success, winning three Ivy League Championship, including Brown’s first ever Ivy outright title in 2005. He has also coached and recruited Brown’s only four Ivy League Players of the Year – Sean Morey ‘99, James Perry ’00, Nick Hartigan ’06 and Buddy Farnham '10.

Since the Ivy League was formed in 1956, only two Brown teams have won nine or more games in a season, both teams coached by Estes, in 2005 (9-1) and 1999 (9-1).  Prior to Ivy League play, Brown teams won nine or more games just once before, in 1894 (10-5).

Estes has also earned 50 wins faster than any coach in Brown history, taking 78 games to get to the half-century mark.   It took coach John Anderson 79 games to reach 50 victories from 1973 through 1982.  Edward North Robinson coached 84 games for the Bears before reaching 50 wins from 1898-01 and 1904-1907.

In 2008, Estes was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS/ I-AA) National Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. He guided the Bears to a 6-1 Ivy League mark, equaling the most Ivy wins ever for a Brown team.  His Ivy League Championship squad featured a Brown record 15 All-Ivy players, including eight first team All-Ivy selections. Estes was also honored by the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame for his “Contribution to Amateur Football."

In 2005, Estes was named the New England Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the nation’s top coach, following Brown’s remarkable season where his team posted a 9-1 overall record, including a 6-1 Ivy mark, winning their last eight games to earn the Ivy title outright. Brown also earned its highest national ranking ever, being ranked 15th in the final Sports Network poll.  Overall, 15 Brown players earned All-Ivy honors that season as the Bears led the Ivy League and ranked 10th nationally in scoring offense with 36.8 points per game.

Estes has also coached the most storied running back in Brown football history, Hartigan, the leading rusher in Brown football history (4,492 yards), who was also a final-three Walter Payton Award Finalist, the 2005 Ivy Player of the Year, the ECAC Player of the Year, the New England Senior Player of the Year, an NCAA Top VIII Award Winner, the National Academic All-American of the Year, a first team All-American (Walter Camp, AP, Sports Network, AFCA), and holder of three Ivy League records, including new marks for career rushing touchdowns (52), career points (324), and career touchdowns (54).  He also played in the East-West Shrine Game.

Estes has always been known as an offensive guru, with his teams reaching the 1,000 point scoring mark faster than any coach in Ivy League football history, scoring 1,022 points in his first 32 games as head coach of the Bears, while averaging 31.9 points per game. Estes’ 2000 team set an Ivy League record with 375 points, averaging 37.5 points per game.

Quarterbacks, wide receivers and runningbacks have reaped the rewards of Estes’ successful offense, spinning off three Walter Payton Award finalists, several All-Americans, national record holders, annual NCAA receiving champions, and an NCAA rushing champion. 

Among his many All-Americans and record setters are Perry, the Ivy League’s all-time leading passer with 9,284 career passing yards, and a Walter Payton Award finalist. All-American wide receiver Stephen Campbell ‘01, a Walter Payton Award finalist, who set an NCAA record with 120 catches in 2000. All-American wide-out Chas Gessner ’03 finished 6th in the Walter Payton Award balloting in 2002, and led the nation in receiving. All-American RB Mike Malan ’02, finished his career as Brown’s all-time leading rusher twice running for 1,000 or more yards.  Quarterback Kyle Slager ’04 took over the Bears offense and tied the NCAA record with 25 consecutive completions against Rhode Island in 2002.  Hartigan provided the icing on the cake by placing among the top three of all Payton candidates, the highest finish ever for an Ivy League player.

And let’s not forget two-time All-Pro linebacker Zak DeOssie on the defensive side of the ball, a Buck Buchanan Award finalist for the Bears and a linebacker and long snapper for the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

Versatility is the key to Estes’ offense, with the term “Receiver U.” being attached to the program for his first six years. But while the Bears were known for their vaunted passing game, Estes also produced two All-American runningbacks – Hartigan and Michael Malan ’02 - who have turned in the top five single-season rushing performances in Brown football history.

Estes helped the Class of 2001 to become the most successful class in Brown football history, compiling a 30-10 mark, besting the 28 wins won by Brown teams from 1894 to 1897, and 1996 to 1999.  The Brown Class of 2002 was just behind, posting a 29-10 four-year mark.

A finalist in 1999 for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented annually to the top coach in NCAA I-AA,  Estes guided 1999 Bears to their second-ever Ivy League Championship and first title since 1976, leading the Bears to a 9-1 record and 6-1 Ivy mark, and posting the most wins for a Brown team since the 1926 Iron Men (9-0-1).  Estes' squad finished the season with a seven-game winning streak, capturing 15 of its last 16 games over two years, and finishing with a 25th place national ranking.

Brown's 1999 team also set six team and 12 individual records, including team marks for most points in a season (324), touchdown passes in a season (27), single-season passing completion percentage (66.2% - 469 of 310), single game pass completions (42 vs. Princeton), first downs in a season (252), and average gain per play (5.9).    Estes was also instrumental in developing Perry '00, the 1999 Ivy League Player of the Year, who finished his career as the finest passer in Ivy League football history, walking away with 10 Ivy League passing records and 18 Brown football records.

In his first season as head coach of the Bears, Brown finished with a 7-3 overall mark, winning its last six games, Brown's longest winning streak since 1949.  The Bears also posted a 5-2 Ivy League mark, good for second place in the Ivy League standings, and the most Ivy wins at Brown since 1987.
 
In 1998, Estes' Brown team defeated league champion Penn, 58-51, in the highest scoring game in Ivy League football history. In addition, Brown's 1998 offense established 25 team or individual records, and five Ivy League team or individual marks.  Among the Brown records set were passing yards in a season (3,316), first downs (240), pass completions (292), touchdown passes (26), and passing yards in a game (483 vs. Penn).

Estes was Brown's highly successful recruiting coordinator from 1994 to 1997, coaching the Bears' receivers in 1997 after three years as running backs coach.  He was instrumental in bringing many of the talented athletes into the program, who have been the cornerstone of the program's success.  One of Estes' protege's, Zach Burns '99, went on to become a first team Associated Press I-AA All-American, the first Brown player to ever earn AP first team honors.   Burns also earned a berth in the Blue-Gray Senior All-Star game and was an ESPN/USA Today first team All-American.

As receivers coach in 1997, Estes helped develop Morey, the Special Teams Captain of the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, into the nation's premier wide receiver.  After two solid seasons, Morey took a quantum leap into being named the Ivy League's 1997 Player of the Year.  In 1997, Morey led the nation in receiving (143.4 yards a game) and set single game Brown records for yards (221 vs. Cornell) and TD receptions (3). He also shattered the Brown and Ivy League record books with 15 touchdown receptions, and 1,434 receiving yards, 6th best in NCAA I-AA history.   In 1998, Morey became the first athlete in Brown history to have his number retired.  He competed in the Hula Bowl, and finished his career with five Ivy League and 11 Brown individual records.

In three years as running backs coach, Estes helped guide Marquis Jessie '97,then Brown's all-time career rusher, to 910 yards in 1996, the second best rushing performance in Brown history.  Jessie's 3,098 career yards was 6th best in Ivy League football history.

Estes arrived at Brown in 1994 after three highly successful years as the offensive coordinator at the University of New Hampshire.  During his tenure at New Hampshire, Estes developed the Wildcats into an offensive power.  His offense ranked in the top three in the Yankee Conference in total offense from 1991 to 1993.  As offensive coordinator in 1991, Estes was instrumental in leading the Wildcats to their first ever appearance in the NCAA I-AA Playoffs and the Yankee Conference Championship.

Estes began his collegiate coaching career as offensive line coach at the University of New Hampshire in 1984 after a successful two-year stint at Concord (NH) High School.  While at New Hampshire, Estes worked with former Brown coach Mark Whipple, who was offensive coordinator for two years, from 1986-1987.  Estes also developed several All-Americans at UNH, including first team Kodak All-American John Driscoll, who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills, and two-time All-American Barry Bourassa, who led the nation in all-purpose running in 1991.
   
Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Estes grew up in Laconia, NH.  An offensive and defensive tackle at Laconia High School, Estes was team captain and Athlete of the Year as a senior.  He is a member of the Laconia High School Hall of Fame.  A 1980 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Estes was a three-year starter and team captain for the Wildcats.  He was a first team All-New England and Yankee Conference selection as a senior and played for the Wildcats' 1976 Yankee Conference Championship team.

He and his wife, Katie, reside in East Greenwich, Rhode Island with their two daughters, Meaghan and Kelly, and their son, Brett.
 

Phil Estes' Career Coaching Record:

Year    School      Overall Record    Ivy League Record

1998    Brown        7-3                    5-2 (Second)

1999    Brown        9-1                    6-1 (First)    Ivy League Champions

2000    Brown        7-3                    4-3 (Third)

2001    Brown        6-3                    5-2 (Third)

2002    Brown        2-8                    2-5 (Sixth)

2003    Brown        5-5                    4-3 (Second)

2004    Brown        6-4                    3-4 (Fourth)

2005    Brown        9-1                    6-1 (First)    Ivy League Champions

2006    Brown        3-6                    2-5 (Sixth)

2007    Brown        5-5                    4-3 (Third)

2008    Brown        7-3                    6-1 (First)    Ivy League Champions

2009    Brown        6-4                    4-3 (Third)

2010    Brown        6-4                    5-2 (Second)

2011    Brown        7-3                    4-3 (Second)

2012    Brown        7-3                    4-3 (Third)

All-Time Brown Coaching Wins

E.N. Robinson        24 seasons (1898-01, 1904-07, 1910-25)    140-82-12

Phil Estes            15 seasons (1998-2011)            92-57

D.O. McLaughry    15 seasons (1926-40)                76-58-5

John Anderson      11 seasons (1973-83)                60-39-3

Estes In The Ivy League
3 Ivy Championships
4 Second Place Finishes
5 Third Place Finishes
1 Fourth Place Finish

Frank Sheehan, who now has three Ivy League Championship rings as a coach at Brown, begins his eighth eason as offensive coordinator of the Bears, 13th season as offensive line coach, and his 17th season on College Hill. He was previously Brown's recruiting coordinator from 2001-2005. Sheehan has coached 27 All-Ivy offensive linemen at Brown, including 10 First Team All-Ivy honorees.

In 2010, Brown's offense led the Ivy League in passing (244.3 yards per game), with three All-Ivy offensive linemen, including first team All-Ivy Patrick Conroy, who went on to be a first team Academic All-American. Sheehan's 2009 offensive unit once again led the Ivy League in total offense with 396.6 yards per game and featured three All-Ivy offensive linemen, including first team All-Ivy Paul Jasinowski, a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Finalist.

On the way to the Ivy Championship in 2008, Sheehan's offensive unit led the Ivy League in scoring with 29.3 points per game and ranked second in total offense. The Bears¹ offensive line featured three all-conference players including two first-team All-Ivy tackles in¬ Paul Jasinowski ¹10 and Shane Kelley ¹09 - and allowed a league-best seven sacks all year, ranking sixth best in the nation, while passing 384 times.
 
Sheehan's 2007 offensive unit featured the nation's fourth-leading passing offense (310 yards per game), and the Ivy League¹s top passing offense, total offense (424.2 yards per game) and scoring offense (31.2 points per game).
 
As offensive line coach, Sheehan completely rebuilt the offensive line in 2005 after graduating four starters.  The result was an Outright Ivy League Championship, three All-Ivy players, and an offense that led the Ivy League in scoring with 36.8 ppg (ranked 9th nationally), rushing offense (248.6 yards per game), total offense (409.2 yards per game) and surrendered a league-best 5 sacks (ranked 2nd nationally). The unit also blocked for national rushing leader Nick Hartigan (172.7 yards per game). Overall, Sheehan¹s offensive line blocked for Hartigan¹s five Ivy League and 22 Brown records.
 
In 2003, Sheehan completely revamped Brown¹s offensive line, molding a young senior-less group, and guiding them to block for Nick Hartigan¹s school-record and nation-leading 1,498 yards on the ground, the fourth best rushing performance in Brown football history.

Under Sheehan¹s direction, the offensive line finished first in the league in pass offense 2001, and second in rushing offense in 2001 and 2004.  His line cleared the way for Brown¹s leading rusher, Michael Malan, to run for 117.7 yards per game with a league-high 6.2 yards per carry.  As the running backs coach in 2000, Sheehan coached Malan to a then record 1,213 yards rushing, including a then school-record-tying 90 points on the season.

Before he began his responsibilities with the offensive line in 2001, Sheehan coached the running backs in 2000 and tight ends in 1999. Prior to that, he assisted the offensive line for two years.
 
In addition to his responsibilities with Brown¹s talented offensive line, Sheehan also handled the recruiting coordinator duties from 2001-2005, serving as liaison to admissions and financial aid as well as overseeing the staff’s national recruiting efforts.

Sheehan came to Brown from the University of New Haven, where he coached for two seasons as assistant offensive line and tight ends coach. At New Haven, he helped to design and implement all phases of the coaching plan for the offensive line and tight ends while also handling recruiting responsibilities.

A 1996 graduate of the University of New Haven with a Criminal Justice degree, Sheehan was a four-year offensive lineman, starting his last three years at center. He was tri-captain his senior year, earning CoSIDA All-Northeast Region, All-ECAC and All-New England honors.
 
Sheehan has a daughter, Ryanne, and resides in Providence, Rhode Island.
 
All-Ivy Players Coached by Sheehan
2000 Mike Malan (First Team RB), Mike Borgonzi (Second Team FB)

2001 Nick Bardo (Second Team OL), Daniel Startsman (Second Team OL)

2003 Will Burroughs (HM OL)

2004 Will Burroughs (First Team OL), Alex Jury (Second Team OL)

2005 Alex Jury (First Team OL), Alex Doty (Second Team OL), Noori Abdul-Ghani (Second Team OL)

2006 Michael DiBartolo (Second Team OL), James Tull (HM OL)

2007 Paul Jasinowksi (Second Team OL), James Tull (Second Team OL), AJ Tracey (HM OL)

2008 Shane Kelley (First Team OL), Paul Jasinowski (First Team OL), Matt Adkins (Second Team OL)

2009 Paul Jasinowski (First Team OL). Mark Callahan (First Team OL) , Tim Danser (Second Team OL)   

2010  Patrick Conroy (First Team OL); Brian Ellixson (Second Team OL); Jack Geiger (Honorable Mention All-Ivy)

2011  Jack Templeton (First Team); Jack Geiger (Second Team)

2012  Cole Hooper (First Team); Nathan Bernstein (First Team); Dan Austin (Honorable Mention)

Michael Kelleher, known as one of the outstanding defensive strategists in the east, is set to begin his 12th season as the defensive coordinator for the Bears.  His defensive units have helped the Bears capture two Ivy League Championships (2005, 2008). In 2003, Kelleher was honored as the New England Assistant Coach of the Year.

Kelleher’s 2008 Ivy League Championship defense featured six All-Ivy selections.  His defensive unit was the Ivy League’s stingiest against the run, allowing a league best 77.1 yards per game on the ground, fourth best in the nation. Brown’s defense also allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns (3) in the nation.

Kelleher’s defense helped Brown to the Ivy League Championship in 2005, coaching five All-Ivy players, including three-time All-American and two-time Buck Buchanan Award Finalist Zak DeOssie, who was drafted by the New York Giants on the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft, and played a key role in the success of the New York Giants’ Super Bowl Champion team. DeOssie is now a two-time All-Pro selection for the Giants.

A native New Englander, who grew up in West Springfield, Mass., Kelleher helped Brown’s 2003 team to wins in four of its last five games. His 2003 defense ranked second in the Ivy, yielding 369.2 yards per game. In 2001, Kelleher implemented a new defensive system that allowed 26.1 points per game, down from 30.1 the previous year.  

Brown also led the Ivy League in pass defense in 2001, allowing only 191.1 passing yards per game.   Last year’s team ranked third in the Ivy League in pass defense and fourth in scoring defense, allowing 22.9 points per game.

Kelleher’s defense ranked second in the Ivy League in 2004, yielding 316.4 yards per game, in helping Brown to a 6-4 overall record and fourth place finish in the Ivy standings.  His defensive unit allowed just 19.4 points per game and led the Ivy League in sacks (32).

Kelleher came to Brown after a four-year tenure at Columbia University. With the Lions, Kelleher served as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.

Kelleher, a 1981 graduate of Boston University with a Bachelor of Science degree in rehabilitation counseling, was a four-year starter for the Terriers and a member of the 1980 Yankee Conference championship team. He was twice named First Team All-Conference and was the 1980 Defensive Player of the Year.

Following his playing career, Kelleher coached at Boston University for nine years, working as secondary coach and linebacker coach, as well as serving as recruiting coordinator for three years. From there, he became the defensive coordinator at the University of Rhode Island, where his 1990 defense was ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense.

Kelleher then worked in a similar capacity at Colgate, where his defense finished second in the Patriot League in scoring defense in 1993 and 1994 before a brief stint at Maine and his tenure at Columbia.

Kelleher currently resides in Boston, MA, with his wife, Betsy.

All-Ivy Players Coached by Kelleher (Linebackers)
2001 Joel Barone (Second Team LB); Jeremiah Watts (Honorable Mention LB)
2002 Jeremiah Watts (Honorable Mention LB)
2003  Andrew Gallagher (Second Team LB)
2004  Zak DeOssie (First Team LB)
2005  Zak DeOssie (First Team LB)
2006  Zak DeOssie (First Team LB)
2008  Steve Ziogas (Second Team LB), Miles Craigwell (Second Team LB)

2009  Kelley Cox (First Team LB)

2010  Chimso Okoji (Honorable Mention LB)

2011  Brett Wyman (First Team LB), Matt O'Donnell (Honorable Mention LB)

2012  Stephen Zambetti (First Team LB); Ade Oyalowo (Honorable Mention LB)

Recognized as one of the outstanding veteran coaches in the country, Assistant Head Coach and Secondary Coach Abbott Burrell begins his 19th season with the Brown coaching staff.  Burrell, who now has three Ivy Championship rings, is also heavily involved in Brown’s community relations program.

In 2010, Burrell's defensive secondary ranked number one in the Ivy League in pass efficiency defense behind first team ALl-Ivy AJ Cruz '13 and second team All-Ivy safety Steven Peyton '12. Burrell's strong defensive secondary picked off 15 passes in 2009 and featured three All-Ivy players, Chris Perkins '10, a first team All-Ivy selection, along with David Clement '10 and Cruz, both second team All-Ivy choices.

Burrell, who has coached 13 All-Ivy players at Brown, has done outstanding work with the Brown defensive secondary with his 2005 squad making 13 interceptions.  He also coach All-American defensive back Jamie Gasparella ‘06, who made seven interceptions in 2005, and 10 career interceptions, seventh best in Brown football history.

Burrell has coached several positions while at Brown and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2002, while maintaining his duties as the defensive secondary coach.  In 2001, his secondary unit led the Ivy League in pass defense, allowing only 191.1 passing yards per game.   

Burrell also coached at Brown from 1994-1996, working with the defensive secondary for two years and the outside linebackers for a season. He was an assistant coach at Bethune Cookman College in 1997 with responsibility for the defensive backs.

Burrell earned a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Connecticut in 1990 and was a four-year letterwinner and team captain as a senior.  He first came to Brown from Wesleyan University where he coached wide receivers and assisted on special teams from 1992-1993. He also served as an assistant coach at Southern Connecticut State University, working with the defensive backs.

A native of Hamden, CT, Burrell attended Hamden High School.  He played professional football for the French Professional Football League while also working as an assistant defensive backs and receivers coach.

He currently resides in Providence, Rhode Island.

All-Ivy Players Coached by Burrell
1995  Greg Parker (First Team DB)
1998  Alex Pitt (First Team DB)
2001  Hunter Young (Second Team DB)
1999  Matt Swistak (Second Team DB)
2004  Jamie Gasparella (Second Team DB)
2005  Jamie Gasparella (First Team DB)

2008 Nkosi Still (First Team DB); Chris Perkins (Second Team S)

2009  Chris Perkins (First Team S); David Clement (Second Team CB); AJ Cruz (Second Team DB)

2010  AJ Cruz (First Team DB); Steven Peyton (Second Team S)

2011  AJ Cruz (First Team DB); Steven Peyton (First Team S)

2012  AJ Cruz (First Team All-Ivy DB, Ivy Defensive Player of the Year Finalist); Emory Polley (Second Team, DB)

Joe Leslie begins his ninth season with the Brown coaching staff, coaching the Bears’ tight ends for five years, after two years (2005, 2006) as wide receivers coach.  Leslie was also the BRown recruiting coordinator for several years.  He came to Brown after working with the offensive line at Dartmouth for 11 years.

Leslie coached and developed Colin Cloherty ‘09 to become the top tight ends in the Ivy League.  In 2009, Cloherty played for the Indiannapolis Colts, who advanced to the Super Bowl. Cloherty is now with the San Francisco 49'ers.

Leslie helped develop an exciting group of wide receivers at Brown – Paul Raymond ‘08, Colin Cloherty ‘09, Buddy Farnham ‘10 and Bobby Sewall ‘10 – an outstanding group who all earned All-Ivy honors in 2007.

A 1972 graduate of Dartmouth, the Tucson, Arizona native played for three straight Ivy League Championship teams for the Big Green from 1969-1971. In 1971, Leslie was an All-East offensive tackle and earned first team All-Ivy and All-new England honors.

Leslie began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Dartmouth in 1972, and followed that up with coaching stints at New Hampshire, Penn and Boston University.  From 1976-82 he was an assistant coach at New Hampshire.  He then became the offensive coordinator at Penn for the 1983-84 season, both Ivy titles for the Quakers.  Leslie then spent two years at BU where he was offensive coordinator and coached the offensive line.

Leslie holds two master’s degrees, one in secondary school administration from Maine (1975), and a second in counseling from New Hampshire (1988).

All-Ivy Players Coached by Leslie
2005  Jarrett Schreck (First Team WR)
2007  Colin Cloherty (Second Team TE)
2008  Colin Cloherty (First Team TE)

Neil McGrath enters his 12th season with the Bears as the Defensive Line Coach, and has developed the defensive front line to where it is considered among the best in the Ivy League.

His 2010 defensive line featured Clayton McGrath '12, who led the Ivy League in tackles for a loss and ranked third in sacks, while earning All-Ivy honors, and All-Ivy tackle Jeremy Raducha, who ranked fifth in the Ivy League in tackles for a loss.

His 2008 defensive line helped the Bears allow just 77.1 yards per game, fourth best in the nation, and first in the Ivy League. First team All-Ivy tackle David Howard and two-time second team All-Ivy defensive end James Develin helped the Bears to their second Ivy Championship in the last four years.

McGrath also helped develop Howard into a seventh round NFL draft choice of the Tennessee Titans.

His 2005 Ivy Championship defensive line was led by All-American and All-Ivy defensive tackle Pat Curran with 10 tackles for a loss and four quarterback sacks as the Bears amassed 68 tackles for a loss and 28 sacks as a team.  In 2004, he built a formidable group that helped lead the Ivy League in sacks, including the Ivy League leader in tackles for a loss, defensive end James Frazier.

McGrath came to Brown from the University of Massachusetts, where he was the defensive coordinator for the Minutemen under Head Coach Mark Whipple for two years.  His defense at UMass ranked first in total defense in the Atlantic 10 during the 1999 season.  

Prior to coaching at Massachusetts, McGrath worked at the University of Maine, where he spent five seasons (1995-1999) as defensive coordinator. He was instrumental in the drastic turnaround of Maine’s defensive fortunes, as the Black Bears improved from 11th in the league in total defense in 1995 to fourth in McGrath’s second season. In 1997, Maine led the Atlantic 10 in turnover margin (+12), including 19 interceptions. The Black Bear defense also held opponents to a league-low 29 percent on fourth-down conversions during the 1997 season. In 1998, Maine led the league in sacks.

Prior to his time at Maine, McGrath spent 11 years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Boston University. He began as a part-time assistant in 1984, coaching outside linebackers and assisting with special teams. McGrath became a full-time assistant for the Terriers in 1988 and coached the defensive line, then added the responsibility of special teams coordinator in 1990. He also spent three seasons as Boston University’s recruiting coordinator, and coached linebackers for one year (1992). The Terriers advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs three times while McGrath was at Boston University, including his last two seasons in 1993 and 1994.

McGrath is a 1981 graduate of Boston University where he received a bachelor’s degree in education.  McGrath earned four letters as a member of the Terrier football team, where he played with Bears’ defensive coordinator Mike Kelleher. He earned first team All-Yankee Conference honors at linebacker during his senior season in 1980, after leading Boston University to a record of 9-2 and the conference title. The Terriers posted an overall mark of 26-14-1 during McGrath’s four years on the team, winning a pair of Yankee Conference championships.

A resident of Longmeadow, Mass., he and his wife, Kim, have three children, Clayton, a member of the Brown Class of 2012, Sam, a member of the Brown Class of 2012, and Hannah.  Both boys played football at Brown.

All-Ivy Players Coached by McGrath
2003  Jesse Hawkins (First Team DE)
2004  James Frazier (Second Team DE)
2005  Pat Curran (First Team DT), James Frazier (Second Team DE)
2007  Kai Brown (Second Team DE), James Develin (Second Team DE)
2008  David Howard (First Team DT), James Develin (Second Team DE)

2009  David Howard (First Team DT); James Develin (First Team DE); Nate Lovett (Second Team P)

2010 Jeremy Raducha (Second Team DT); Clayton McGrath (Honorable Mention DE)

2011  Kyle Rettig (First Team DT); Clayton McGrath (Second Team DE)

2012  Ross Walthall (Second Team DL); Michael Yules (Second Team DE)

Now in his sixth season with the Brown coaching staff  as runningbacks coach, Chris Nappi also became Brown's Recruiting Coordinator in 2013.

He did an outstanding job of navigating through a series of injuries at the running back position in 2012, where the Bears dropped to the fifth man on their depth chart, Jordan Reisner, who stepped in and ran for 193 yards and two TD's against Cornell and was named the New England Player of the Week, before being injured himself.

Nappi has developed several Brown running backs into All-Ivy performers. Last year, he helped Mark Kachmer '13 grow into one of the most versatile all-purpose runners in the Ivy League, with Kachmer earning All-Ivy honors. In 2009, Nappi helped develop Zachary Tronti '11 into an All-Ivy tailback, and worked with Spiro Theodhosi '12, who twice ran for 100 or more yards late in the season after Tronti was injured.

A 2005 graduate of Union College, Nappi was a four-year standout and two-year team captain at Union, while leading the Dutchmen to two Liberty Conference Championships.  He earned All-Liberty Conference honors as a senior and was a third team All-American.

A defensive back, Nappi went on to coach at Union in 2006 and 2007, working as an assistant coach for the defensive ends and running backs.  He was also an assistant baseball coach at Union for one season.

A native of Glenville, New York, Nappi attended Niskayuna High School where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball.  He and his wife, Heather, have a daughter, Addison, and reside in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

All-Ivy Players Coached By Nappi
2008  Dereck Knight (Second Team TB)

2009  Zachary Tronti (Second Team TB)

2010  Mark Kachmer (Honorable Mention RB)

2011  Mark Kachmer (Honorable Mention)

Beginning his 14th season on the Bears’ coaching staff, Paul Frisone will once again work with the outside linebackers. Frisone, who has been on the defensive side of the ball since his arrival as a defensive assistant in 2000, now has two Ivy League Championships under his belt.

Frisone has received accolades for developing a young and inexperienced outside linebacker group who played a key role in Brown’s 2005 Ivy League Championship.

Frisone came to Brown from Union College, where he was defensive line coach for three years. During his tenure at Union, the Dutchmen compiled a 22-7 record and were the 1999 ECAC Division III Champions. The 1999 team also featured the number-one ranked pass efficiency offense in the country, and the #2-ranked overall defense in the nation.

A 1993 graduate of Western New England College, Frisone earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Government. He was a four-year letterwinner for the football team at defensive tackle, while also lettering in wrestling for two years.

A native of Schenectady, New York, Frisone and his wife, Tracy, reside in Somerset, Mass, with their three-year-old son, Samuel.

All-Ivy Players Coached by Frisone
2001  Uwa Airhiavbere (Honorable Mention OLB)
2003  Anjel Gutierrez (Honorable Mention OLB)
2007  Jon May (Honorable Mention OLB)
2008  Miles Craigwell (Honorable Mention OLB)

2011  Dan Smithwick (Second Team OLB)

Liam Coen returned to the Brown coaching staff in 2012 as its quarterbacks coach after spending a year as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Rhode Island (2011). 

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts in 2008 and a playing stint with the Alabama Vipers of the AFL in 2009, Coen launched his coaching career as quarterbacks coach at Brown in 2010, before moving across the state to the University of Rhode Island as its quarterbacks coach in 2011.

At Brown, he worked with All-Ivy quarterback Kyle Newhall-Caballero and, following a season ending injury, with quarterback Joe Springer, helping the Bears to a second place finish in the Ivy League standings with a 5-2 league mark.

Coen enjoyed a successful four-year career at UMass and was won the Harry Agganis/Harold Zimman Award as the Outstanding Senior in New England Football.  He left UMass as the all-time leading passer in school history with 11,031 yards. Coen was a Walter Payton Award Candidate in 2007 and 2008, a Second-Team All-CAA pick in 2008 after being the CAA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He was a communications major at UMass.

Coen was the 21st quarterback in FCS history to throw for 10,000 or more career passing yards, and holds nearly every career passing record in UMass history. He ranks first in passing yards (11,031) passing efficiency (152.92), completion percentage (63.9), TD passes (90), completions (830), and attempts (1,303). Among all-time FCS quarterbacks, Coen's 11,031 yards ranks 12th all-time, while his 90 touchdowns ranks 14th. UMass was 36-13 in his 49 starts dating to 2005. (36-9 vs. FCS teams).

A standout at La Salle Academy in Providence, R.I., where he played for his father, Tim, Coen was named the Gatorade Player of the Year, Super Prep Magazine All-Region, and an All-State selection as a senior. He led the Rams to four consecutive Division I Super Bowl berths, and was named one of the most prolific passers in Rhode Island high school football history by the Providence Journal.

Former Brown All-Ivy linebacker Steve Ziogas ’09 returned to his alma mater in 2012 as a defensive assistant for the Bears. He was the successful defensive line coach at Wesleyan for two years (2010, 2011).

As a player at Brown, Ziogas was a two-year starter, who helped the Bears win Ivy League Championships in 2008 and 2005, earning the distinction of being a member of the first class in Brown history to capture two Ivy titles.

He earned All-Ivy honors in 2008 after leading the Bears' defense with 65 total tackles, including three for a loss, two quarterback sacks, four pass break-ups and an interception. As a senior, he earned the 2008 Eugene Swift Award as the member of the Brown team who best displays character, devotion, fairness and personal courage.    

Ziogas, who is working towards his Masters of Liberal Arts in Social Sciences at Wesleyan, began his college coaching as a recruiter and quality control advocate at Central Connecticut St. U. in 2009, and was part of the Blue Devils NEC Championship squad. He was also served as Academic Coordinator at CCSU.

Steve was a player/coach for the Carinthian Black Lions in the Austrian Football League, seeing action at linebacker, defensive back and running back.  He served as the defensive coordinator and led the squad in tackles for the 2010 season.   

A native of Bristol, Conn, Steve was an All-Conference and All-State football standout in high school.  He played in the Connecticut-Rhode Island Governor's Cup game in 2005 and received a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete award.  He also volunteered as a coach with his former high school during his college playing career.