Jahmal Brown joined the Lenoir-Rhyne coaching staff in December 2019 after previously serving as the Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach at Notre Dame (Ohio). Brown will serve in the same role for the Bears.
Brown helped the Falcons to two of the most successful seasons in the nation. In 2018, NDC made a run to the NCAA Semifinals and claimed a Region 1 Championship and appeared in the NCAA Quarterfinals the following season.
In 2019, Brown's defense held opponents to just 2.6 yards per carry and had 23 takeaways. Under Brown's guidance, defensive linemen Sha'haun Williams was a back-to-back All-American and finished 2019 with 18 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Junior LB Guam Lee was an All-Region performer, finishing with 110 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Teamed with LB Nathan Moore, the duo became the first set of teammates in program history to each top 100 tackles in the same season. In a first round playoff win against West Chester, Brown's unit stuffed the Golden Rams at the one-yard line on two consecutive plays to come away with the victory. Brown coached Bryce Sheppert to MEC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and seven defensive players were selected to the All-Conference squad.
The 2018 season was the most successful in Notre Dame history, and Brown's defense was a big part of the team's run to the NCAA DII Semifinals. In his first season as NDC's Defensive Coordinator, his team ranked first in the country in red-zone defense (.513) and fumble recoveries (20). The unit also ranked third in turnovers gained (34), third in sacks (50), fifth in rushing defense (82.9 yards allowed per game), and 15th in third-down defense (.296).
Brown was named the College Assistant Coach of the Year by the North East Ohio chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Brown's players also saw a great deal of individual success as Williams led the NCAA DII in sacks (20.0) while Jeffrey Thomas led the country in broken-up passes (27) in 2018; both of those marks also rank in the top three in NCAA DII Single-Season history.
Before going to NDC, Brown spent two seasons as the Defensive Backs Coach at Saginaw Valley State University.
Prior to coaching at Saginaw Valley State, Brown was a Defensive Graduate Assistant at Bowling Green. While with the Falcons, Brown coached in the 2012 Northrup and Gruman Military Bowl, the 2013 Little Cesars Pizza Bowl and was part of the coaching staff that led the Falcons to a 2013 Mid-American Conference Championship.
Brown played four years at Bowling Green. He was a four year starter for the Falcons as a safety, playing in 48 consecutive games from 2006-09. He was a team captain his senior year, where he was named the team's most valuable defensive back, and was selected to participate in the Detroit Lions Rookie Mini-camp.
