Advertisement

Dunnellon's Brown leaves for new job

 
Published Jan. 14, 2005|Updated Aug. 24, 2005

When Lynn Haven Mosley's six-person search committee began its search for a new football coach, it sought a veteran who had been successful at more than one school, had playoff experience and _ believe it or not _ had won a state championship.

High standards, for sure. But from 67 resumes and numerous other inquiries, they found their man in former Pasco coach Perry Brown, who led the Pirates to the state championship in 1992.

Brown resigned Wednesday as Dunnellon's coach to accept the same position at Mosley. He replaces Charlie Tate, who was fired after a 2-7 season, his 10th at the school.

"We were just tickled to death Coach Brown would be interested in coming to Mosley," athletic director Tim Jennings said.

Brown, 49, has a 156-83 career record, including 52-34 in eight seasons at Dunnellon. He took a program that hadn't been to the playoffs in 11 seasons to the postseason four times, advancing to the Class 3A semifinals in 2003.

Though he enjoyed his time at Dunnellon, Brown's reasons for leaving were many:

+ He had been wanting to move to the Panhandle for some time and sent his resume to Lake City and Baker, in addition to Mosley. He said he was drawn by the slower pace and hunting and fishing the area offers.

+ Lynn Haven is close to the University of West Florida, where Brown's daughter, Jessica, plans to enroll in the fall.

+ He will make about $70,000 a year, approximately $20,000 more than he did at Dunnellon.

+ The job at Mosley is an administrative position.

+ There is the challenge of rebuilding a program. Mosley hasn't won a playoff game in 10 years.

"This is my sixth school as far as being a head coach," Brown said. "I"ve been fortunate at all the others that things have worked out for me, so I hope that this one does."

Though he has made many stops, Brown said nothing tops the time he spent at Pasco, where he had a 58-22 record in seven seasons before resigning for health reasons in 1996.

"It was a special situation," said Brown, who still wears his state championship ring, "the highlight of the career."