Kentucky coordinator Neal Brown to take Troy post, source reports.
Kentucky offensive coordinator Neal Brown has accepted an offer to become the head coach at Troy, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms of the deal were still being finalized. Brown will replace the retiring Larry Blakeney, whom he worked under as an assistant for four years (2006-2009). Brown was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Troy his last two years on staff. Troy spokesman Adam Prendergast said in an email that the school is close to making a decision and plans to hold a news conference Monday to make an announcement. Brown and Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops also declined to confirm Brown would be headed to Troy after the Wildcats’ game against Louisville. “I think it’s a little too early. I don’t want to speak on Troy’s search. I’ll say this, I love Kentucky,” Brown said. Stoops said: “I think we’ll talk about that at the appropriate time. I don’t want to say what’s going on with Troy’s search. I think that will play out in the next 24 hours here or so.” The 34-year-old Brown spent three seasons as offensive coordinator at Texas Tech before moving to Kentucky with Stoops in 2013. Brown is a Kentucky native who played receiver for the Wildcats and at Massachusetts in college. Blakeney announced his retirement earlier this season, his 24th at Troy. The Trojans (3-9) finished their season Saturday with a 42-23 loss to Sun Belt Conference rival Louisiana-Lafayette. Blakeney was the the second-longest tenured active coach at an FBS school, behind Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech. During Brown’s two seasons as offensive coordinator in Troy, Ala., the Trojans won the Sun Belt each year. In 2009, the Trojans ranked third in the nation in total offense at 485 yards per game.
Clemson Coach Chad Morris says he has spoken with SMU representatives about its head coaching job, but no deal has been reached. Morris is a Texas native who attended Texas A&M and was a longtime high school coach in the Lone Star state before making the jump to college. He was asked about media reports that he is expected to become the new coach at SMU after Clemson beat South Carolina on Saturday. “I’ve spoken with them, yes. Haven’t agreed to anything,” Morris said. SMU athletic director Rick Hart said in a text to the AP the school is still working through the hiring process and has no agreement with anyone.