Central Methodist University on Monday announced former Missouri Western offensive coordinator Dave Brown has been hired as the Eagles’ newest football coach.

Brown takes over a program that finished 1-10 a year ago following a tragic off-campus shooting that left one player dead and the other facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Former coach David Calloway announced his resignation in February.

Coach Brown was on campus Monday and said he is ready to begin evaluating his players and planning for next season. He also faces the task of hiring a new coaching staff for the team.

“We want someone who is here to build, and to build it the right way,” said Central Methodist Athletic Director Jeff Sherman. “We want things done the right way, and that’s the only way he’s ever done it.”

Sherman also acknowledged the need for broader changes within the football program with regard to student-athletes’ successes on and off the field. He said Brown is the right coach to bring about those changes.

“Hiring him is the change,” Sherman said.

Coach Brown has served as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for the past five years for NCAA Division II Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

In 2019, Missouri Western’s offense averaged 41.5 points and 446 yards per game. In that same season, the Griffins made their second consecutive appearance in the Live United Bowl, where they defeated Henderson State University 35-15. Missouri Western would finish the year with a 9-3 overall record.

Brown came to MWSU after two seasons as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Colorado State-Pueblo. In two seasons with the ThunderWolves, Brown was part of two RMAC Co-Championships and saw the offense head toward the top of the conference. His quarterbacks completed better than 59 percent of their passes and threw for nearly 4,500 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Sherman said he knew he had found the right coach for the job when he received phone call after phone call in support of Brown from those who coached with, and even against, him.

“For Dave, I got the most calls by far,” Sherman said. “He’s probably one of the most detailed coaches I’ve been around. He’s extremely organized. He’s a football guy through and through. This is what he wants to do. And he loves it. He’s got a game plan for what he feels is the plan of success.”

For Brown, coming to Central is his first shot at head coaching. 

“It’s an honor to be entrusted with the Eagle football program,” he said. “I would like to thank Dr. Drake, Jeff Sherman, and the rest of the search committee. I enjoyed my time meeting with people on campus last week, and I’m excited to get started!”

Brown said he looks forward to building a program with people of high character who are relentless competitors and who are excited to come to work every day.

“You have to have people who want to be high achievers to be successful,” he said. “That’s the standard we’re going to have.”

Brown has a career of success coaching quarterbacks and coordinating offenses. He said next year’s offense will adapt to his team’s strengths, whether that be passing the ball downfield or running through opposing defensive lines.

“We’re going to be really creative. Whatever it is to make sure we take advantage of our strengths, that’s what I’m trying to find,” he said. “What direction that goes, we’ll see with what we have.

“If I can walk out of a game and we were totally balanced, and about 10 or 12 different guys touched the ball, then I would feel pretty good. Because those are the days you usually do pretty well.”

Prior to his two years at CSU-Pueblo, Brown was hand-picked by John L. Smith to be the offensive coordinator at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. At Fort Lewis, Brown helped the team to its best season in eight years with an offense that ranked second in the RMAC.

He came to Fort Lewis after six years at the University of Nevada under Head Coach Chris Ault. Brown helped Colin Kaepernick become the only player in NCAA history to throw for 10,000 yards and rush for 4,000 in a career. Brown was instrumental in the implementation and development of the pistol offense at Nevada and later installed the same offense at Portland State.

Brown’s coaching career began in 2001 at his alma mater, Central Missouri, under Head Coach Willie Fritz. During his time in Warrensburg, the Mules posted a 43-13 record, won the MIAA, and appeared in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

He also coached one season at Portland State, helping the Vikings lead the Big Sky Conference in rushing and improving their offensive output by more than 95 yards per game.

Brown’s father, Paul, is a longtime high school coach in the Kansas City area with head coaching stints at Turner, Bishop Miege, and Basehor-Linwood.

Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education at Central Missouri and master’s degrees from both UCM and Nevada.