Ex-UMass coach Don Brown will root for two Minutemen in Super Bowl
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In August, Connecticut defensive coordinator Don Brown will spend countless hours devising a game plan to defeat the University of Massachusetts, the school he used to coach, as the Huskies prepare to open the 2012 season against the Minutemen on Aug. 30.
But on Sunday as he watches the Super Bowl, Brown will be rooting for the Minutemen one more time as two of his former players - New England's James Ihedigbo and New York's Victor Cruz - square off.
"Who would have thought two guys from UMass would both be starting in the Super Bowl?" Brown asked last week.
While Brown, the head coach at UMass from 2004 to 2008, would be excited for any two of his former players to get this opportunity, Cruz and Ihedigbo both hold special places in his heart.
Cruz's breakout season has captivated New York, but it might never have happened without Brown. The academic difficulties Cruz encountered when he first arrived at UMass are well documented. After Cruz had been dismissed for a semester for academic problems, Brown sat with him and his mother at their kitchen table in Patterson, N.J., to map out what Cruz would have to do in the classroom to get back on the field.
"When he came back, he took off. That's when his whole mind-set changed," Brown said.
The coach remembers Cruz's irrepressible spirit on the field.
"He always had a smile on his face, always came to practice with loads of energy," said Brown, who still sees that energy. "He ran routes in practice like he'd run them in a game. He made everybody have a good time around him and kept everybody loose.
"He still has that tremendous enjoyment for the game," he added. "There's so many athletes that take what they have for granted. He's one of those guys that will never do that. The love for the game is what separates him from the next guy."
While Cruz played with joy, Ihedigbo was fueled by passion. The safety from Amherst was one of the few players whose fire on the field and on the sideline matched Brown's. Ihedigbo arrived at UMass as a walk-on and quickly established himself as an integral part of the Minuteman defense.
Brown called him one of the best leaders he's ever coached.
"James was a fire-breathing dragon, who willed guys to get things done," Brown said. "He was the epitome of a true safety. He ran the show. He was the quarterback on defense. Everybody knew it. There was no question about who was the leader. He was the leader.
"Those guys don't come along very often. There's a reason why we were good. He was a huge factor," Brown continued. "When leadership comes from the coaching staff, that's a given. But when leadership comes from within, that's true leadership. That's what that kid was all about. He's a great kid."
Brown was surprised when Ihedigbo didn't get more attention from NFL teams when he came out of college in 2006. But Brown was not at all surprised when he made the New York Jets and developed as a pro.
"The great thing is when he got into a pro camp, it took care of itself. It's tough to send that guy home. He's a warrior. He's a tough guy," Brown said. "To see his skills broaden, just shows you the kid's work ethic and his makeups. He's gone from being a role player to being a full-time safety on a Super Bowl team. That's an incredible climb."
Brown said he is eager to watch one of his former players earn a championship ring on Sunday.
"I'm really excited," he said. "I'm very proud of them. It couldn't have happened to better people."
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.
