Corey Brown

Corey Brown is in his first season as Nebraska's defensive line coach in 2026. Brown boasts 20 years of experience as a defensive assistant, including 18 seasons as defensive line coach.

Brown is known for producing defensive lines who excel at creating pressure to disrupt opposing offenses. Before coming to Nebraska, Miami (Ohio) ranked in the top 25 nationally in sacks in two of Brown’s final three seasons, which also helped the RedHawks finish in the top 15 nationally in scoring defense twice.

Brown is also a proven developer of talent. In his three seasons on the Miami (Ohio) staff before he came to Nebraska, Brown produced a different first-team all-conference defensive linemen each year. Brown has also coached a player who ranked in the top 25 nationally in either sacks or tackles for loss each of his last three seasons.

BEFORE NEBRASKA
MIAMI (OHIO): Brown coached at Miami (Ohio) for a total of seven seasons over two different stints on the RedHawk staff. He served as the defensive line coach from 2023 to 2025 and from 2014 to 2017.

Brown’s defensive line helped Miami rank 14th nationally with 105 combined sacks from 2023 to 2025. In two of his final three seasons, Brown coached a defensive lineman who ranked in the top 25 nationally in sacks. Miami also had a top-15 scoring defense in two of Brown’s final three seasons on staff.

In his seven total seasons at Miami, Brown produced eight all-conference linemen who combined for 10 all-conference awards. In his final three seasons, Brown’s defensive linemen combined for five all-conference accolades with a different lineman named to the All-MAC first team each season.

In 2025, Brown’s unit helped Miami rank 12th nationally with an average of 2.9 sacks per game. Adam Trick was a first-team all-conference pick after totaling 12.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, ranking 23rd nationally in sacks.

Brown coached two all-conference defensive linemen during the 2024 season, when the RedHawks ranked 15th nationally in scoring defense. Brian Ugwu ranked 25th nationally with 14.5 TFLs.

In 2023, three of Brown’s defensive linemen had at least 8.0 sacks and finished in the top five in the MAC in sacks with first-team all-conference pick Caiden Woulllard ranking 25th nationally in sacks. The disruption of the defensive line helped the RedHawks rank eighth nationally in scoring defense, and Miami allowed just 86 points in eight conference games, the fewest allowed by a MAC team since 2000.

Brown also spent four seasons coaching the Miami defensive line from 2014 to 2017. He coached four players to a total of five all-conference accolades in his first stint at Miami, and the RedHawks totaled 89 sacks in his four seasons.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Brown spent two seasons at South Dakota in 2021 and 2022, when Rob Aurich was the Coyotes’ defensive coordinator. Brown coached the defensive line in each of his two seasons and was the defensive run game coordinator in 2022. Brown’s defensive line helped South Dakota total 52 sacks in his two seasons.

Brown helped South Dakota rank 21st in the FCS in sacks and 23rd in scoring defense in 2021, when the Coyotes hosted an FCS playoff game for the first time in program history.

CORNELL COLLEGE: Brown was the defensive line coach at Cornell College in Iowa in 2020, but the Rams did not play a game that season due to the pandemic.

RUTGERS: Brown gained coaching experience in the Big Ten as Rutgers’ defensive line coach for two seasons in 2018 and 2019. Wil Previlon earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors and was named the Scarlet Knights’ defensive MVP in 2019.

NOTRE DAME: Brown’s first coaching stint at the FBS level came as a defensive graduate assistant at Notre Dame in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, Notre dame ranked 15th nationally in passing defense, 27th in scoring defense and 31st in total defense. The Fighting Irish were second nationally in scoring defense in 2012 and also ranked seventh in total defense, 11th in rushing defense, 22nd in sacks and 25th in passing defense. That season Notre Dame finished with a 12-1 record and lost in the BCS National Championship Game.

IOWA WESTERN CC: Brown spent four seasons at Iowa Western Community College from 2008 to 2011, coaching the defensive line and serving as the strength and conditioning coach each season. Brown was there at the inception of the Reiver program, which played its first season in 2009 and won its first conference title in 2010 and first region championship in 2011.

NORTH IOWA AREA CC: Brown began his coaching career as the defensive line and strength and conditioning coach at North Iowa Area Community College in 2006 and 2007.

PLAYING CAREER
Brown was a defensive lineman at Iowa from 1995 to 1999. He started all 11 games as a senior and won the Hawkeyes’ hustle award. Brown went on to play professionally in the AFL2, helping the Quad City Steamwheelers to back-to-back championships.

PERSONAL
Brown earned his degree in sociology/human relations from the University of Iowa in 2000. He and his wife, Susan, have one son, Blaze, and two daughters, Erin and Kayla.

COACHING CAREER
2026: Nebraska (Defensive Line)
2023-25: Miami [Ohio] (Defensive Line)
2022: South Dakota (Defensive Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2021: South Dakota (Defensive Line)
2020: Cornell College (Defensive Line)
2018-19: Rutgers (Defensive Line)
2014-17: Miami [Ohio] (Defensive Line)
2012-13: Notre Dame (Defensive Graduate Assistant)
2008-11: Iowa Western CC (Defensive Line/Strength and Conditioning)
2006-07: North Iowa Area CC (Defensive Line/Strength and Conditioning)