The Gold Standard: Dre Brown a rising star on the Notre Dame coaching staff
In this week’s Gold Standard, BlueandGold.com recruiting insider Mike Singer details the importance of Notre Dame analyst Dre Brown, who has been key for the Irish on and off the field.
Dre Brown: Notre Dame’s rising star on staff
When Brown, 24, joined the Notre Dame staff last summer as the offensive director of recruiting, it seemed like a role the Irish were forced to create because of the success of Chad Bowden as the director of recruiting on the defensive side of the ball for the few months prior. After all, if you have a defensive director of recruiting, shouldn’t you have an offensive one?
Before making his way to South Bend, Brown spent a few months at Tennessee as the Volunteers’ recruiting coordinator. And before that Brown, who was a running back for Illinois from 2015-19, was working at a bank in Champaign while finishing his master’s degree. So, in less than a year, Brown went from an Illinois student and banker to an up-and-coming coach, scout and recruiting specialist with an extremely bright future.
After Marcus Freeman became Notre Dame’s head coach in December, Brown’s role as offensive director of recruiting was no longer, but he remained a key member of the recruiting staff and even hit the road in January when coaches could go into high schools.
Brown’s Twitter bio lists his role as a Notre Dame football analyst who focuses on coaching the running backs and recruiting. We’re also told he’s an important piece of the Notre Dame scouting department, recruits on both sides of the ball now and folks we speak with rave about the job he does with prospects and their families on campus.
In full transparency, we’re not publishing this article as a fluff piece to promote Brown. Not only do recruits rave about Brown, but folks inside the Notre Dame football program also believe that he’s on the fast track to become an FBS position coach — and his experiences at Notre Dame and Tennessee allow him to add recruiting coordinator to his title as well. Whether it’s at Notre Dame or elsewhere, Brown’s career is on a fast upward trajectory.
PROMOTION: Sign up for just $1 for your first year at Blue & Gold
Here’s what some of Notre Dame’s 2023 recruits had to say about Brown:
Four-star running back Jayden Limar: “Dre has been a huge reason Notre Dame even started looking at me, and he was the first to see my film. He is a huge reason they offered.”
Four-star wide receiver Malik Elzy: “Coach Dre has been my guy since the first day Notre Dame started recruiting me.”
Four-star running back running back and Notre Dame commit Sedrick Irvin Jr.: “I think Coach Dre does a really great job connecting with players on a personal level. My first few conversations with him were great and made me feel more wanted in my recruitment. He’s a people person; it’s what he’s good at.”
Four-star tight end and Irish commit Cooper Flanagan: “He has been great — super likable guy and an awesome person in general. Notre Dame is lucky to have him!”
Four-star linebacker and Notre Dame commit Drayk Bowen: “He’s been doing a great job. I got to meet him when he was at Tennessee and loved him. He’s a great recruiter and really builds the personal relationship. He is a huge piece of the recruiting process and a big reason why our ND class has been so incredible.”
Here are a few more notes on Brown as a recruiter…
— He’s been hands-on in the recruitments of a handful of key Notre Dame recruits. Brown grew up about two hours east from Rock Island, Ill. where 2023 five-star offensive tackle Charles Jagusah calls home. They’ve grown a close relationship over the past several months.
— In talking to sources over the past few months about Brown spending time with recruits on campus, the consensus phrase is: “He killed it.” In April, several recruits from the C3 Elite National 7 on 7 team visited Notre Dame and the account tweeted out that Brown is “already one of the best recruiters in college football, and his football mind is unreal!”
— Brown initially identified Topeka (Kan.) Hayden class of 2023 offensive lineman Joe Otting and invited him out to a game last fall. Otting visited campus and had a good time. Otting’s recruitment later blew up and the Irish offered him a few weeks ago. Notre Dame has a good starting point in Otting’s recruitment as an offered prospect considering he’s already seen a game day experience.
— Brown has been very active with 2024 quarterback targets CJ Carr and Julian Sayin. Both prospects have visited Notre Dame three times apiece already, and Brown has connected with them on and off campus.
— He was the first Notre Dame coach to speak with 2023 four-star offensive tackle Sullivan Absher, who committed to the Irish this past Friday. Brown laid the groundwork for Notre Dame early in Absher’s recruitment.
