A Championship Vision. That is the mindset that Mizzou Football head coach  Barry Odom  took into his first month on the job as he built an impressive coaching staff that boasts years of high-level college and pro experience and an abundance of success both as coaches and as players. Leading into National Signing Day on February 3, MUTigers.com will be introducing all of Mizzou's coaches in what was the first exclusive interviews for each coach since Coach Odom established the staff.  

Today we introduce you to Mizzou cornerbacks coach Greg Brown.   Be sure to listen to an exclusive interview below and watch Mizzou Network's  Ben Arnet  go one-on-one with Coach Brown in an in-depth one-on-one that examines Brown's long and impressive career. 

Ambition, Drive Land an Experienced Brown at Mizzou

One of the keys for Mizzou Football head coach Barry Odom when assembling his coaching staff over the last month was identifying coaches who had a wealth of experience. For Coach Odom, Greg Brown fit that bill.  

A coach since 1981, Brown brings a tremendous coaching résumé which features 14 years of NFL experience and three years as a defensive coordinator. Most recently, Brown coaches the safeties at Louisville and when Odom came calling, the chance to coach in America's top college football league, along with a personal connection, the decision to join Odom was an easy one.

"The chance to come join Barry Odom, the job that he did and his staff did on defense a year ago, that's amazing, I was excited about that," Brown said. "Ryan Walters is a good friend of mine, I've known Ryan a long time, I coached him at Colorado his entire career, he was a great player there at CU and he's a sharp person, great guy, great family man, just a chance to reconnect with him.  Everything just fit, and I was very, very fortunate to get the opportunity to come to Mizzou."

It was that unique connection with Coach Walters, a coach who Odom brought with him from Memphis that led Brown to Mizzou. The respect that Coach Odom showed toward Walters was undoubtedly a reason that led Brown to leave his position with Louisville and join Mizzou. And while the chance to work closely with one of his former athletes was certainly a draw, there were qualities about Odom that led to Brown coming to Mizzou as well.

"His work ethic is second to none," Brown said. "You can see it in everything the guy does, everything that's been prepared for the assistant coaches, it just screams, hey, I've paid attention to detail, I've got work ethic, and we're going to make this work."

One thing is certain when you see Coach Brown running around the Mizzou Athletics Training Complex, he is always smiling – and it's not by accident. Boasting a positive demeanor and an enjoyment for the game of football, he uses those things to relate to his players.

"I think you've got to be able to really enjoy what you do and enjoy being with them and hopefully they will enjoy being with me as much as I'm going to enjoy being around them," Brown said. "Football is a long year, it's a long season, and you've got to be able to find fulfillment and enjoyment with people that you work with day in and day out.  I just think there's something to be said about being around people and being able to smile every day."

But don't be fooled by Brown's smile and constantly upbeat demeanor. When it comes time to compete, there is not a more competitive coach. Through coaching in the NFL and at the highest level of college football, Brown has learned that the ability to adapt while always looking to improve is vital to a team's success.

"I think that it's all about being open to learning new things.  Any time we stand pat, you know what, the world's going to pass us by," Brown said. "We have to learn something new every single day, that includes how to do it technique-wise, how to deal with people, it runs the whole gamut.  I just think that all of us learn and improve every single day, and if I can be fortunate enough to do that, I'm very, very blessed, and no wonder I've got a smile on my face."

So for a coach who refuses to stand pat, Brown is always looking for ways to improve himself and his team. It is a process that he has embraced and one that he feels maximizes the potential of each player that he coaches. And when a player maximizes his potential, for a coach it becomes easy to relate to the players, and that is one of the most rewarding pasts of coaching for Brown.

"When you're able to enjoy the guys that you're with and be around them and see them have success, it's such a great feeling to see them improve and say I might have had a small, slight part in that because I am their coach," Brown said. "They're able to show improvement and take another step towards their future goals and their team goals for the University of Missouri, then that's the ultimate thrill, as far as I'm concerned about, getting enjoyment with your players.  It's a simultaneous thing that happens at the same time for coaches and players, it's a great thing."

Coaching a group such as cornerbacks can be challenging at times. A short memory and a diligent approach are musts for any athlete. For Coach Brown, all having all of those things comes down to one thing: toughness.

"It's all the intangibles, and the biggest one I look for is toughness.  If you're a tough person, if you're a defensive back, and you don't take anything from a receiver, then that's one thing," Brown said. "I look for guys who can handle themselves. As defensive backs, we look for somebody who can handle themselves out there and get somebody on the ground and not be afraid of them when it comes time to tackle and be a physical presence and just toughness, toughness, toughness, that's as big as anything."

It's no surprise what Brown wants to see out of his position group during spring practice.

"That's easy, we want them to walk away from practice saying, man, that is one tough group of defensive backs.  Those guys, they came to work, they were blue collar," Brown said.

And for the coach who is always smiling while bringing and edge and toughness, he remains thankful for the opportunities that football has provided him.

"I tell you what, football, it is such a blessing," Brown said. "It's not a right to be able to play football or coach football, it is a blessing to able to participate in this.  We are all just shadows passing through this game, this game has been around a long time.  As Herm Edwards said, as coaches and players, we really just rent the whistle for a little while, that's all we're doing, and we try to impact people along the way."

And as long as Brown keeps smiling and instilling his philosophy of toughness, he should make quite an impact at Mizzou.