Assistant head coach takes job with Falcons

James Hardy isn’t the only Hoosier jumping to the NFL this spring. \nThis past weekend, IU assistant head coach Gerald Brown accepted a job to become the Atlanta Falcon’s running backs coach.\nIn addition to being assistant head coach for the Hoosiers, Brown also served as running backs coach and special teams co-coordinator. The decision to join the Falcons ends his five-year tenure with IU.\n“When I got into coaching, I had a lifetime goal of coaching in the NFL,” Brown said in a press release. “I was offered a job by a good friend of mine and it is an opportunity I could not pass up at this time.”\nBrown will join the Falcons staff immediately, which is led by recently-hired head coach Mike Smith. Smith coached the Jacksonville Jaguars last season where he served as the team’s defensive coordinator. \nSmith and Brown join a franchise that was left in disarray this offseason after a tumultuous year that saw their former coach Bobby Petrino quit with three games left and quarterback Michael Vick in prison for his involvement in dog fighting. Atlanta finished in last place in the NFC South with a record of 4-12. \n“This is a great opportunity for him and his family,” IU coach Bill Lynch said in a statement. “His knowledge, experience and loyalty to Indiana University were instrumental in the growth of our program.”\nLast season, the Hoosiers averaged 157.4 yards per game on the ground and recorded 18 rushing touchdowns, both bests since the 2001 season. The Hoosiers also had three players who averaged more than four yards per carry, junior Marcus Thigpen, sophomore Bryan Payton and quarterback Kellen Lewis.\nIn 2006, Thigpen led the nation with a 30.1 kick return average and three touchdowns as a sophomore. The Hoosiers also held opponents to less than 20 yards per kickoff return in 2006.\nLast season Brown coached junior Austin Starr, who converted 21 of 23 field goals and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is given to the nation’s top kicker.\n“It was outstanding to finish my career at Indiana by going to a bowl game,” Brown said. “The program has come a long way, has great leadership and many great things to come.”