Cal's Terrence Brown Excited For Chance to Call Defensive Signals

We don’t know which 11 players Cal will send onto the field as defensive starters at Oregon State two weeks from Saturday.

But we know who will be issuing the defensive signals.

Terrence Brown, in his first season as co-defensive coordinator with Vic So’oto, will make the calls.

“This is my first time, right,” he said. “It’s my first time.”

Brown, 34, is in his fourth season on the Cal coaching staff, his 11th year overall coaching defensive backs at the major college level, including stints at Washington and Vanderbilt.

Beginning last spring, after the departure of Peter Sirmon to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, head coach Justin Wilcox promoted Brown and So’oto — who also coaches outside linebackers — to the roles of co-coordinators.

Brown has helped develop 17 defensive backs chosen in the NFL draft, including three Golden Bears this year. But he has never sent instructions from the sideline to his players to set the defensive alignment or strategy before the ball is snapped on game day.

Asked about his emotions for that new responsibility, Brown said, “I’m excited.”

He’s been getting ready for the season opener since spring practice.

“Coach Wilcox has structured practice in a way to prepare me for those moments,” said Brown, explaining that he’s gotten loads of reps simulating game situations. “When that time comes, I’ll definitely feel prepared.”

He said it’s been a benefit to be able to collaborate with fellow assistants Keith Hayward and Andrew Browning, along with senior defensive assistant Bob Gregory (with more than 20 years of coaching background) and Wilcox, who made his bones as a defensive coordinator.

“To be able to have that advice and that insight and that wisdom, to be able to go and ask a question if there’s something that I may want a little bit more clarification on, or just some guidance or direction, it’s been such a blessing to be able to have them in my corner,” he said.

Brown and So’oto have worked together at Cal the past three seasons and have developing a comfortable and trusting relationship, as So’oto explains in the video above.

Preparation has the most impact on what happens on game day, Brown said.

“I’ve always heard this growing up in the profession: the players make the plays,” he said. “We have a really talented group of players. That’s what excites me, fires me up . . . to be able to put those guys in position to be successful.”

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