BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – With the changing of the guard at the head of the Gardner-Webb football program, over the next few weeks we will take a look at the new faces that will pace the sidelines for head coach Kris McCullough and the Runnin' Bulldogs. Today's spotlight will be Brayle Brown. Brown joins the Runnin' Bulldogs as the Co-Offensive Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach.
Prior to his arrival at Gardner-Webb, Brown was the Offensive Coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northern State University. During his tenure with the Wolves, Brown guided his team to top 10 in the nation in total offense, rushing offense, yards per play, and third down percentage. His offense was also top 15 in scoring offense. Brown has six years of experience as an offensive coordinator with each team finishing top 10 in the country statistically.
In December of 2024, Brown was announced as a participant for the AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. The program is aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession. In his five seasons as an offensive coordinator, Brown's offenses have finished in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense, with back-to-back top 10 finishes. In addition, he has led the top-ranked offense in three separate conferences.
In the fall of 2024, CSUP went 10-2 overall winning the RMAC and ultimately falling to Minnesota State in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Thunderwolves ranked top 10 in the nation in three categories sitting ninth in total offense (462.3 yds/g), sixth in passing offense (308.5 yds/g), and seventh in scoring offense (40.2 pts/g). Two players earned multiple All-America honors, including Reggie Retzlaff who finished seventh in the Harlon Hill voting. Retzlaff was the Super Region 4 Offensive Player of the Year announced by the D2CCA, as well as the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year. In addition, ten offensive players earned All-RMAC awards and three were named CSC Academic All-District®.
Brown's first two seasons at CSU Pueblo saw the Thunderwolves advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2022 and sit top 10 in the country in numerous categories. In the fall of 2023, they finished seventh in passing offense (289.7 yds/g) and ninth in scoring offense (42.0 pts/g). That same season, graduate quarterback Chance Fuller ranked top 10 in the nation in completions per game, passing touchdowns, and passing yards per game. In his first season leading the CSUP offense, Brown's offense finished the year seventh in passing efficiency (159.68) and seventh in red zone offense (91.3%). Senior quarterback Hunter Raquet sat second in passing efficiency, third in passing yards per completion, and 14th in passing touchdowns.
Brown spent the 2021 season as the offensive coordinator at Colorado Mesa. The Mavericks led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in total offense, averaging 453.7 yards per game, 6.6 yards per play, and 194.8 rushing yards per game that season. In addition, the quarterback core threw only four interceptions in 314 attempts. Quarterback Hunter Karst (Miller, S.D.) set the single season passing yardage record at CMU throwing for 2,481 yards in just ten games during the season, earning him RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year. In addition, seven other Mavericks were named to the league All-Conference teams.
Brown spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons as the quarterbacks coach, passing game coordinator and co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma Baptist University. In the fall of 2019, the Bison led the Great American Conference in total offense, scoring offense, passing offense and was second in the conference in first downs per game. The Bison finished the year top 10 in the country in both total offense and completions per game, while quarterback Preston Haire was named the GAC Offensive Player of the Year.
He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant running backs coach at Midwestern State University in the fall of 2018 and went on to serve one season as a graduate assistant at Avila University.
Brown played college football at NCAA Division I, the University of Louisiana Monroe. He earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from ULM in 2014. Brown, his father, and brother are all members of the Shawnee High School Hall of Fame.
