| Trading places: As assistant, Brown goes
from Mt. Carmel to RI
By Marc Nesseler, Sports editor
November 22, 2002 10:28 PM
Dan Brown has seen Chicago Mt. Carmel at its best. He was the Caravan's defensive-line
coach from 1986-90, the last three of those years being state-championship seasons.
And yet, now in his first year as the offensive-line coach for Rock Island, Brown says
the Rocks are on a par with the team that has won six more state titles since he left.
``There are a lot of similarities between the two programs,'' said Brown, thrust in the
unusual position of having his new team face his old one when the Rocks take on the
Caravan in the Class 6A semifinals Saturday at Chicago's Gately Stadium.
Both teams go in with an 11-1 record, but Brown's comparison goes beyond numbers and
talent.
``Vic (Boblett, Rocky's head coach) is very strict and disciplined and has high
expectations for his kids,'' said Brown. ``The same is true for Frank Lenti,'' the head
coach of Mt. Carmel.
``The big thing I see, though, is that both have a lot of good, quality coaches who put
in the time and effort. That leads to the success.''
Mt. Carmel has been to the playoffs all 16 years of Lenti's tenure. Besides the nine
firsts, the Caravan also has two seconds.
The Rocks have made the playoffs nine times in Boblett's 12 years. They finished second
in 1997. Boblett also took Geneseo to a state runner-up finish in 1990, with three other
Maple Leaf playoff appearances in four years. His long-time assistants at RI are Steve
Ebner, Ed Lillis, Pat Mitchell and Norm Albritton.
Though Brown has been away from Mt. Carmel for a dozen years -- spending six more years
at other Chicago schools before being an assistant the past six years at Davenport
Assumption -- he says little has changed in the Caravan's football scheme.
``I watch game film and I feel like I'm back at Mt. Carmel. It seems like nothing's
changed,'' said Brown. ``I've been gone a long time, but the offense and defense hasn't
changed. Their system works, so why change it?''
Mt. Carmel was Brown's first coaching stop, and in his hometown no less. Thus he still
carries a bit of the Caravan football mentality with him to this day.
``What I learned there is the basis of my coaching philosophy. That's my roots. You
always carry so much from that first experience,'' said Brown, who left Assumption in the
same offseason as Mark Kaczamarek's head-coaching move to United Township. At Rocky, Brown
replaced line coach Greg King, who took the head-coaching job at Sterling.
While the Rocks can't come close to matching the Caravan's trophy case, at least their
statewide notice is on the rise, Brown says.
``Rock Island definitely is respected around the state,'' he said. ``When I went back
home for a birthday party recently, people knew of Rock Island. Maybe it's because they
knocked off Mt. Carmel in 1997,'' a 17-7 win at Gately in the 5A quarterfinals, the Rocks'
only win over the Caravan in three postseason meetings, those also occuring at Gately.
Actually, Brown is quite anxious to return home, though on the opposite side of the
field.
``It's going to be nice,'' he said. ``I've played a lot of games and coached a lot of
games there. And I'll have a lot of family there at the game.''
Copyright 2001, Moline Dispatch
Publishing Co. |
