Eric Brown will lead St. John’s football program

Eric Brown was named the new St. John’s Islanders Head Football Coach, announced by St. John’s Director of Athletics Henry Campbell.

Brown enters his twenty-ninth season, having coached every level of football except for Power 5 Division 1-A during his coaching career. Brown has won one high school state championship and one college conference championship. Coach Brown’s opportunities bring a vast amount of leadership and management skills to a program and organization to guide student-athletes. Brown, who played at the University of South Carolina for head coach Sparky Woods, brings a great amount of experience on both sides of the ball.

Brown comes to St. John’s from Winston Salem State University where he served as Assistant Head Football Coach/Special Teams Coordinator the past two seasons. Additionally, he was the Head Football Coach at Lexington High School in Lexington, NC, and Defensive Line Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator at Vance High School in Charlotte where the team won the 2019 NC High School State Championship after a second place finish in 2018.

Before his time at Vance High School, Brown coached at Virginia Military Institute as an inside linebacker coach/academic & pro liaison in Lexington, VA. Brown was also a defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator for Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC.

Brown spent three consecutive years at Livingston College in Salisbury NC, where he served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008, while adding the title of interim head coach and recruiting coordinator in 2009. His 2008 Livingston defense averaged 2.5 turnovers per game. In 2006, Brown was Methodist University’s (Fayetteville, NC), running backs coach for one season, and headed recruiting efforts in North Carolina, Maryland, Florida, and South Carolina. He also was the equipment and facilities coordinator while at Methodist. Brown began his college coaching career at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, FL., where he was defensive line coach, interim defensive coordinator, and special team coordinator during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Brown’s special teams led the nation with 15 blocked kicks (punts and field goals) during the 2005 season.

Brown was named high school state defensive player of the year in his native state of Maryland in 1989 and went on to start four years as an inside linebacker for the University of South Carolina.

“We are excited to have Coach Brown join us as our new Head Coach,” said Principal Jermaine Joyner. “This has been a long process for us, but it was important for the long-term success of our football program that we bring in a coach with winning experience and someone who could work in the school to help our student-athletes excel.”

Brown said his job will be to help every member of this team to be leaders and productive citizens in life.

“This process will take place with a positive experience through the St. John’s Football Program,” said Brown. “Organization, preparation, and commitment will place us in a position to win. However, transparency, work ethic, accountability, and unity/trust will maximize our goals. Throughout this process, we will always demonstrate great leadership and sportsmanship both on the field and throughout the extended community.”

For more information, please contact Athletic Director Henry Campbell at (843) 843-559-6400.