Football
Norwood, Brian
Brian Norwood
- Title:
- Assistant Head Coach, Passing Game Coordinator, Defensive Backs
Brian Norwood joined the UCLA staff in January of 2020 as assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach.
The 2024 Bruins entered their first season in the Big Ten with seven new defensive starters, but were still able to rank among the nation’s top 40 teams in total defense (340.8 yards per game, 39th). Transfers Bryan Addison (two interceptions) and Ramon Henderson (one) stepped into the safety spots and contributed three of the team’s 10 interceptions. Addison registered a 96-yard pick-6 against his previous school, Oregon.
UCLA led the Pac-12 and rated 10th nationally in total defense (301.5 yards per game) while holding opponents under 20 points per game in 2023. The Bruins registered 15 interceptions on the season to rank 15th overall and second in the conference. The team saw its passing efficiency defense mark improve by more than 20 points to 119.31, which ranked 19th in the country. The passing yards allowed total improved by more than 50 yards to 220.8, the second best mark in the conference. Alex Johnson topped the Pac-12 and ranked sixth in the nation in interceptions.
In 2022, safeties Mo Osling III and Stephan Blaylock anchored a Bruin secondary that held two opponents under 130 yards passing and limited six opponents to one touchdown pass or fewer during the season. In its win over Bowling Green, the defense held an opponent to fewer than 162 yards of total offense for the first time since 2008 when Arizona State gained 122 yards. Blaylock tied the school record for most career games played (56). The Bruins earned an invitation to the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, the 15th bowl appearance on Norwood's coaching resume.
The Bruins closed the 2021 season by holding three of their last four opponents under 200 yards of passing offense. UCLA rated third in the Pac-12 in both turnovers gained and turnover margin. Quentin Lake and Jay Shaw tied for the team lead with three interceptions each and received All-Conference recognition. The Bruins rated sixth in the league in team pass efficiency defense (42nd nationally).
In the 2020 season, UCLA led the Pac-12 in interceptions (nine) and improved from 11th to sixth in the conference in total defense by dropping almost 40 yards allowed per game. Defensive backs Blaylock, Shaw and Elijah Gates each tied for second in the conference in interceptions. The Bruins ranked eighth in the nation and topped the Pac-12 in sacks per game (3.29) with players from the Bruins' secondary – Qwuantrezz Knight (four sacks), Osling (three) and Obi Eboh (two) -- playing big roles. Forced turnovers per game (1.6) also moved in a positive direction.
Norwood came to UCLA after serving a second stint at Navy in the 2019 season as assistant coach, co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. The Midshipmen secured a victory over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl to finish with an 11-2 record, matching the program’s record for most wins in a season.
Norwood returned to the Naval Academy from Kansas State, where he was the Wildcats’ co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach for the 2018 season. Under Norwood’s direction, the Kansas State defense made the biggest jump in the Big 12 in pass defense, moving from last in the league (309.1 yards per game) to fourth (245.8). The 245.8 passing yards per game were the fewest passing yards Kansas State had allowed in five years.
Prior to Kansas State, Norwood was the associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator while also coaching the safeties at Tulsa from 2015-17. Norwood coached at Baylor from 2008-14, serving as the defensive coordinator from 2008-2010 and as the associate head coach and safeties coach from 2011-14.
During his three seasons coordinating the Bear defense, Norwood oversaw a unit that totaled nine All-Big 12 honorees and two All-Americans. In the Bears’ 2013 Big 12 championship season, Norwood coached first-team All-American Ahmad Dixon (drafted by the Dallas Cowboys), while both of Baylor’s 2011 starting safeties, Mike Hicks and Sam Holl, earned All-Big 12 honors. Holl finished second on the squad with 113 total tackles and Hicks was third with 105, and each had three interceptions. In 2010, Norwood coached first-team All-Big 12 honoree Byron Landor, who totaled 127 tackles.
Norwood was an assistant at Penn State from 2001-07. During Norwood’s seven seasons in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions topped the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense twice (2004 and 2005) and finished third on two occasions (2003 and 2006). Penn State ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams in pass efficiency defense four times, including a No. 4 ranking in 2004.
At the end of the 2007 regular season, the Nittany Lions’ defense ranked sixth nationally against the run (87.92 yards per game), eighth in scoring defense (17.58 points per game), ninth in total defense (306.58 yards per game) and 44th in pass efficiency defense (119.14 rating).
Norwood coached 2006 Big Ten interceptions leader and first-team All-Big Ten safety Anthony Scirrotto and developed All-Big Ten and NFL defensive backs Shawn Mayer (led conference with 144 tackles as a senior) and Calvin Lowry. He also coached 2003 second-team All-Big Ten pick Yaacov Yisreal.
In his lone season at Texas Tech, Norwood coached strong safety Kevin Curtis, a second-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 honoree, as the Red Raiders played in the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl.
Norwood’s first full-time coaching job was guiding the outside linebackers at the University of Richmond (1992-94) after serving two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Arizona (1990, 1991). He served his initial stint at the Naval Academy, from 1995-99, as defensive backs coach. Norwood mentored second-team All-America selection Sean Andrews in 1995 and helped Navy achieve its best record in 18 years when it posted a 9-3 mark in 1996, including a win over California in the 1996 Aloha Bowl.
Norwood was a four-year letterwinner at both cornerback and safety at Hawai’i (1984-87) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication in 1988. He and his wife, Tiffiney, have five children: Gabriel, Jordan, Levi, Brianna and Zaccariah. Gabriel was a key member of George Mason’s 2006 men’s basketball Final Four team. Jordan played eight seasons in the NFL, including the 2015 campaign with the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, while Levi was a four-year football letterwinner at Baylor (2011-14).
The 2024 Bruins entered their first season in the Big Ten with seven new defensive starters, but were still able to rank among the nation’s top 40 teams in total defense (340.8 yards per game, 39th). Transfers Bryan Addison (two interceptions) and Ramon Henderson (one) stepped into the safety spots and contributed three of the team’s 10 interceptions. Addison registered a 96-yard pick-6 against his previous school, Oregon.
UCLA led the Pac-12 and rated 10th nationally in total defense (301.5 yards per game) while holding opponents under 20 points per game in 2023. The Bruins registered 15 interceptions on the season to rank 15th overall and second in the conference. The team saw its passing efficiency defense mark improve by more than 20 points to 119.31, which ranked 19th in the country. The passing yards allowed total improved by more than 50 yards to 220.8, the second best mark in the conference. Alex Johnson topped the Pac-12 and ranked sixth in the nation in interceptions.
In 2022, safeties Mo Osling III and Stephan Blaylock anchored a Bruin secondary that held two opponents under 130 yards passing and limited six opponents to one touchdown pass or fewer during the season. In its win over Bowling Green, the defense held an opponent to fewer than 162 yards of total offense for the first time since 2008 when Arizona State gained 122 yards. Blaylock tied the school record for most career games played (56). The Bruins earned an invitation to the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, the 15th bowl appearance on Norwood's coaching resume.
The Bruins closed the 2021 season by holding three of their last four opponents under 200 yards of passing offense. UCLA rated third in the Pac-12 in both turnovers gained and turnover margin. Quentin Lake and Jay Shaw tied for the team lead with three interceptions each and received All-Conference recognition. The Bruins rated sixth in the league in team pass efficiency defense (42nd nationally).
In the 2020 season, UCLA led the Pac-12 in interceptions (nine) and improved from 11th to sixth in the conference in total defense by dropping almost 40 yards allowed per game. Defensive backs Blaylock, Shaw and Elijah Gates each tied for second in the conference in interceptions. The Bruins ranked eighth in the nation and topped the Pac-12 in sacks per game (3.29) with players from the Bruins' secondary – Qwuantrezz Knight (four sacks), Osling (three) and Obi Eboh (two) -- playing big roles. Forced turnovers per game (1.6) also moved in a positive direction.
Norwood came to UCLA after serving a second stint at Navy in the 2019 season as assistant coach, co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. The Midshipmen secured a victory over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl to finish with an 11-2 record, matching the program’s record for most wins in a season.
Norwood returned to the Naval Academy from Kansas State, where he was the Wildcats’ co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach for the 2018 season. Under Norwood’s direction, the Kansas State defense made the biggest jump in the Big 12 in pass defense, moving from last in the league (309.1 yards per game) to fourth (245.8). The 245.8 passing yards per game were the fewest passing yards Kansas State had allowed in five years.
Prior to Kansas State, Norwood was the associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator while also coaching the safeties at Tulsa from 2015-17. Norwood coached at Baylor from 2008-14, serving as the defensive coordinator from 2008-2010 and as the associate head coach and safeties coach from 2011-14.
During his three seasons coordinating the Bear defense, Norwood oversaw a unit that totaled nine All-Big 12 honorees and two All-Americans. In the Bears’ 2013 Big 12 championship season, Norwood coached first-team All-American Ahmad Dixon (drafted by the Dallas Cowboys), while both of Baylor’s 2011 starting safeties, Mike Hicks and Sam Holl, earned All-Big 12 honors. Holl finished second on the squad with 113 total tackles and Hicks was third with 105, and each had three interceptions. In 2010, Norwood coached first-team All-Big 12 honoree Byron Landor, who totaled 127 tackles.
Norwood was an assistant at Penn State from 2001-07. During Norwood’s seven seasons in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions topped the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense twice (2004 and 2005) and finished third on two occasions (2003 and 2006). Penn State ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams in pass efficiency defense four times, including a No. 4 ranking in 2004.
At the end of the 2007 regular season, the Nittany Lions’ defense ranked sixth nationally against the run (87.92 yards per game), eighth in scoring defense (17.58 points per game), ninth in total defense (306.58 yards per game) and 44th in pass efficiency defense (119.14 rating).
Norwood coached 2006 Big Ten interceptions leader and first-team All-Big Ten safety Anthony Scirrotto and developed All-Big Ten and NFL defensive backs Shawn Mayer (led conference with 144 tackles as a senior) and Calvin Lowry. He also coached 2003 second-team All-Big Ten pick Yaacov Yisreal.
In his lone season at Texas Tech, Norwood coached strong safety Kevin Curtis, a second-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 honoree, as the Red Raiders played in the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl.
Norwood’s first full-time coaching job was guiding the outside linebackers at the University of Richmond (1992-94) after serving two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Arizona (1990, 1991). He served his initial stint at the Naval Academy, from 1995-99, as defensive backs coach. Norwood mentored second-team All-America selection Sean Andrews in 1995 and helped Navy achieve its best record in 18 years when it posted a 9-3 mark in 1996, including a win over California in the 1996 Aloha Bowl.
Norwood was a four-year letterwinner at both cornerback and safety at Hawai’i (1984-87) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication in 1988. He and his wife, Tiffiney, have five children: Gabriel, Jordan, Levi, Brianna and Zaccariah. Gabriel was a key member of George Mason’s 2006 men’s basketball Final Four team. Jordan played eight seasons in the NFL, including the 2015 campaign with the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, while Levi was a four-year football letterwinner at Baylor (2011-14).
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