Norwood Joins Tulsa Coaching Staff As Co-Defensive Coordinator

University of Tulsa football coach Philip Montgomery announced today the appointment of Brian Norwood to the Golden Hurricane coaching staff. Norwood will serve as co-defensive coordinator with Bill Young, who was named to the Tulsa staff on Thursday. Norwood will also coach the Hurricane safeties.

Norwood has spent the past seven seasons on the Baylor coaching staff, including the last four as Associate Head Coach and safeties coach. From 2008 to 2010, Norwood served as defensive coordinator, and oversaw a defense that totaled nine All-Big 12 honorees and two All-Americans.

Norwood, 49, has been involved in 12 bowl games in his 25-year collegiate coaching career with coaching stops at Arizona, Richmond, Navy, Texas Tech, Penn State and Baylor.

“I'm excited to have Brian join our staff,” said Montgomery. “Brian and I have coached together for the last seven years, and I've known him for more like 14 years when he coached at Texas Tech,” said Montgomery. “As a person, what he stands for, and the type of family man that he is, you won't find a better man than Brian Norwood. He will bring that feeling of stability to our players, recruits and their families.”

“I'm thrilled about having he and Bill Young coordinate our defensive efforts. Brian, too, brings tremendous knowledge and experience to the defensive side of the ball,” said Montgomery.

“The way he and coach Young will be able to work together and coordinate our defense, especially with Bill's vast knowledge and working the front of the defense and Brian's knowledge on the back end, I think that makes for a very special combination,” added Montgomery. “They allow us the opportunity to put together the type of defense that we need not only to win in this league, but to win conference championships and have a chance to play in the type of bowl games that we want to participate in.”

During Baylor's 2013 Big 12 championship season, Norwood coached first-team All-American and NFL draftee Ahmad Dixon. Both of Baylor's 2011 starting safeties, Mike Hicks and Sam Holl, earned All-Big 12 honors that season. Holl finished second on the squad with 113 total tackles and Hicks was third with 105 – each had three interceptions. In 2010, Norwood coached first-team All-Big 12 honoree Byron Landor, who totaled 127 tackles.

“Brian has done an excellent job recruiting the Metroplex and Austin (Texas) areas. I feel blessed to have his kind of experience on our coaching staff and the reputation that he will carry throughout our program and on the recruiting trail,” said Montgomery.

“He will be tremendous coaching our safeties. Brian has been an integral part of recruiting and coaching guys on the back end, whether at Penn State, Texas Tech or wherever he's been, but just talking about the one's at Baylor –– Ahmad Dixon is a guy that came in and played as a freshman, earned all-conference and All-American honors, and has the opportunity to play in the league,” added Montgomery. “Brian has the knowledge and experience to help our student-athletes mature and guide them to take that next step into professional football.”

Prior to Baylor, Norwood spent seven seasons as safeties coach on College Football Hall of Fame head coach Joe Paterno's Penn State staff.

Norwood began his career as a graduate assistant coach at Arizona (1990-91), before spending three seasons (1992-94) as outside linebackers coach at Richmond. He then spent five years at the U.S. Naval Academy (1995-99) as defensive backs coach and one season at Texas Tech (2000) as defensive backs coach before moving to Penn State in 2001.

“I'm excited to be a part of building a successful program with Coach Montgomery at The University of Tulsa. It's a tremendous opportunity to work with Coach Young in coordinating the defense,” said Norwood. “I look forward to working with our student-athletes and helping them succeed in all areas of life.”

“Coach Montgomery and I had a great relationship during our time at Baylor as we were able to be a part of changing that program. I look forward to helping get Tulsa football back to where our fans want to see it,” added Norwood.

During Norwood's seven seasons at Penn State, the Nittany Lions led the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense twice (2004 and 2005) and finished third on two occasions (2003 and 2006). Nationally, Penn State ranked among the nation's top 25 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 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (17.58 ppg), ninth in total defense (306.58 ypg) 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, now on the Tulsa coaching staff as receivers coach.

At Navy, Norwood tutored Sean Andrews, who earned second-team All-America honors in 1995, as well as Robert Green, an All-Independents team selection. In Norwood's second season in Annapolis, Navy fashioned its best record since 1978 at 9-3 and registered a 42-38 victory over California in the 1996 Aloha Bowl. With Norwood on staff, the Midshipmen posted back-to-back winning seasons (1996 and 1997) for the first time since a five-year run of winning campaigns ended in 1982.

In his lone season at Texas Tech, Norwood coached strong safety Kevin Curtis, a first-team All-Big 12 honoree who shared the Red Raiders' MVP honor. The Red Raiders played in the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl.

Norwood, who calls Honolulu, Hawai'i and Glenarden, Md., home, graduated from the University of Hawai'i in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in communication. He was a four-year letterman as a cornerback/safety for the Rainbows from 1983 through 1987 and received the team's Most Improved Defensive Back award as a senior.

He and his wife Tiffiney have five children: Gabriel, Jordan, Levi, Brianna and Zaccariah.

Gabriel was a member of George Mason's 2006 men's basketball Final Four team and plays professionally in the Philippines, where he has been a key member of the Philippines' national basketball team. Jordan has played wide receiver in the NFL since 2009 and is currently with the Denver Broncos. Levi was a senior wide receiver at Baylor in 2014. Brianna is completing her senior year on the George Mason Masonette Dance Team, while Zaccariah is a freshman at George Washington University.