David Braun (American football)

David Braun
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamNorthwestern
ConferenceBig Ten
Record12–13
Biographical details
Born (1985-04-02) April 2, 1985 (age 39)
Lake Forest, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materWinona State
Playing career
2004–2007Winona State
Position(s)Defensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2008–2009Winona State (GA)
2010Culver–Stockton (DC/LB)
2011–2014Winona State (co-DC/LB)
2015–2016UC Davis (DL)
2017Northern Iowa (RGC/DL)
2018Northern Iowa (STC/OLB)
2019–2022North Dakota State (DC/S)
2023Northwestern (interim HC/DC/gained full-time job in week 12 2023)
2023–presentNorthwestern
Head coaching record
Overall12–13
Bowls1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Awards

David Braun (born April 2, 1985) is an American college football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for Northwestern.

Coaching career

Braun is from Wales, Wisconsin, where he attended Kettle Moraine High School.[1] Braun began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Winona State University, his alma mater, in 2008. In 2010 he was made the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Culver-Stockton. In 2011 he returned to Winona State[2] where he worked as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach[3] until the end of the 2014 season. In 2015 he became the defensive line coach at UC Davis[4] where he stayed until the end of the 2016 season. In 2017 he was made the defensive line coach and run game coordinator at Northern Iowa.[5] In 2018 he was made the outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. He was named the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at North Dakota State University in January 2019.[6][7][8]

Northwestern

2023 Season

Braun was hired by head coach Pat Fitzgerald as defensive coordinator at Northwestern in January 2023.[9][10] After Fitzgerald was fired amid allegations of widespread hazing within the football program, Braun was named Northwestern's interim head coach.[11] The week after Northwestern broke its 14-game road losing streak by defeating Wisconsin, Braun was made Northwestern's permanent head coach.[12] Northwestern finished the regular season with a 7–5 record—the most wins for any first-year Northwestern football coach since 1903—and qualified for a Bowl game for the first time since 2020.[13] Braun was named the 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year for his turnaround of the program.[14] He led his team to a victory with the Wildcats at the Las Vegas Bowl—against the Utah Utes—on December 23, 2023.[15] Braun is the first Northwestern head coach to lead a team to a bowl in his opening season.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Northwestern Wildcats (Big Ten Conference) (2023–present)
2023 Northwestern 8–5 5–4 T–2nd (West) W Las Vegas
2024 Northwestern 4–8 2–7 16th
Northwestern: 12–13 7–11
Total: 12–13

References

  1. ^ "#93 Dave Braun". Winona State Athletics. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  2. ^ Scoggins, Chip (November 16, 2021). "Longtime Winona State football coach Tom Sawyer retires to chase a new set of dreams". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  3. ^ "West's Radloff heading to Winona State". USA Today High School Sports. January 28, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  4. ^ "Aggie D-line has brains and Braun". Davis Enterprise. August 18, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  5. ^ Southard, Dargan. "UNI football: 'There are no egos' on overhauled coaching staff". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "North Dakota State names Braun as defensive coordinator". The Associated Press. January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "North Dakota State names Braun as defensive coordinator". USA Today. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  8. ^ "NDSU Introduces Football Coaching Staff". KVRR Local News. January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  9. ^ "WildcatReport – Report: Northwestern to hire NDSU's David Braun as defensive coordinator". northwestern.rivals.com. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "Sources: Northwestern set to hire Braun as DC". ESPN.com. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  11. ^ Thamel, Pete (July 10, 2023). "Northwestern fires Fitzgerald amid hazing claims". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  12. ^ Chicago Tribune staff (November 15, 2023). "David Braun named Northwestern's permanent head football coach midway through interim season". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  13. ^ Price, Lawrence (November 28, 2023). "Football: David Braun named Big Ten Coach of the Year". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  14. ^ Ortiz, Alex (November 28, 2023). "Northwestern's David Braun named Big Ten Coach of the Year". CBS. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  15. ^ Kern, Kirk (December 24, 2023). "Ben Bryant leads Northwestern past Utah 14-7 in Las Vegas Bowl". AP News. Retrieved December 24, 2023.