Willie Brown, Ex-USC Football/Baseball Star And Assistant Coach, Dies

Willie Brown, USC's original I-formation tailback who was a player and assistant coach on Trojan national championship football and baseball teams, died this morning (Thursday, July 26) in Carson, Calif., of cancer. He was 76.

A public viewing is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 9, from 4-8 p.m. at the Second Baptist Church at 1471 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Long Beach, 90813. Funeral services will be on Friday, Aug.10, at 11 a.m., with a viewing available from 9 a.m. at Long Beach Poly High School Auditorium at 1600 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, 90813.

A 3-year letterman (1961-63) and 2-time All-Conference first teamer (1962-63) in football at USC, he was a member of Troy's 1962 national championship team and captained the 1963 squad. He played tailback his first 2 seasons, including when head coach John McKay introduced the I-formation to the Trojan offense in 1961, then he was a flanker in 1963.

Brown led USC in rushing (574 yards) and kickoff returns in 1962, when he was chosen the team's Back of the Year, and in both receiving (34 catches) and scoring (44 points) in 1963, when he was its Most Inspirational Player. He also led USC in punt returns and interceptions in both 1962 and 1963. He rushed for 1,294 yards in his career. He played in the Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine Game, College All-Star Game and Coaches All-America Game.

He also lettered 3 years (1962-64) as a centerfielder and shortstop on the Trojan baseball team (the 1963 squad won the College World Series). He won 1963 All-Conference honors when he led Troy in batting average (.352) and runs (39).

Brown spent 3 years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams (1964-65) and Philadelphia Eagles (1966) before returning to USC as an assistant football coach for 8 years (1968-75), including with the 1972 and 1974 national champs. He also served as a Trojan baseball assistant in 1969 and 1970 (USC won the 1970 College World Series).

He then was an assistant coach in the NFL before becoming a restaurant franchisee. From 1996 to 2016, he was an academic monitor in USC's Student-Athlete Academic Services.

Brown was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

He was the CIF Player of the Year in football in 1959 at Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High.

He is survived by his wife, Carole, son, Brian, daughter, Kimberly and grandchildren Nathan and Alana, as well as his brother, Oscar, who played baseball at USC and with the Atlanta Braves. His other brother, Ollie, who played in the majors with the San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies, died in 2015.

University Southern California Trojans

Willie Brown, Ex-USC Football/Baseball Star And Assistant Coach, Dies

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