Willie Brown, a Hall of Fame defensive back, was hired Tuesday as coach at Long Beach State, succeeding the late George Allen.
Brown, 49, coached the Long Beach secondary last season when Allen came out of retirement at age 72 to guide the 49ers to a 6-5 record, their first winning season in four years.
Allen died at his home on Dec. 31.
”This is a great opportunity for me,” Brown said. ”This is something I have always dreamed of. I`m extremely excited and looking forward to getting started.”
Brown, who signed a three-year contract with Long Beach State, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984, his first year of eligibility, as a defensive back. He had his best years for the Oakland Raiders, from 1967 through 1978.
Following his retirement, he was an assistant for the Raiders until 1988 and was a senior administrator in the team`s Community Relations Office in 1989.
The hiring of Brown was announced by Long Beach Athletic Director Corey Johnson, who made the surprise decision in late 1989 to hire Allen.
