NEW: Brown Football Names Bryant’s James Perry Head Coach
Tuesday, December 04, 2018
James Perry is leaving his position as head football coach at Bryant University to take the head coaching job at Brown University.
"I would like to thank all the people at Bryant University for their support during my time as head football coach. I will be forever grateful to Athletic Director Bill Smith and President Machtley for giving me this opportunity. Their commitment to football at Bryant is unparalleled," said Perry in a statement.
Perry replaces Phil Estes who parted ways with Brown after winning just three games over the last two seasons.
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Since the Ivy League was formed in 1956, only two Brown teams have won nine or more games in a season, both teams coached by Estes, in 2005 (9-1) and 1999 (9-1).
For Bryant, they will begin a national search immediately.
Perry at Bryant
Over the last two seasons, Perry led Bryant to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2010-11.
Under Bryant, Perry averaged over 30 points and over 400 yards of total offense per game in each of the last two seasons.
At Bryant, Perry had a record of 12-10 overall.
"We'd like to thank James for his commitment and dedication to Bryant Football over the past two seasons. James did a great job of continuing and growing the tradition of Bryant Football both on the playing field and in the classroom. We are happy to have given James his head coaching start and we wish him the best of luck at his alma mater,” said Bryant Director of Athletics Bill Smith.
Perry coached 11 All-Northeast Conference selections, two All-Americans and the two NEC major award winners in his two seasons at Bryant.
Prior to Bryant
A 2000 graduate of Brown, Perry was named the Ivy League Player of the Year and a finalist for the Walter Payton Award as a senior in 1999.
He threw for 3,255 yards and 27 touchdowns to lead the Bears to an Ivy League title in 1999.
Perry also spent three years as a quarterbacks coach at Brown from 2007-09, helping the Bears win an Ivy League title in 2008.