From 2011 to 2016 I would often find myself in Corvallis, Oregon. I’d fall in love with the fall foliage, the beautiful dimes from Sean Mannion, the crisp routes by Brandin Cooks and the production meetings with Mike Riley. But above all of that, what I enjoyed the most were Friday afternoons.
Post meetings and post practice I would find myself alongside one of the most positive, optimistic and talented coaches in the nation and for an hour we would run the campus while talking about life, coaching philosophy and his family.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, that man was Brent Brennan.
Back in the day it was clear that he had a vision for what he felt coaching was and while the X’s and O’s were a major part of that – Brent’s voice always took a different tone when he spoke about culture, team building and leadership. Not a surprise when you learn about his late father, Steve, who played WR at San Jose State. Not a shocker when you learn how the great Dick Tomey poured into him. And definitely not a surprise when you meet his wife, Courtney, who is a total rock star and went pseudo viral with her recruiting of Noah Fifita.
When he was named the head coach at San Jose State in 2017, I would visit with him once or twice per year and have him on my podcast, and each time his passion for culture only grew. After winning the Mountain West Championship, he wasn’t looking for the next best job, he was competing to be the absolute best version of himself as the leader of young men. He spent his off-season learning from the likes of Phil Jackson, among many others.
Since Brent Brennan has arrived at Arizona he has continued to place dramatic emphasis on culture, team building and grounded principles that have led his past teams to success. He’s on the razor's edge of high performance when it comes to bringing people together to truly tap into who they are, and what sports can do for them.
And in an era when most conversations are, at times, are filled with NIL, transfer portal and media rights dialogue – Brent Brennan is leading his new program into discussions around commitment, connection and ‘ohana.
Presented by our founding partner 76, I hope you enjoy our conversion from Big-12 Media Days and learn a little bit more about what makes Brent Brennan the man that he is.
And I’d bet he would recommend that you listen on a run. I would.
This episode is produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Jessica Altman.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Brent Brennan: Creating Culture through Connection