Cal Makes Defensive Coaching Promotions

BERKELEY – Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced elevations within his coaching staff Friday afternoon, with Terrence Brown assuming the role of Passing Game Coordinator and Michael Bruno stepping into the position of Insider Linebackers coach.

Brown, who will also continue to serve as a Co-Defensive Backs coach, enters his fourth season with the Golden Bears in 2025. This past season, he co-mentored consensus All-American Nohl Williams, who ended the 2024 campaign as the nation’s interceptions leader with seven. Brown was also instrumental in the development of 2025 NFL draft prospects Craig Woodson and Marcus Harris.

Brown co-coached a 2023 unit that helped the Cal defense become elite in the turnover department; the Bears led the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained. He also coached defensive back Patrick McMorris, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. In his first season on Cal’s staff (2022), Brown instructed one of the Pac-12’s top safeties in Daniel Scott, a fifth-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Prior to Cal, Brown was an assistant defensive backs coach at Washington from 2020-21, his second stint with the Huskies after serving as a graduate assistant from 2015-17. He assisted a 2021 defensive backs group that helped the Huskies lead the nation with the fewest passing yards allowed per game (143.3 YPG), paced the Pac-12 and ranked third nationally in team passing efficiency defense (106.71), and was the least penalized team in the league while ranking in the top 15 nationally in all penalty categories. He also had a stop at Vanderbilt as the cornerbacks coach from 2018-19.

Brown played collegiately at Stanford from 2009-12 and earned his bachelor’s degree in science, technology and society before earning a master’s of education from Washington in 2017.

Bruno returned to Berkeley last season for his second stint with the Bears as a defensive analyst, after previously working with Cal from 2018-21. Collaborating closely with defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon, Bruno assisted with defensive breakdowns, opponent scouting and the defensive playbook, in addition to a heavy involvement in recruiting efforts.

Prior to re-joining Cal’s staff, Bruno was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Minot State in 2023 and led its defense to the top of the NSiC in pass defense. He also had a stint with UNLV in 2022 as the inside linebackers coach, where he instructed Austin Ajiake, who earned Mountain West Linebacker of the Year accolades. Bruno additionally had stops at Louisville (2017) and Mississippi State (2016) on Sirmon’s staffs.

Bruno spent five seasons from 2011-15 as a nickelback, assistant secondary and assistant special teams coach at Dartmouth, with the Big Green winning the Ivy League crown in 2015 in his final campaign. He began his coaching career with a three-season stint at Division III Worcester Poly (2009-10) of the then-Liberty League as a special teams coordinator while also coaching the running backs, defensive backs and defensive line during his tenure.

Bruno earned his bachelor's degree from Saint Lawrence in 2009 and his master's in teaching from Mississippi State in 2017.