The Maryville High School football coaching staff was already great.

It got even better this week.

Lamar Brown, who led the West High School football program to 5A championships in 2022 and 2023, has officially joined the Maryville staff as an assistant.

Maryville coach Derek Hunt confirmed the news to 5Star Preps on Thursday morning. Brown’s first day with the Maryville program was Wednesday.

Brown will be a defensive coach at Maryville, Hunt said.

“He’s one of the classiest coaches I’ve ever known. Obviously, his integrity is through the roof,” Hunt told 5Star Preps. “We’ve been pretty good friends ever since I’ve been head coach at Maryville and have talked, probably, every other week throughout the seasons — even when we’re playing each other.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in the area who had a better culture as a head coach than he did. He understood how to get kids to play hard and to play for each other. That’s everything we want to do at Maryville. So when we were able to sit down and meet and talk, I think he’s exactly what we want and will be a great fit for us. We’ve got tons of former head coaches on our staff. And so he just adds to the list of already great coaches that we have. We’re ecstatic to have Coach Brown on our staff.”

Maryville and West played each other during the 2021-2024 seasons, with the two programs splitting the wins in those four meetings.

Maryville won last season, 35-14.

Maryville will host West on August 29 this season.

“He’s not a trendy, flavor-of-the-week type of a coach, as far as schematics go. West High School was fundamentally sound. They lined up. They played hard. They executed at a high level. That’s why they were championship-caliber teams,” Hunt said of facing Brown’s teams at West. “And so, they had an identity always, on both sides of the ball. Again, when he was at West, our teams were very similar in philosophies in what we were trying to accomplish and how we were trying to be successful.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of different ways to try and be successful. But I think Maryville and West were very similar. And he and I would talk a lot about that in how we practice and how we handled things — not just on the football field but off of it. That’s why I think he’s such a great fit for our staff. He understands how we’re trying to do it, because that’s the way he did it. I’ll learn a lot from him, just having him around.”

Brown coached eight seasons and won 84 games at West but was removed as head coach by Knox County Schools in mid-June in the wake of two investigations into West assistant coaches concerning allegations of sexual improprieties with minors/ students.

Brown has maintained his innocence in the matter and spoke with 5Star Preps following his ouster to further take a stance that he had no knowledge of what his assistants allegedly did.

His new position with Maryville football isn’t necessarily a cure-all for all that Brown has endured mentally and emotionally the last few months. But it has provided Brown some positivity, purpose and direction, he said.

“I’d like to thank Coach Hunt for this opportunity. Maryville is a very special place. The coaches there, the players, the administration and community has been unbelievable to me so far. I’m just very thankful for this opportunity.

“I think Maryville is a place where they pride themselves in doing things the right way,” Brown added. “And, it’s a place I’ve always looked at and admired. Me and Derek have been good friends ever since he became the head coach. It was a fit in a lot of ways. The way they build their culture is really impressive, to be a part of it and see it. There’s a lot I can learn from them.”

Maryville reached the 6A state semifinals last season. The program ranks second, all-time, in state football championships won with 17, the last of which came in 2019.

The Rebels open the season Aug. 22 at rival Alcoa.

Article written by Jesse Smithey/5Star Preps To read more on area high school sports or to see photo galleries, videos, stat leaders, etc… visit 5StarPreps.com — and use promo code New2025 for 30% off your first year or month subscription.

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