Miles Brandon enters his ninth season coaching the Prairie View A&M defensive line. Brandon came to Prairie View A&M with a wealth of coaching experience, including a stint as head coach at Lane College.
A three-year letterwinner on the defensive line at Ohio University from 1982 to 1987, Brandon has been instrumental in helping Prairie View’s defense become one of the nation’s best on the Football Championship Subdivision and has also found a knack for developing student-athletes into legitimate NFL prospects.
For the third straight season and fourth time in five years, Brandon developed an NFL prospect as defensive end Jarvis Wilson signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers. Wilson closed out his career with a career-high 63 tackles as a senior in addition to eight tackles for loss.
Wilson's signing marked the first time since the mid-80s that three former Prairie View A&M players were in NFL Training Camps at the same time.
Once again, Brandon got the best out of his defensive line in 2011 as three players posted career highs led by All-Time SWAC single-season sack leader and Dallas Cowboys free agent signee Adrian Hamilton. Hamilton emerged as one of the top defenders in the nation as he set the SWAC and Prairie View A&M single-season sack record with 20.5 sacks en route to earning 2011 co-SWAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and a third-place finish in the 2011 Buck Buchanan Award voting, which is awarded to the top defender on the Football Championship Subdivision level. Defensive end Jarvis Wilson also had a solid campaign as he tallied career-best 59 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Inside, defensive tackles Ryan Love and Dwayne Chappell emerged as a solid tandem as the duo combined for 77 tackles and nine tackles for loss.
During the 2010 campaign, defensive lineman Quinton Spears capped off a memorable career at Prairie View with his third straight All-SWAC and second consecutive first team selection after tallying a career-high 70 tackles, nine sacks and three blocked kicks. As a result, Spears’ performance caught the eyes of NFL scouts as he signed a free agent contact with the Miami Dolphins before earning a roster spot with the Cleveland Browns. As a team, the defensive line was instrumental in Prairie View A&M achieving its fourth straight winning season as they held three teams to 80 yards or less on the ground.
In 2009, the Panthers featured an All-SWAC First Teamer in defensive end Spears and finished tied for fifth in rush defense amongst SWAC foes. In addition, Brandon’s line played a major part in holding four teams to 74 yards or less on the ground along with helping the defensive tackle duo of Devin Boyd and Dalvin Nettles finish the year with career highs in tackles.Â
During the 2008 campaign, Prairie View’s defensive line was one of the top units on the FCS level as they ranked third nationally in rush and total defense. Spears was rewarded for his play in the trenches with a selection on the All-SWAC Second Team after leading a unit that garnered 32 sacks on the season.
In 2007, Prairie View’s defensive line played a key role in helping the team capture its first winning season in four decades. As a unit, the Panthers finished third nationally in total defense and first among SWAC schools in red zone defense. In addition, Brandon also coached an all-conference performer in defensive lineman Jon Johnson. During the 2006 campaign, Brandon’s line helped the team set a school record for fewest yards rushing by an opponent after holding Edward Waters College to -35 yards rushing. Also that season, Prairie View ranked atop the SWAC in total defense along with featuring All-SWAC First Team defensive end and future NFL free agent signee Jermaine McGhee.
Prior to coaching at Prairie View A&M, Brandon spent three years as head coach of Lane College in Jackson, Tenn. While serving as head coach, Brandon played a major role in recruiting, strength and conditioning and the overall administration of Lane’s football program. Under Brandon’s watch, Lane College had two players during his tenure earn roster spots in the NFL.
After two years of coaching on the high school level in the state of Ohio, Brandon moved up to the collegiate level in 1990 and spent two years coaching the defensive lines at Urbana University in Ohio followed by a year at Clarion University in the state of Pennsylvania. He left Clarion in 1994 and moved to Kentucky for the position of defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coordinator at Morehead State University.
A participant in the 2006 NCAA Football Coaching Academy and an intern with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the summer of 2009, Brandon is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa. and holds a bachelor’s from Ohio University and a master’s from Prairie View A&M. Brandon is married to the former Latonya C. Schooling of Radcliff, Ky. They have two children, Summer (12) and Miles, Jr. (10).
The Brandon File
Hometown:Â Â Â Pittsburgh, Pa.
Wife:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Latonya
Children:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Summer (12) and Miles, Jr. (10).
College:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ohio University (1987)
High School:Â Schenley
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2005-2013 Â Â Â Prairie View A&M, defensive line
2000-2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Lane College/head coach
1995-2000Â Â Â Â Â Â Morehead State/defensive line/strength & conditioning
1993-1994Â Â Â Â Â Â Clarion University/defensive line
1990-1992Â Â Â Â Â Â Urbana University/defensive line
1989-1990Â Â Â Â Â Â Middletown (Ohio) H.S./assistant coach
1988-1989Â Â Â Â Â Â Springfield South (Ohio) H.S./assistant coach
