After a two-year battle with brain cancer, former Fresno State defensive coordinator Dan Brown passed away late Friday night. He was only 50 years old.

Brown was an assistant coach with the Bulldog football team for the past 12 seasons and spent his final two years battling not only opponents, but also a serious illness.

Even through chemotherapy and experimental treatment, Brown rarely missed a practice and only missed one game while with the Bulldogs.

Brown had surgery to remove the cancerous tumor in Nov. 2007 and with treatment, it was thought that the surgery was a success.

But Brown experienced a relapse and the cancer began to grow again.

He announced that he would be retiring prior to the Bulldogs̢۪ 2008 trip to the New Mexico Bowl. Brown said he would be spending more time with his family.

Leaving a legacy

He became an inspiration for his team and was very well respected on and off the field by his players.

In an Aug. 2008 story published in The Collegian, his players said they have an immense amount of respect for their coach and what he has taught them.

“He told us to not let any challenges hold you back,â€Â strong safety Moses Harris said in Aug. 2008. “He’s persevered through life’s challenges.â€Â

According to those close to him, Brown was always quick to deflect attention from his illness and rarely granted an interview to talk about it. He was always a team-first person.

Brown and his wife, Mindy, have six children. Two of their sons, Eric and Travis, are going to be playing linebacker for the Bulldogs this fall.

Eric will be a redshirt junior and Travis will be a true freshman this fall season.

A funeral service to honor Brown is still pending.

Check back later this week for more about the life and memories of coach Dan Brown.