Brownwood ISD Athletic Director Mitch Moore on Monday announced the hire of former Howard Payne Yellow Jacket Jorden Young, most recently head coach at Santo High School, as the new head coach for Brownwood Lions basketball.

“What impressed me and one of the main things I talked to him about was participation numbers and getting kids to want to play,” Moore said. “In a small school, he tripled his number in just a few years. He understands getting kids to participate in as many sports as you can. His head coaching record hasn’t been what he would like it to be, but he was in a district with Lipan so he knows what it takes to compete in a district against some highly-ranked, state-caliber teams.”

Moore stated BISD received applications from and conducted interviews with assistant coaches at Class 6A programs near Houston as well as the Metroplex, along with mid-size and small school head coaches well.

“We were looking for the best fit for Brownwood, and I had some conversations with (former Brownwood and current Howard Payne head coach) Nadir Dalleh the past few weeks about the position,” Moore said. “I value his opinion and I mentioned Jorden reached out and he told me he was going to reach out to me and let me know Jorden is someone we should go after. Without even knowing it, Coach Dalleh and I were having conversations about the same guy so I’m excited for that.”

Young has 10 years of coaching experience, including four as a high school head coach, and in 2024 he was named the District 11-2A Coach of the Year. He will be replacing Will Parker, whose tenure as Brownwood head coach concluded after four seasons.

A 2015 graduate of Howard Payne University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Wellness, Young later obtained a Master’s of Education I Sports and Wellness Leadership from HPU in 2017.

“He’s a Howard Payne graduate, he played basketball at Howard Payne and did his student teaching at Brownwood High School when I was principal,” Moore said. “Knowing him and having some personal connection with him, I think, is good, too, so I can help him build a program.”

The coaching career for Young started as a graduate assistant for the Yellow Jackets during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, then he became full-time assistant at HPU through the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

Young moved on to East Texas Baptist University for one season, where he served as an assistant for the women’s program during the 2020-21 campaign, before arriving at Santo for his first job both as a head coach and at the high school level.

The Lions are coming a 14-19 campaign and 1-9 mark against 6-4A foes as Brownwood has won just one district contest over the past two seasons.

Young is finishing his spring sports coaching duties at Santo and won’t start full time at Brownwood until the 2025-26 school year. Moore, however, anticipates having Young visit frequently following the conclusion of Santo’s softball season, as he serves as an assistant coach.