Cookeville, TN -- (Sports Network) - Watson Brown resigned as head football coach at Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday, and on the same day, took over the reins at Division I-AA Tennessee Tech.

The 56-year-old Brown was born in Cookeville, Tennessee. He becomes just the 10th head football coach in Tech history. Brown replaces Mike Hennigan, who had spent the last 10 years as Tennessee Tech's head coach, but was forced to spend the 2006 season on medical leave.

Doug Malone was the acting coach for the Golden Eagles this past season.

"We're excited to be coming back to Cookeville. It's a great time for us at Tennessee Tech," said Brown. "The time is right, and this is a great opportunity to make a quick move and really improve the Golden Eagle football program to the point where we can win conference championships and make a run at a national championship. We want to win immediately."

Brown had spent the past 12 years at UAB, which moved from I-AA to I-A in 1996. The Blazers were 3-9 this past season, the school's worst mark during Brown's tenure, and 62-74 under his guidance.

Brown has a career record of 94-151-1 in 22 seasons as a collegiate head coach at Austin Peay (1979-80), Cincinnati (1983), Rice (1984-85), Vanderbilt (1986-90) and UAB (1995-2006).

"We are excited to attract a coach with the head coaching experience that Watson Brown has," TTU athletic director Mark Wilson said. "We look forward to him leading our team to Ohio Valley Conference championships, regional and national prominence."

Brown is the brother of Texas head coach Mack Brown.