Head Coach Mike Neighbors continued to tinker with his staff, as he announced the promotion of longtime Director of Video and Scouting Jeff Brazil for the 2021-22 season. Brazil now serves as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach & the Director of Video.
“Job titles are a tradition in organizations, but they rarely depict the impact that a person has on the success of their teams,” Neighbors said. “That is especially true in the case of Jeff Brazil having ‘Video Coordinator’ on his door plaque. While he does coordinate every aspect of our vast video department, it is only a fraction of how much he means and has meant to our program for the last 15 years. He is the first to jump to a player’s defense when an unruly road fan has comments for our players. He is the first to anticipate needs of our coaching staff. He is the first to show up with a truck to load tables and last to leave when we are hauling off the trash. His insights into games, practices and every aspect of our blueprint have been a huge part of what we started four years ago. And while there still isn’t a title to accurately describe all of his contributions to our success, the title of Special Assistant to the Head Coach is a good place to start.”
During his 13-year tenure on the Hill, second only on Neighbors’ staff to Arkansas Women’s Basketball legend Amber Shirey, Brazil’s longevity and versatility have been key in helping transform the program from a scouting standpoint. In his role as the Director of Video and Scouting, Brazil is responsible for coordinating team video, scouting and game plans. He is responsible for all aspects of video editing for the Razorbacks. He also plays a key role in digital video exchange and professional highlight videos, maintaining the video databases, as well as assisting players and coaches with preparation and development.
Other duties Brazil performs include assisting with on campus recruiting, managing team equipment and apparel, developing and maintaining the operations budget, managing applications for admissions and coordinating game contracts.
A native of Colcord, Oklahoma, Brazil’s experience includes stints as a student manager at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Oklahoma State under Eddie Sutton with the men’s basketball teams. Brazil assisted former Razorback coach Nolan Richardson and the WNBA’s Tulsa Shock with video in 2010-2011. He is a member of the Rising Coaches Elite organization as well.
Brazil is married to the former Sheri McElroy of Springdale, Ark., and is a 2010 University of Arkansas graduate in education. He completed his master’s degree in physical education in 2012. The couple has a son, Karson.
