John Brickels

John Lewis "Stub" Brickels ( – ) was a high school, college and professional football coach who served as a backfield coach for the Cleveland Browns between 1946 and 1948. Brickels began his coaching career in 1930, after graduating from Wittenberg University in Ohio, where he was a standout as a halfback on the school's football team. He coached high school football and basketball teams in Ohio and West Virginia in the 1930s and early 1940s before becoming the head basketball coach at the West Virginia University in 1944. He held that post until 1945, when Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown hired him to recruit players for the Browns, a team under formation in the All-America Football Conference, while Brown served in the U.S. Navy during

When the Browns began play in 1946, Brickels became the team's backfield coach, holding the post until he was named an assistant football coach at Miami University after the 1948 season. He was promoted to head basketball coach and athletic director the following year, and remained in that position until his death of a heart attack in 1964.

College career Brickels attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, where he played four sports and was a star halfback on the school's football team. He graduated from Wittenberg in 1930 and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji).

Coaching career After graduating from college, Brickels, nicknamed "Stub", was hired as an assistant football and basketball coach at New Philadelphia High School in New Philadelphia, Ohio. During one successful run, his football team won 36 of 40 games. In 1944, he was named the head basketball coach at the West Virginia University, and led the team to the National Invitation Tournament in 1945.

When the Browns started play, Brickels became a backfield coach.