Former Cardinal and NFL lineman Brandon Dunn back home to coach PRP football

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are some changes happening for Pleasure Ridge Park High School football. There's a brand new turf field along with new stands and a new press box.

And a new coaching staff.

It's headlined by the new head coach, former Panther Brandon Dunn. The 2010 PRP graduate played four year at UofL, then despite going undrafted, lasted seven years as a defensive lineman in the NFL.

"It's home. It's always home," said Dunn about what brought him back to Louisville. "My parents is here. My wife's parents is here. We got kids. They got grandkids. They want to see them. I can't really go nowhere else. I hate driving to go see them. They've got a good relationship. It makes it a no brainer to move back home.

"I can't stay away from ball too long. I got blessed with this opportunity to coach my alma mater, and I jumped on it."

Senior Quarterback Dean Hynniman said Dunn definitely knows some football.

"It's great," said Hynniman. "It's someone to look up to, someone who's done it all so we know that everything that comes out of his mouth, we can trust."

"It's definitely great to look up to," said senior linebacker Tucker Roth. "I want to go to college, he's been there. He's been past there to the NFL. That's where I want to be. So he's a good person to look up to."

Another NFL veteran is part of the coaching staff. Offensive line coach Jamon Brown played at Fern Creek High School, then was a teammate of Dunn's at UofL and played six years in the league.

Brown, Dunn and the entire staff are providing more than just football advice to this team.

"The main thing I try to tell them is if someone's in your life every day, listen to them," said Dunn. "You might not have it at your house, but you have it here with our coaching staff. That's what we offer."

PRP has a scrimmage Friday against Manual then they start the Brandon Dunn era in earnest when they open the regular season the following Friday when Taft High School from Cincinnati comes to visit them on the new turf.