Cor Story: From the NFL to Team Facilities
Date published: Feb. 28, 2019
Brandon Cox, MBA ’18, first heard about UD in 2013 when he was looking for an MBA
program. While searching UD’s website he also noticed there was a job opening in the
Facilities Department.
Looking at the job description, he felt that working on the grounds crew in Facilities
was something he would enjoy. As an undergraduate at the University of Louisiana at
Lafayette, Cox had spent his summers working with the housing crew putting together
beds in residence halls and had enjoyed this experience.
As both a student and a staff member, Cox was immediately drawn to the family and
close-knit community that UD has to offer.
“I started working on the grounds crew, and everyone in the department was friendly,”
said Cox. “I drive by people in my golf cart and they say, ‘Hi Brandon, how are you?’
and there’s something to that — it doesn’t make work seem like work.”
Towering at 6 feet 7 inches, Cox grew up playing basketball in PIttsburg, but when
he moved to Irving in high school his coaches suggested he play football. Being a
natural, Cox played four years at Nimitz High School and then went to the University
of Louisiana, where he excelled on the football field while studying criminal justice.
In his senior year, Cox was placed on the Lombardi Watch List for the nation’s best
lineman. After college, Cox spent a summer playing with the Chicago Bears in the NFL.
On the field, Cox played guard and tackle on the offensive line — a job whose main
function is to protect the team’s quarterback (think The Blind Side). Playing on the offensive line requires a tremendous amount of teamwork and dependability
— skills toward which Cox has always gravitated.
In the Facilities Department, Cox manages and leads the grounds crew; the roles and
responsibilities of his team vary tremendously from day-to-day. “We do everything
from irrigation to landscaping. One day we might be fixing a pipe in the ground, the
next day we might be planting plants. One thing we just finished doing was putting
up three-tiered seating around the baseball field for the fans. We’re always looking
for ways the campus can be beautified or improved upon.”
In true team fashion, Cox’s favorite type of projects include tasks where the crew
draws upon the skills of everyone in the group.
“One of the reasons why I like this job so much is because it’s a team. Everything
I’ve ever done has been as a team. You can compare the roles we have here with roles
on the football field. On the football field, the quarterback, offensive lineman and
running back all have different jobs. Whether it’s throwing the ball, blocking or
running the ball, it all comes together for one goal, and our team’s goal is to beautify
the campus.”
Reflecting back on the nearly six years that Cox has been at UD, he notes that the
biggest changes he’s seen have been the new buildings and the new beauty that’s come
along with them. “I always forget to take before-and-after pictures,” he jokes.
One of Cox’s next projects includes improvements to the pergola near Augustine Hall.
While he’s keeping the final plans for the pergola a secret for now, he’s excited
for everyone to see and enjoy the finished product.
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