8 Teams Set to Open Training Camps Next Week to Begin Inaugural Season

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 17, 2022 – As the new United States Football League (USFL) gets set to open training camps next week in advance of its April 16 regular-season kickoff, the League today announced its eight team coaching staffs. In addition to the Head Coach, each team will have six official coaching positions and two team assistants, many of whom handle multiple responsibilities for each 45-player roster.

USFL team staffs have strong backgrounds coaching football in the fall and spring. From the NFL to NCAA, CFL to NFL Europe, or UFL to AAF, there are a wide array of coaching experiences to help the USFL’s 360 total players prepare for the upcoming inaugural season.

“Just as the USFL provides opportunities for hundreds of players to continue playing the game they love, our League is also providing opportunities for dozens of coaches,” said Daryl Johnston, USFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “No matter where their football journey has taken them, all of our coaches have a passion for the game and the desire to share that passion with their players.”

USFL coaches will take the field with their players starting April 16 to compete in 40 regular-season games, all in Birmingham. All tickets will be “single day,” which allows entry to all USFL games played on any one date. Adult general admission tickets for regular-season games are $10, and each adult can receive up to three free single-day tickets for children under 15. General admission, premium, and reserved tickets are now available for purchase at theUSFL.com.

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                         

Skip Holtz                             HC/OC/QB            College – UConn, South Carolina, East Carolina, South Florida, La. Tech, Colorado State, Notre Dame, Florida State

Corey Chamblin                  DB                          CFL – Toronto, Saskatchewan, Hamilton, Calgary, Winnipeg NFL Europe – Frankfurt; College – Arkansas

John Chavis                        DC/LB                    College – Arkansas, Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M, Alabama, A&M, Alabama St.

Jonathan Himebauch       OL                           CFL – Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton, Toronto

College – San Diego State, UNLV, Wake Forest, Air Force, Nevada, AAF – San Antonio; XFL – Tampa Bay

Bill Johnson                        DL                           NFL – LA Rams, New Orleans, Denver, Atlanta

College – LSU, Arkansas, Texas A&M, La. Tech, Miami, McNeese St.,   Northwestern State

Mike Jones                          WR                          College – Tennessee State; NFL Europe – Frankfurt; CFL – Toronto

Larry Kirksey                      RB                           NFL – San Francisco, Detroit, Jacksonville, Denver, Houston College – Miami (OH), Kentucky, Kansas, Kentucky State, Pittsburgh, Alabama, Middle Tennessee, Texas A&M XFL – Seattle; TSL – Sea Lions

HOUSTON GAMBLERS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                                         

Kevin Sumlin                       HC/QB                   College – Arizona, Texas A&M, Houston, Oklahoma, Purdue, Minnesota, Wyoming

David Beaty                         WR                          College – Rice, Kansas, Texas A&M, Texas

Tim Lewis                            DC/DB                   NFL – Pittsburgh, NYG, Carolina, Seattle, Atlanta, San Francisco College – Texas A&M, SMU, Pittsburgh AAF – Birmingham; XFL – St. Louis

Greg McMahon                   ST/TE                     NFL – New Orleans College – Eastern Illinois, Minnesota, Illinois, North Alabama, Southern Illinois, Valdosta State, UNLV, East Carolina, LSU

Gordon Shaw                      OL                           College – Colorado St.-Pueblo, Houston, Texas St., Idaho, Hawaii, So. Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, No. Colorado, No. Arizona, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge

Mark Snyder                        LB                           College – Marshall, UCF, Youngstown State, Minnesota, Ohio State, South Florida, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Florida State

Ty Warren                            DL                           NFL – Detroit       

Team Assistants:

Brendan Donovan              DQC

James Runnels                   RB

NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                                           

Larry Fedora                        HC                          College – Austin, Baylor, Air Force, Middle Tennessee, Florida, Oklahoma State, Southern Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas

Nathan Burton                    SEC                        College – Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Tennessee-Martin, Shorter, West Alabama, NC State, Temple

Noel Mazzone                      OC/QB                   NFL – NYJ

College – New Mexico, Colorado State, TCU, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Auburn, Oregon State, NC State, Arizona State, UCLA, Texas A&M, Arizona, UConn

Paul Spicer                          DL                           NFL – Jacksonville, Tampa Bay

Jonathan Tenuta                DC/LB                    College – Virginia, Maryland, Vanderbilt, Marshall, K-State, SMU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, NC State, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech

Jim Turner                           OL                           NFL – Miami, Cincinnati College – Northeastern, Louisiana Tech, Harvard, Temple, Delaware, Boston College, Texas A&M

Patrick Washington           WR                          College – Auburn, Louisiana, TCU, Baylor, Tennessee, K-State, Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Appalachian State

Team Assistants

Matt Butterfield                  ST/TE

Greg Patrick                        DL

TAMPA BAY BANDITS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                         

Todd Haley                          HC                          NFL – Kansas City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Dallas, Chicago, NYJ

Frank Gansz, Jr.                 TE/ST                     NFL – Baltimore, Kansas City, Oakland; CFL – Hamilton College – SMU, UCLA, Houston; U.S. Military Academy World League – NY/NJ

Trey Jackson                      LB                           College – East Central, Central Missouri

Carnell Lake                        DB                          NFL – Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

“Pepper” Johnson             DC/DL                    NFL – New England, NYJ, Buffalo; XFL – LA; AAF – Memphis

Pat Perles                            OL                           NFL – LA Rams, Kansas City; College – Michigan State, Michigan; CFL – Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto

Bob Saunders                     OC/WR/RB            NFL – Kansas City, Washington, St. Louis, Cleveland UFL – Virginia; XFL – DC

Team Assistants:

Steven Thompson              LB/DB

Yale Van Dyne                     WR/RB                  

MICHIGAN PANTHERS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                         

Jeff Fisher                            HC                          NFL – Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston/Tennessee, St. Louis/LA

Neil Callaway                      OL                           College – Wyoming, Auburn, Houston, Alabama, Georgia, UAB, Western Kentucky, USC, Purdue

Daniel Carrel                       DC                          College – West Liberty, Ohio State, Kentucky, Houston, New Mexico, UMass

Jeff Imamura                       DB/ST                    NFL – Carolina, St. Louis/LA, Minnesota College  – Vanderbilt, Saginaw Valley State, Northern Arizona, TCU

Eric Marty                             OC                          College – Grambling State, Reedley, East Los Angeles Moorpark, Oklahoma Panhandle State

Kwahn Drake                      DL                           College – Colorado, Eastern Illinois, Tulane, Memphis, Kansas

Team Assistants:

Tony Brown                         DL

Mark Stewart                       RB                          

NEW JERSEY GENERALS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                                         

Mike Riley                             HC                          NFL – San Diego, New Orleans College – Oregon State, Nebraska, USC, Cal, Whitworth, Linfield, No. Colorado AAF – San Antonio; CFL – Winnipeg; WLAF – San Antonio; XFL – Seattle

Robert Diaco                       DL                           College – UConn, Western Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Virginia, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Purdue, La. Tech

Cris Dishman                      DC/DB                   NFL – Oakland, Miami, San Diego, Arizona College – Menlo, Baylor, McNeese State CFL – Montreal; NFL Europe – Berlin; XFL – New York

Jay Locey                             TE/RB                     College – Linfield, Oregon State, Lewis and Clark

James Rodgers, Jr.           WR                          College – Nebraska, Oregon State; AAF – San Antonio

Steve Smith                         OC/OL                    NFL – Kansas City, New Orleans College – Virginia State, Albany State, Lincoln NFL Europe – Frankfurt and Rhein; XFL – Seattle; AFL – Detroit

Ken Watson                         LB                           College – Miles; AAF – San Antonio

Team Assistants:

Zerick Rollins                      QC/QB

Dominique Franks             QC/DB

PHILADELPHIA STARS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                         

Bart Andrus                         HC                          NFL – Tennessee; St. Louis Rams; College – Ottawa, Feather River, Rocky Mountain, BYU, Humboldt State, Montana State, Southern Utah NFL Europe – Amsterdam; CFL – Toronto; UFL – Omaha; XFL – Team 9

Martin Bayless                    CB/ST                    NFL – Buffalo, Carolina, Oakland, Houston, Minnesota, Denver, Arizona, Indianapolis; College – North Carolina, California Redwoods NFL Europe – Barcelona, Amsterdam; YCF; AAF – Birmingham XFL – LA

Marcel Bellefeuille             WR                          CFL – Saskatchewan, Montreal, Hamilton, Winnipeg, BC College – Ottawa and Queen’s; UFL – Omaha

Jeff Jagodzinski                 OL                           NFL – Green Bay, Atlanta, Tampa Bay College – Wisconsin-Whitewater, No. Illinois, LSU, East Carolina, BC, Ave Maria, Georgia St.; UFL – Omaha; XFL – Dallas; ELF – Panthers Wroclaw(Poland)

Brandon Maguire               DL                           College – Holy Cross, Northern Colorado, Montana Tech, Langston, Montana

Brad Miller                           DC                          NFL – Green Bay; CFL – Edmonton, Montreal, Hamilton, Saskatchewan

Glenn Smith                         TE                           NFL – Dallas

Team Assistants:

Brock Olivo                          OQC/RB                                                

George Jackson                 DQC                      

PITTSBURGH MAULERS

NAME                                    POSITION             CAREER COACHING STOPS                                         

Kirby Wilson                        HC                          NFL – New England, Washington, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Cleveland, Las Vegas; College – Pasadena City, Los Angeles Southwest, Southern Illinois, Wyoming, USC, Iowa State

Rick Courtright                   DL                           NFL – Arizona, NYJ; College – USC; UFL – Sacramento

Jarren Horton                      DC/DB                   College – UConn; AAF – Atlanta

Marc Hull                              ST/LB                     College – Slippery Rock, Shippensburg, Kentucky Christian, West Los Angeles

Bill Khayat                           TE                           NFL – Arizona, Washington; College – Tennessee St., Brevard, Scottsdale CC,                                                                                    UFL – Sacramento

Steven Loney                      OL/TE                     NFL – Phoenix (Arizona), Minnesota, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Dallas College – Iowa State, Missouri Western, Morehead State, The Citadel, Colorado State, UConn, Iowa State, Minnesota, Drake

John Tomlinson                  OC/QB                   NFL – L.V., Cleveland, Indianapolis; College – Juniata, No. Carolina Central

Team Assistants:

Will Johnson                       RB                                                          

Jack Nudo                            DB