(LOS ANGELES, California) - Two old rivals will face off as coaches in the AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday, January 21st at The Home Depot Center in LA, and they have announced their assistant coaches for the game.
“It doesn’t get any better than this group,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf. “These guys were all top-notch players and coaches and these young men who are playing will benefit greatly.”
Dick Vermeil, who coached with the Eagles, Rams, and Chiefs, won a SuperBowl with the Rams. Tom Flores, who coached with the Raiders, won two Super Bowls. They faced off in Super Bowl XV, and now they will face off again as they coach the next generation of NFL players.
Their assistant coaches will be:
Martin Bayless was a defensive back who played collegiately at Bowling Green. He played in the NFL from 1984-1996 for the Cardinals, Bills, Chargers, Chiefs, and Redskins. After playing, he served in the front office of the Bills, and then began a coaching career which has taken him from high school to the University of North Carolina. He has also coached in the NFL Europe, the UFL, and with the Panthers, Raiders, Vikings, and Texans.
Isaac Bruce was a four-time Pro Bowler at wide receiver. He played for the Rams and 49ers from 1994-2009. He finished his career with 15,208 receiving yards. He currently ranks third on that list behind Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.
John Bunting played linebacker at the University of North Carolina. He played professionally for the Eagles from 1972-1982 with the Eagles and then played two years in the USFL. He has been an NFL assistant with the Chiefs, Rams, and Saints. He also served as head coach of the University of North Carolina from 2001-2006.
Frank Gansz, Jr.,is a longtime special teams coach at the college and professional level. He has served as special teams coach for the Ravens, UCLA, and is currently in the role at SMU.
Carl Hairston played defensive end in the NFL from 1976-1990 for the Eagles, Chiefs, and Cardinals. He has coached with the Cardinals, Chiefs, Rams, and Packers. Amazingly, Hairston was either a player or coach in all 240 games coached by Dick Vermeil.
Matthew Hatchette was a receiver at Langston University. He played six NFL seasons for the Vikings, Jets, and Jaguars. Eric Hicks was a defensive end from the University of Maryland, who played with the Chiefs, Jets, and Lions from 1998-2009.
Vonnie Holliday was a defensive end at the University of North Carolina. He began his pro career in 1998 and has played with the Packers, Chiefs, Dolphins, Broncos, and Redskins. He is currently with the Arizona Cardinals.
Priest Holmes was a running back at the University of Texas. He played for the Ravens and the Chiefs from 1997-2007 and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and won a ring in Super Bowl XXXV.
Billy Long played collegiately at Alabama. He has over 20 years coaching experience at the collegiate level, including coaching the offensive line at Arkansas. He served as a consultant for the St. Louis Rams and as strength and conditioning coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kevin Mawae was a four-year starter at center for LSU. The eight-time Pro Bowler played for 14 years in the NFL with the Seahawks, Jets, and Titans.
Rod Martin was a USC linebacker who played 12 NFL seasons from 1977-1988. The two-time Pro Bowler played with the Raiders and was a part of the winning team in two Super Bowl victories(1980-1983).
Steve Ortmayer began coaching in 1967 at Colorado. He also coached collegiately at Georgia Tech. He has served as a coach with the Chiefs and the Raiders, as well as being the general manager of the San Diego Chargers.
Tony Richardson was a running back for Auburn University. The three-time Pro Bowler played with the Chiefs, Vikings, and Jets from 1995-2010.
Greg Robinson has spent years in the coaching ranks. He was the onetime head coach at Syracuse and has served as a defensive coach with the Chiefs, Broncos, and Jets.
Bob Saunders is the son of longtime NFL coach Al Saunders. He has served as an offensive assistant with the Chiefs, the Rams, and the Redskins.
Terry Shea played collegiately as a quarterback at Oregon. As a coach, he was the offensive coordinator at Cal and has served as the head coach for San Jose State and the British Columbia Lions of the CFL. He has also coached with the Chiefs, Bears, and Rams. He currently prepares elite quarterbacks for the NFL and has worked with such players as Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, and Josh Freeman.
Will Shields may be the most recognizable of the assistant coaches. Shields played collegiately at Nebraska, where he was an All-American and won the outland trophy. He was also named to the Collegiate All-Century Team. In December 2011, Shields was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He played 14 years for the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was a 12-time Pro Bowl selection. Shields is on the ballot for this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction class.
Ted Tollmer played quarterback at Cal Poly. He went on to become the offensive coordinator at USC, and followed John Robinson as the head coach of the Trojans. He also coached at San Diego State.
Eric Warfield is another Nebraska product coaching in the game. He played cornerback in the NFL for the Chiefs and the Patriots from 1998-2006. The game begins at 3:00 PST and will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.
About AstroTurf
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s first vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety.
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