Saturday, February 16, 2008

Team Texas Hire Assistant Coaches

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 16, 2008) Team Texas head coach and general manager John Jenkins has tabbed Tony Marciano, Howard Tippett, and Donald Hollas as assistant coaches for the upcoming 2008 season. Jenkins also announced that Randy Pippin and Chris Laidlaw will assist him in the football operations department. Team Texas is one for the six member teams in the upstart All American Football League (AAFL).

Marciano will be Team Texas' offensive line coach, a position that he previously held with the Houston Texans of the NFL from 2002-2005. He was also the tight ends coach with the Indianapolis Colts from 1998-2001. Prior to that, Marciano was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, and the o-line coach for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. He has also coached in the college ranks at Kent State, Richmond, Brown, SMU, and TCU. "I regard Tony as one of the top offensive line coaches in the game, and I will rely on him quite a bit", said Jenkins. "His wealth of experience will compliment mine, since I traditionally spend a great deal of time working with quarterbacks and receivers."

Tippett brings 21 years of experience as an NFL assistant coach to the position of special teams coordinator with Team Texas. He was an assistant with the St. Louis Rams from 1997-2001, and has a Super Bowl championship ring from the Rams win over Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. Tippett has also been an assistant coach with the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as serving as an advance scout for the San Francisco 49ers. His college football resume includes a three-year stint under Bill Yeoman at the University of Houston, along with Tulane, West Virginia, Mississippi State, Oregon, UCLA, and Illinois. "Howard is a true professional, and will bring a power packed special teams group to Team Texas," according to Jenkins.

Hollas will serve as the super backs coach as well as the strength and conditioning coach for Texas. He played quarterback at Rice University from 1987-1990, and was named the Owls' MVP in 1989. He then went on to play professionally for nine seasons, including four with the Cincinnati Bengals and two with the Oakland Raiders. Hollas was the head coach of the Katy Ruff Riders of the Intense Football League (indoor) in 2007, and has also been an assistant coach at Prairie View A&M, Lamar Consolidated High School, South Houston High School, and Fort Bend Baptist Academy. "I am very excited about working with Donald on the offensive side," said Jenkins. "He is an extremely bright young coach."

In the football operations area, Randy Pippin has been named the manager of football operations with Team Texas. He has had a very successful run as a head coach in the college ranks at Northwest Mississippi Community College, the University of West Alabama, Middle Georgia College, and Trinity Valley Community College. In talking about Pippin, coach Jenkins said, "Randy is returning to the state of Texas with great enthusiasm. He is a highly impressive, multi-tasking individual."

Chris Laidlaw joins Team Texas as the coordinator of football operations. He has been an assistant coach at Wayne State University, McPherson College, Moorhead State University, and Oklahoma Panhandle State University. "Chris has an impressive background, and is an extremely bright young administrative assistant." said Jenkins.

The remainder of the coaching staff for Team Texas will be announced in the near future. The inaugural AAFL season kicks off on April 12th, with Texas playing host to Arkansas at Rice Stadium.

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