Back in April, the XFL announced a number of their head coaches and now those staffs are starting to fill up with some recognizable names, as well as some guys fresh off playing careers looking to break into the coaching ranks.
The head coaching group is headlined by veterans like Bob Stoops, Jim Haslett, and Wade Phillips and some guys like Hines Ward and Rod Woodson that fans will remember from their not-too-distant playing days that will also make their head coaching debut.
Today, the league announced the coordinators for those head coaches, and there are a handful more names fans will recognize.
“I’m thrilled to officially welcome our OCs and DCs to the XFL. Individually and collectively, these are tremendous coaches and true leaders whose expertise will be crucial not only for the success of their teams, but for the dynamic football product we will deliver to fans,” Marc Ross, Executive Vice President, Football Operations, shared in their release.
For starters, Jim Haslett's staff will feature two well known former college head coaches. Former Hawaii and SMU head coach June Jones will call the offense while former Illinois and Florida head coach Ron Zook will handle defensive play calling duties.
Jim Herrmann, who spent two decades on the Michigan staff from 1985-1996, including nearly half of that as their defensive coordinator, has landed as the defensive coordinator for Hines Ward's staff. Herrmann recently had a one-year stint with the staff at Bowling Green in 2019 before joining the New York Guardians of the short-lived AAF for a season.
Former NFL tight end Anthony Becht will be flanked on the sidelines by former Toledo and NFL quarterback veteran Bruce Gradkowski as his offensive coordinator and Donnie Abraham, who has coached at IMG (FL) and Illinois, as his defensive play caller.
One other name that will surely be recognized on the list is Gregg Williams, who is well known for his "Bounty Gate" suspension during his time leading the Saints defense . The former Buffalo Bills head coach from 2001-03 held the defensive coordinator role eight times with seven different NFL teams. He resurfaces as the defensive coordinator for Reggie Barlow's team
Take a look at the coaches that have been announced.
The league also placed an emphasis on the director of player personnel role with player showcases set to take place at six cities across the US as they look to build and expand rosters.
The league is set to kick off on February 18, 2023, with ESPN and Disney as the official broadcast partner.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.