Detroit Lions & Miami Dolphins Coaching Staffs to Coach Senior Bowl
By Josh Sanchez
In an official press release from the Under Armour Senior Bowl, it has been announced that two two coaching staffs for the North and South teams. The Lions staff will coach up the North squad, while the Doplhins get the South.
It should be interesting to see how the Miami Dolphins staff decides to use Tim Tebow who said he will be playing in the game.
Here is the press release:
Coaching Staffs Named for 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl
Mobile, AL. (Jan. 8)—The season isn’t over just yet for both the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions, or at least not for their coaching staffs. Both staffs have been selected to coach the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl, game officials announced today. The Dolphins will coach the South squad in Mobile later this month, while the Lions will head up the North.
This is the fourth time the Dolphins have coached in the Senior Bowl and first since the 1994 game. Legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula coached the three previous trips to Mobile, going 2 and 1 overall with wins in the 1987 and 1994 Senior Bowls and a loss in the 1977 contest.
Current Miami coach Tony Sparano will be coaching the Senior Bowl for the first time in his career, but the Dolphins are no strangers to the talent that arrives in Mobile each January. Miami selected two Senior Bowlers in last year’s NFL Draft, including the 2009 Under Armour Senior Bowl Most Valuable Player—quarterback Pat White.
“My staff and I are looking forward to coaching in the Senior Bowl,” Sparano said. “The Senior Bowl’s outstanding track record and history of developing players for the National Football League is well-known and we’re excited to have the opportunity to work with these young players in preparation for the next stage of their careers.”
The Dolphins went 7 and 9 in 2009 and own the 12th pick in April’s draft. They currently have 14 former Senior Bowlers on their active roster, including four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter (1999 Senior Bowl) and quarterbacks Chad Henne (2008 Senior Bowl) and Chad Pennington (2000 Senior Bowl).
This will mark the eighth time the Detroit Lions have coached in the annual senior showcase event. Former Lions coach Bo McMillan actually coached in the very first Senior Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida in 1950 and returned for the first Senior Bowl in Mobile the following year. The Lions last trip to the Port City as a staff came in 2003.
Under first-year coach Jim Schwartz, the Lions went 2 and 14 this season and own the second overall pick in April’s draft. Schwartz, like Sparano, will be coaching his very first Senior Bowl but he too is familiar with the pre-draft event having served on the Baltimore Ravens’ staff when they coached in the 1998 game and more recently as Jeff Fisher’s defensive coordinator when the Tennessee Titans’ staff coached the North squad in 2006.
“I’ve been a part of two staffs that have coached at the Senior Bowl and found both experiences to be exceptional,” Schwartz said. “The hospitality of the people of Mobile and the hard work of the Senior Bowl staff makes this a special event for everyone involved.”
The Lions currently have 21 former Senior Bowlers on their roster and drafted four Senior Bowlers last year, including tight end Brandon Pettigrew with the 20th overall pick.
“As one of the coaching staffs for this year’s Senior Bowl, we look forward to working with some of the best college football players in the country and contributing to the game’s tradition,” Schwartz said.
The 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl is scheduled for January 30th at 3pm (CT) in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game and all practices will be televised by the NFL Network.
Tickets for the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl are currently available for purchase at the Senior Bowl ticket offices (151 Dauphin Street and inside Bel Air Mall), select Regions Bank locations, online at www.seniorbowl.com or by calling (251) 432-4109.