Coaches have reported to Arlington for training camp, and players arrive soon. Coaching staffs were officially announced on Wednesday. The following is a look at the movement of coaches for each team in the XFL Conference from 2023 to 2024. My column on the USFL Conference coaches can be found here.
Arlington Renegades
Out: Jonathan Hayes (co-OC), Tim Lewis (co-DC), Michael George (DQC)
In: None
Returning: Bob Stoops (HC), Reggie Davis (RB -> TE/RB), Jay Hayes (co-DC -> DC), Jon Himebauch (OL), Chuck Long (co-OC/QB -> OC/QB/WR), Matt McMillen (DTO -> QC), Marvin Sanders (CB -> DB), Bill Sheridan (LB), Scott Spurrier (TE/ST -> QC/ST)
Analysis: Everybody wants to work for Bob Stoops: Arlington had the least movement of any coaching staff in the league this off-season. The Renegades shed their co-coordinators and now have just one each on offense and defense. Jonathan Hayes has moved on to become athletic director at a high school in Cincinnati. Lewis just took a job as Boston College’s defensive coordinator under new head coach Bill O’Brien. While the Renegades returned much of their staff, there was quite a bit of shuffling of titles; having fewer coaches than last year has forced some to double and triple-up on duties. Notably, director of team operations McMillen is now a quality control coach. It’s unknown if the position of DTO even still exists for these teams.
Returning:Reggie Barlow (HC), Fred Kaiss (OC), Russ Ehrenfeld (OL), Deion Harris (QC -> LB), Shannon Harris (QB), Jeremy Watkins (DL), Gregg Williams (DC), Vernon Dean (DB)
Analysis: The loss of three coaches only allowed DC to add one with the downsizing in the number of assistants from the XFL in 2023 (10) to the number allowed by the UFL this season (eight). Anderson’s prior job was as an offensive assistant and recruiting coordinator at Rice University. Crill now works at Marshall as their offensive line coach, joining form Stallions DB coach Bob Shoop on that staff. Deion Harris was promoted to LB coach to replace Sharper, the only change in job title for any of the Defenders’ assistants. This level of continuity should be advantageous for them.
San Antonio Brahmas
Out: Hines Ward (HC), Jimmie Johnson (OC/RB), Josh Neiswander (QB), Jaime Elizondo (WR), Pete Mangurian (OL/ST), Scott Boone (TE/ST), Jim Herrmann (DC), Paul Spicer (DL), Joey Porter (LB), Corey Chamblin (DB), Derrius Bell (Asst. DB)
In: Wade Phillips (HC), Chris Achuff (DL), Derrick Berry (LB), Andre Gurode (OL), Payton Pardee (WR/ST), Will Reed (DC), AJ Smith (OC), Marvin Williams (RB)
Returning: None
*Phillips, Gurode, Pardee, Smith, Williams all come from the 2023 Houston Roughnecks staff
Analysis:It’s an all-new staff for the Brahmas, led by veteran ball coach Phillips. The coaches that he carried over from Houston are on the offensive side of the ball, while the defensive coaches are all new. The new defensive coordinator, Reed, was most recently the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Southern Arkansas. He has also coached in the Arena Football League and notably was a defensive line intern with the Dallas Cowboys in 2010…when Phillips was head coach there. Achuff was the defensive line coach at Syracuse for the last few seasons, while Berry was the assistant DL coach at Northwestern State. San Antonio boasts seven assistants, making them the only XFL Conference team that has room for one more. Perhaps a secondary coach will be added at some point. Of Hines Ward’s old staff, only Boone (ST analyst, Duke), Herrmann (HC, European Football League) and Chamblin (secondary coach, Stallions) have landed elsewhere.
St. Louis Battlehawks
Out:Devin Abraham (QC/Asst. DB), Art Valero (RB), Ricky Proehl (WR), Tory Woodbury (TE/ST), Pat Perles (OL), Mark Lee (Off. Asst.)
In: Martin Bayless (DB), Kyle Caskey (RB/ST), Gino Gradkowski (OL), Phil McGeoghan (WR)
Returning: Anthony Becht (HC), Donnie Abraham (DC), Chris Claiborne (LB), La’Roi Glover (DL), Bruce Gradkowski (OC)
Analysis: Becht had to replace much of his offensive staff, but was able to retain both coordinators. That should make for a smoother transition. Bayless was the ST and safeties coach with the Philadelphia Stars the last two seasons. He’s no stranger to alternative leagues: He coached in NFL Europe in the early 2000s, then for the Birmingham Iron of the AAF in 2019, the Los Angeles Wildcats in XFL 2020, and even in the original UFL from 2009-2011. Caskey was an offensive quality control assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars as recently as 2021. Gino Gradkowski, the younger brother of offensive coordinator Bruce, comes from Rowan, where he had been the offensive line coach. McGeoghan, a former NFL wide receiver, has coached that position in the NFL and was at the University of Colorado in 2022, but was not retained when Deion Sanders was hired to helm the program. In terms of losses, Woodbury was briefly brought on board to coach special teams for the Roughnecks this upcoming season, before the USFL/XFL merger happened.
