Former Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham has reportedly found a new job, as an assistant coach in the upstart United Football League.The Seattle Times, citing the web site FootballScoop.com, reports that Willingham will be the special teams and running backs coach for the UFL's San Francisco franchise. It will be Willingham's first job as an assistant -- and first job coaching professional players -- since he was the running backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 1994.
Obviously, that makes this quite a step down for Willingham, who not long ago was considered one of the most promising head coaches in football. Now he's going to be an assistant on a team that doesn't exist yet. But by taking the San Francisco job, Willingham is reuniting with his old friend (and boss) Dennis Green, who was the head coach of the Vikings when Willingham was a Minnesota assistant.
And it's impressive that the UFL is continuing to sign accomplished coaches. The UFL says it its four teams will be coached by Green, Jim Fassel, Ted Cottrell and Jim Haslett. We don't yet what caliber of players the UFL will sign, but we do know the UFL will have some impressive coaches.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-12-2009 @ 4:25PM
billyd said...
Absolutely the worst "coach" to ever walk the sidelines at UW. Lazy as hell and didn't do a thing to improve the program while alienating the fans.
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6-24-2009 @ 11:01AM
edwinmharris said...
Tyrone Willingham is simply the most disciplined, focused and hard working head coach I have ever known - and I've known some good ones. Bill Wash, who is arguably one of the greatest head coaches ever - could not turn around the Stanford program in his final stint. Stanford lost tons of games with Walsh at the helm. Willingham replaced Walsh and brought the team to multiple bowl games, and ultimately the Rose Bowl, all for a team that was a prennial cell dweller in the pac-10.
I think problems arise when a coach or player is made out to be the savior. This was the problem with the return of Walsh as well as the appointment of Willingham to the Huskies. Both are great coaches who got caught up in bad situations. Detroit keeps doing this with their quarterbacks. They just dont get that organizations win, not quarterbacks and coaches.
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