Larry Zierlein Named Hartford Colonials OL Coach
April 19, 2011 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Hartford Colonials News Release
EAST HARTFORD, CT - April 19, 2011 - HARTFORD COLONIALS head coach and general manager JERRY GLANVILLE has announced LARRY ZIERLEIN as the team's offensive line coach for the 2011 UFL season.
Zierlein has four decades of coaching experience at various levels, including eight years as an offensive line coach in the National Football League with three teams. In his most recent position he spent three seasons (2007-09) with the Pittsburgh Steelers, highlighted by a dramatic victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, 2009. Fired up by Zierlein in the closing minutes, the Steelers offensive line provided ample protection for quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER to complete five passes, including a six-yard TD catch by SANTONIO HOLMES in the corner of the end zone with 35 seconds left.
"Of course, winning the Super Bowl was really an experience that I'll never forget," Zierlein said. "I've just got great memories of being in Pittsburgh. It's just an environment that everybody should get a chance to coach in."
Zierlein and Steelers head coach MIKE TOMLIN worked together at the University of Cincinnati for two seasons (1999-2000) before reuniting in Pittsburgh. Prior to being hired by Tomlin in 2007, Zierlein spent four years (2001-04) as Cleveland Browns offensive line coach and one season (2006) with the Buffalo Bills as an offensive line assistant.
"Larry is a zone and power block teacher in the run game," GLANVILLE said. "He stresses hard-nose, get-after-you techniques and pass protection without popping guards on outside blitzes."
Zierlein's experience includes two decades in the college ranks as an offensive line coach at Cincinnati (1997-2000), two stints at Tulane (1995-96 and 1988-90), LSU ('93-94) and Houston (1978-86). In addition to his offensive line coaching duties at Cincinnati, Zierlein was the team's running game coordinator. In 1997 the Bearcats set a Conference USA rushing record, averaging 215.5 yards a game. Cincinnati's offensive line set a school-record by allowing just eight sacks in 1999, the fewest in that nations that season.
"No. 1, I'm a technician," Zierlein said. "I believe an offensive line is a little bit like a marching band. Everyone's got to be in step. You can't have one person doing his own thing. Everybody has got to adhere to whatever techniques are involved, fundamental things that we're going to do.
He added, "When you get to beyond the college level, sometimes guys have to change some things that they've done. You get guys that have played a long time and they've got their own way of doing it. Everybody has to be able to sacrifice what they have done to what we're going to teach so we can all be on the same page. If we're all on the same page, we have a better chance at functioning real well as a unit."
Zierlein's first coaching job was as a graduate assistant/linebackers at Fort Hays (KS) State University, his alma mater, in 1970. Over the next six years he worked as a high school assistant coach in Texas before taking the job at Houston. In 1987 he got his first professional coaching position as an assistant for the Washington Commandos, an arena football team. He also was an assistant coach under MOUSE DAVIS with the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football for two seasons (1991-92).
Zierlein, a native of Lenora, KS., joins Colonials wide receivers coach HAROLD JACKSON, defensive line coach TIM KRUMRIE and quarterbacks coach TURK SCHONERT on a staff with a combined 45 years of coaching experience in the NFL.
"I'm excited to be coming there," said Zierlein, who worked with Schonert in Buffalo. "I know some of the guys on the staff, and we have a great group of guys on the staff. I am looking forward to getting up there and working with these guys."
The UFL begins its third season in August as the Colonials play an eight-game schedule against teams from Las Vegas, Omaha, Sacramento and Virginia. The 2011 schedule will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can register for tickets for the 2011 Colonials season at www.HartfordColonials.com.
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- Larry Zierlein Named Hartford Colonials OL Coach - Hartford Colonials
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