Former NFL Linebacker James Willis Named Hartford Colonials Linebackers Coach
April 18, 2011 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Hartford Colonials News Release
EAST HARTFORD, CT - April 18, 2011 - HARTFORD COLONIALS head coach and general manager JERRY GLANVILLE has added another former National Football League player to his staff with JAMES WILLIS being named linebackers coach for the 2011 United Football League season.
Willis, a former linebacker who played seven seasons in the NFL, joins an experienced coaching staff that includes HAROLD JACKSON (wide receivers), TIM KRUMRIE (defensive line) and TURK SCHONERT (quarterbacks).
Jackson, Krumrie and Schonert also have combined to coach 37 years in the NFL. Glanville has more than two decades of NFL coaching experience, including nine seasons as a head coach with the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons.
Willis has held defensive assistant coaching positions at major college programs with NICK SABAN at Alabama and TOMMY TUBERVILLE at Auburn and Texas Tech. Prior to coaching in the SEC and Big-12, Willis was an assistant at the University of Rhode Island (2004) and Temple (2005), serving as linebackers for both programs.
Willis was the linebackers coach at Auburn for three seasons (2006-08), spending the first two under then defensive coordinator WILL MUSCHAMP. The Tigers defense ranked seventh in the nation in fewest points allowed in 2006 and sixth the following year. Willis reunited with Tuberville at Texas Tech in 2010 as defensive coordinator.
Between his coaching stints at Auburn and Texas Tech, Willis was named associate coach and linebackers coach at Alabama. In his only season in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide went 14-0 and won the 2010 BCS National Championship. Willis coached a group of linebackers that included ROLANDO McCLAIN, the No. 8 overall pick by Oakland in the 2010 NFL Draft.
"Interviewing James was like talking to myself," Glanville said. "He was in a system at Alabama that is very similar to ours. He knew how we called personnel groupings, formations and a lot of techniques that we will use. He played very hard in the NFL and he coaches the same way."
Willis, an All-SEC linebacker at Auburn, was drafted in the fifth round by Green Bay in 1993 and played for the Packers (1993-94), Philadelphia Eagles (1995-98) and Seattle Seahawks (1999). In 93 career games he had 311 total tackles with four interceptions and two sacks. Willis also played for the Birmingham Thunderbolts in the defunct XFL in 2001.
"In addition to coaching at major Division I programs, I think my NFL playing experience will be a major factor in coaching at this level also," Willis said.
Willis, a native of Huntsville, AL, began his coaching career as student assistant (2001-02) and graduate defensive assistant (2003) at Auburn, where he played linebacker under Pat Dye in 1990-92. He was selected to Auburn's All-Decade Team in the 1990s.
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.
United Football League Stories from April 18, 2011
- Former NFL Linebacker James Willis Named Hartford Colonials Linebackers Coach - Hartford Colonials
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