L.A. Avengers dismiss head coach Ed Hodgkiss
June 24, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
LOS ANGELES -- Head coach Ed Hodgkiss has been relieved of his duties effective immediately, Avenger owner and chief executive officer Casey Wasserman announced today. Two assistant coaches still under contract, Brent Winter and Michael Church, were also dismissed.
The team has launched a comprehensive search for a new head coach, who will lead the franchise into its 10th season of play in the Arena Football League in 2009.
"The coaching staff worked tirelessly and was extremely dedicated to the goal of winning an ArenaBowl championship, but the production simply wasn't there in recent seasons," Wasserman said. "We recognize and appreciate the significant contributions that Ed Hodgkiss and his assistant coaches made to our franchise, but I feel strongly that we need to go in a new direction."
In his seven seasons as head coach of the Avengers (2002-08), Hodgkiss' overall record was 58-58, which included a 1-5 mark in postseason play. He led the Avengers to the Western Division title in 2005, but L.A. won only 20 of its next 50 games. On July 25, 2007, three weeks after winning the first playoff game in franchise history, Hodgkiss signed a contract extension through the 2011 season, with an option for 2012.
Winter, who served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and director of player personnel, had been with the Avengers during the entire Hodgkiss era. Church, a veteran AFL defensive coordinator, was in his first season with Los Angeles. Winter and Church were both under contract through the 2009 season.
Special teams coordinator Greg Hopkins and defensive line coach Johnnie Williams were under contract through the recently completed 2008 campaign.
The Avengers wrapped up their 2008 season on Saturday with a 72-47 loss at Tampa Bay, which dropped Los Angeles to 5-11. In two of the last three years, the Avengers have finished 5-11 and failed to qualify for the AFL Playoffs.
Hodgkiss, the third head coach in Avenger history, came to Los Angeles after three seasons (1999-2001) as the offensive coordinator of the Indiana Firebirds. During those years, he was the architect of one of the AFL's most prolific offenses and helped the Firebirds win the ArenaBowl in 1999.
In his first two seasons with the Avengers, Hodgkiss won 19 games, including a franchise-best 11 victories in 2003. At the time of that accomplishment, no head coach in AFL history had won more games in his first two years than Hodgkiss.
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