Lubbock Renegades Announce Coaching Staff
February 16, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Lubbock Renegades News Release
LUBBOCK, TX: February 16, 2007 - Rodney Blackshear, the Head Coach of the arenafootball2 's Lubbock Renegades, announced his coaching staff for the 2007 season. Blackshear announced Robert Hall as the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, LaVell "Dinky" Williams as the Special Teams Coordinator/FB LB Coach /Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Roy Rodriguez as the Line Coach and Michael Solis as the Receiver and Defensive Secondary Coach.
Hall, a 36 year-old Dallas native, comes to the Renegades for his third season to coach in the af2. The former Texas Tech quarterback (1990-1993) has previously served as a Line Coach with the Rio Grande Valley Dorados (2004) and as an Offensive Coordinator with the Macon Knights (2005). Area folks will remember Hall for his accomplishments at Texas Tech as a player recruited off Dallas Carter's 1988 Texas State Championship squad. He still holds the program's record for the longest pass completion, which is a 95-yard pass play to Renegades Head Coach Blackshear. Hall passed for a school record 7,908 career yards until Kliff Kingsbury topped the record in 2002. Kingsbury also broke Hall's TD record of 48 touchdowns and completions (548). Hall's success continued once leaving Tech. The Former First Team All-Southwest Conference member played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Shreveport Pirates and attended training camp with the Baltimore Ravens (1997) and the Kansas City Chiefs (1999). He also spent a season with the Amsterdam Admirals in 1997 and appeared as a receiver, leading the league in yards per catch. Hall spent several seasons in the Arena Football League, appearing with the Texas Terror, Houston Thunderbears, Indiana Firebirds, Carolina Cobras and the Dallas Desperados. Hall led the league in passing with over 4,000 yards during the 2000 season, and he is the only player in AFL history to pass and rush for over 1,000 yards in one season.
Williams also reunites himself with Blackshear and Hall. He was with the pair on the coaching staff of the Rio Grande Valley Dorados as the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. Williams also serves as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of Texas Tech University. He previously served as an intern with the Dallas Cowboys during the 2004-05 season and as an assistant with the Dallas Desperados during the same season. Outside of football, Williams served as a manager at a private health club in Lubbock, where he trained athletes returning to professional football. Williams also worked as a psychiatric child care specialist in Lubbock from 1999-2004. He received an Associated Certificate from the University of Houston in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling before receiving a bachelor's degree in human development and family studies and psychology from Texas Tech University. During his undergraduate years, he was a reserve running back for Texas Tech from 1989-1994 and was also a competitive weight lifter, setting several world records in his weight class in the bench press from 1998-2003, with his best lift being 452 pounds. Williams has also placed first in several bench press competitions from 1996-2004 and was ranked #28 out of the top 100 lifters in the 165-pound division, according to the National Athletic Strength Association of Texas.
Rodriguez, a 38 year-old native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was raised in the Bronx, New York and will be spending his second season in the af2. A former player at Southern Connecticut State University (New Haven, CT) and semi pro player in the Northeast, Rodriguez was an Assistant Head Coach with the af2's Roanoke Steam in 2001after serving assistant jobs at both Iona College and Fordham University. He served as an assistant for over three seasons at Marist College (Poughkeepsie, NY) prior to making a move to Texas. Rodriguez worked under Mike Leach and the Texas Tech Football program in 2004 and eventually went to Ranger College before serving his current role at Lamesa High School.
Solis will be on staff for his first season in the af2. He is a 29 year-old native of Slaton, Texas and is currently an Exercise Science and Sports Studies major at Texas Tech. Solis has assisted Blackshear in several football camps and also works many youth camps/leagues in the South Plains. He is the cousin of Oscar Solis and assists/volunteers his services with the Oscar Solis Football Camp.
Additional information on any of the coaches may be requested by contacting Chris Due with the Lubbock Renegades at 806-744-5858 or chris@lubbockrenegades.com. Media members are also encouraged to contact Due for any interview requests or photo requests of any individuals detailed in the release.
The Renegades kick off their inaugural campaign April 6th on the road in Amarillo. Their home opener is scheduled for a 3 PM kickoff on Sunday, April 15th at City Bank Coliseum against the Arkansas Twisters. Individual ticket and corporate sponsorship information is available by contacting the Renegades office at (806) 744-5858. Additional Renegades info can be found online via their official site at www.lubbockrenegades.com.
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