Lyles Relieved of Duties as Head Coach of Force
May 19, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release
Atlanta, GA. - The Georgia Force announced today that Head Coach Robert Lyles would be relieved of his duties for the remainder of the 2002 season. Georgia also announced that former Nashville Kats offensive coordinator and assistant coach Marty Lowe was hired as the Force's new Head Coach.
Force President Jim Thomas: "We have a very talented group of players who have been successful in the past. Under Coach Lyles and his staff these players were not achieving the results we anticipated and that we feel the people of greater Atlanta demand and deserve. We believe there is sufficient time to have a successful season this year if we make a change before we dig too deep of a hole. We are confident that, with Coach Lowe, we will find the chemistry to allow this team to realize its potential. We appreciate Coach Lyles's efforts, and we sincerely wish him success in the future."
Marty Lowe joins the Force coming from the University of Texas El-Paso were he served as running backs coach and the Miners top-recruiter. Lowe had served as offensive coordinator and assistant coach for the Nashville Kats in 2000 and 2001. Lowe's duties with Nashville included creating and implementing the offensive game plan and coaching the team's wide receivers and quarterbacks.
Lowe, who joined the Kats coaching staff as an offensive assistant in March 2000 after spending three season as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville, had Nashville's offense clicking on all cylinders in the 2000 playoffs, scoring more than 50 points in each of the team's first three post-season contests to quality for the ArenaBowl. Despite falling behind 29-7 to Orlando in the first half of ArenaBowl XIV, Lowe helped the Kats offense orchestrate an improbable comeback that fell just three points short when the Predator's David Cool hit the game-winning field goal at the buzzer.
Lowe, who played quarterback at the University of Louisville from 1991-95, spent two seasons in the Arena Football League. He played quarterback for the St. Louis Stampede in 1996 and joined the Texas Terrors. He was a starter at Texas until a knee injury ended his playing career.
A native of Chattanooga, Lowe was Mr. Football in Tennessee as a senior at Red Bank High School in 1990. In college, he started 22 consecutive games for the Cardinals, passing for 2,268 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior in 1995. He is one of only four passers in Louisville history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Lowe joined the Louisville coaching staff in 1997, breaking down practice and game tape. He moved up to offensive assistant in 1998, a position he served in again in 1999, helping NFL prospect Chris Redman post a record-breaking season as the Cardinals' quarterback.
Georgia is 1-4 on the season after dropping their fourth straight game to the Chicago Rush 70-62 on May 18. The Force return home to face Los Angeles on Friday, May 24 at Philips Arena at 7:30 p.m. Georgia defeated the Avengers 51-44 in overtime in the 2002 preseason opener for both teams in Bakersfield, Ca. Tickets are available by calling TicketMaster at (404) 249-6400, visiting www.ticketmaster.com or purchased at the Philips Arena Box Office.
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