New Orleans' Mike Neu named Coach of the Year
Published on June 10, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
NEW YORK â New Orleans VooDoo head coach MIKE NEU was selected the 2004 Coach of the Year as voted by the AFL head coaches, players, fans and Arena Football League Writers Association (AFLWA). This marks the first time Neu has earned Coach of the Year honors.
Neu was named the first head coach of the expansion VooDoo in June 2003 and led New Orleans to the most wins ever by an expansion team (11), a Southern Division title and a No. 4 seed in the playoffs. The VooDoo finished the regular season 11-5âtied for the best record in the leagueâand hosted a quarterfinal playoff game on June 6.
Before taking over in New Orleans, Neu served as the director of football operations and head coach of the Carolina Cobras in 2002, when he led them to the first playoff win in club history.
Prior to his coaching career in Carolina, Neu was named arenafootball2 Coach of the Year after leading the Augusta Stallions to the American Conference title. His AFL coaching career began in 1998 as the quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator (1999) for the Nashville Kats.
Neu played for the Orlando Predators in 1996 and the Nashville Kats in 1997 after a stint with the CFL Calgary Stampeders. A four-year starter at Ball State, Neu quarterbacked his alma mater to a conference championship in 1993. He still holds school career passing records in yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns.
Other coaches receiving votes included: Arizona's DANNY WHITE, Austin's SKIP FOSTER, Chicago's MIKE HOHENSEE, Colorado's MIKE DAILEY, Indiana's MIKE WILPOLT, Orlando's JAY GRUDEN, San Jose's DARREN ARBET, and Tampa Bay's TIM MARCUM.
The ADT Defensive Player of the Year (Tuesday), Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Year (Wednesday), and U.S. Army Ironman of the Year (Thursday) will be announced next week on ESPNews.
The following is the complete list of the Coach of the Year award winners:
ALL-TIME COACH OF THE YEAR WINNERS
SEASON PLAYER, TEAM
2004 MIKE NEU, NEW ORLEANS VOODOO
2003 Todd Shell, New York Dragons
2002 Darren Arbet, San Jose SaberCats
2001 Michael Trigg, Grand Rapids Rampage
2000 Darren Arbet, San Jose SaberCats
1999 Mike Dailey, Albany Firebirds
1998 Tim Marcum, Tampa Bay Storm
1997 Eddie Khayat, Nashville Kats
1996 John Gregory, Iowa Barnstormers
1995 John Gregory, Iowa Barnstormers*
1994 Perry Moss, Orlando Predators
1993 Danny White, Arizona Rattlers
1992 Perry Moss, Orlando Predators
1991 Fran Curci, Tampa Bay Storm*
1990 Ernie Stautner **, Dallas Texans
1989 Vito "Babe" Parilli, Denver Dynamite
1988 Perry Moss, Chicago Bruisers*
1987 Tim Marcum, Denver Dynamite*
*AFL first-year head coach
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 10, 2004
- Must-see matchups: semifinals - AFL I
- Quick hitters: semifinals - AFL I
- San Jose fined $20,000 for operations violations - AFL I
- New Orleans' Mike Neu named Coach of the Year - AFL I
- John Elway, Danny White Q&A - AFL I
- New Orleans VooDoo Coach Mike Neu named Arena Football League's Coach of the Year - New Orleans VooDoo
- SaberCats announce All-Decade Team - San Jose SaberCats
- AFL Q&A: Colorado OS Damian Harrell - AFL I
- Ron Jaworski to chat live on USAToday.com this Friday - AFL I
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