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UFL Memphis Showboats

Showboats Announce 2025 Coaching Staff

February 5, 2025 - United Football League (UFL)
Memphis Showboats News Release


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis Showboats Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt has announced his coaching staff for the 2025 United Football League season.

Jarren Horton will coordinate the defense. Horton was the 2023 USFL Assistant Coach of the Year as the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Maulers. Also on the defensive staff will be defensive line coach Brian Baker, linebackers/special teams coach Marc Hull and defensive quality control coach Steve Meyer.

On the offensive side of the ball, two coaches return from the 2024 Showboats season. Jim Turner returns to coach the offensive line. T.J. Vernieri coached the tight ends with the Showboats last season and will add responsibility for the wide receivers in 2025. Luke Ferdinand joins the staff as running backs coach and former Showboats player Lee Morris will serve as offensive quality control coach.

"I am truly excited to announce the 2025 Showboats coaching staff," Whisenhunt said. "We have assembled a great mix of experienced veterans and bright, young coaches. As a staff, we are looking forward to getting to training camp and beginning the work of putting the best possible team we can on the field to represent Memphis."

The following is a look at each of the Showboats' assistant coaches for 2025:

Jarren Horton, Defensive Coordinator

First season with Showboats

Earned USFL Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2023, while serving as the defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Maulers

Spent three seasons (2019-21) coaching at the University of Connecticut, coaching defensive backs and serving as interim defensive coordinator in 2021

Coached with the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football in 2019

Spent a season with the Cleveland Browns as an assistant quality control coach/defensive assistant (2016) and held a summer assistant position with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019

Experience as an analyst or graduate assistant at Vanderbilt (2015, 2017) and Southeastern Louisiana (2018)

Son of Ray Horton, who played 10 years in the NFL and coached in the NFL for 24 seasons, earning three Super Bowl rings (one as a player, two as an assistant coach)

Brian Baker, Defensive Line

First season with the Showboats

Nearly 40 years of coaching experience, dating back to his time as an undergrad in 1984

Has coached at the high school, collegiate and professional levels

Experience with nine different NFL teams

Coached Pro Bowlers DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff and Anthony Spencer with the Dallas Cowboys

Most recent position was Senior Defensive Analyst at Georgia Tech in 2023

Marc Hull, Linebackers/Special Teams

First season with the Showboats

Coached linebackers and special teams for the USFL's Pittsburgh Maulers in 2022 and 2023

Spent seven seasons coaching linebackers and special teams at Slippery Rock (Pa.), helping lead the squad to two conference championships and four NCAA D-II Playoff appearances

Spent two seasons at Shippensburg (Pa.) as a graduate assistant prior to his time at Slippery Rock

Coached at Kentucky Christian University in 2012

Began his coaching career at West Los Angeles College

Steve Meyer, Defensive Quality Control

First season with the Showboats

Served on the staff of the USFL's Pittsburgh Maulers in 2023

Spent 2022 as the defensive coordinator at Saint Vincent College (Pa.) after serving on the Bearcat's staff from 2010-13 as well

Five years on staff with the Pittsburgh Steelers, serving as a defensive coaching assistant and scouting intern (2013-2018)

Also brings experience from the high school ranks as well as coaching with the AAF's Birmingham Iron

Luke Ferdinand, Running Backs

First season with the Showboats

Spent the last three seasons coaching at Black Hills State University (Grad Asst.-OL, 2022; Grad Asst.-RB, 2023; Asst. Coach-RB, 2023)

Coached two all-conference players during his time at Black HIlls State

Also has experience on the football staff at South Dakota as a video coordinator

Jim Turner, Offensive Line

Second season with the Showboats

Nearly 30 years of coaching experience at the professional and collegiate levels

Coached a Texas A&M offensive line that paved the way for Trayveon Smith to lead the SEC with 1760 rushing yards in 2018

Has coached numerous offensive linemen who went on to play in the NFL

Former infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps (1990-94)

T.J. Vernieri, Tight Ends/Wide Receivers

Second season with the Showboats

Coached wide receivers at Gannon University in the fall of 2023, after working as offensive quality control/tight ends coach for the New Orleans Breakers in the spring of 2023

Spent two seasons on the coaching staff with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, also has three seasons of collegiate coaching experience

Lee Morris, Offensive Quality Control

First season on Showboats coaching staff

Played last three seasons in the USFL/UFL (New Orleans Breakers-2022-23, Memphis Showboats 2024)

Caught 41 passes for 848 yards and 11 TDs in four years of collegiate action at Oklahoma

His father, Lee Morris, played one season in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers in 1987

2018 Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist

The 2025 Showboats season kicks off March 30 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, when Memphis hosts the Michigan Panthers. The Showboats will also play home games April 12, May 11, May 24 and June 1.

Memphis Showboats season tickets begin at just $100 and can be purchased at uflshowboats.com/tickets. Fans can also reach a ticket specialist by calling 901-341-7008 or sending an email to tickets@uflshowboats.com.

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