UFL Opportunity Fires Up First Year Head Coach

Published on July 21, 2010 under United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


ORLANDO, FL - Wednesday, July 20, 2010 - To call Jay Gruden a rookie head coach is somewhat of a stretch. After all, he did spend two different stints as head coach in the Arena Football League from 1998-2001 and 2004-08. And during that time he managed to get his team to four championship games, win a pair of titles, and enter the AFL top 10 in career wins and winning percentage.

Still in the world of outdoor professional football, Gruden is a rookie head coach and will make his debut when the Florida Tuskers take on the defending UFL champion Las Vegas Locomotives on Sept. 17.

Gruden ascension to the Tuskers head coaching job was rapid, after spending the inaugural UFL season as offensive coordinator of the Tuskers under head coach Jim Haslett. Under Gruden's direction, the Tuskers were the most dominant offense in the league - leading the UFL in total offense and points while sweeping to a 6-0 regular season record. When Haslett resigned to become defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, Gruden seemed like a logical choice to replace him.

And billing itself as the league of opportunity, the UFL wasted little time in promoting Gruden. "We were sorry to lose Coach Haslett, but in doing so it also opened a window of opportunity for Jay Gruden," UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue said. "When he left, Coach Haslett strongly endorsed Jay to become the head coach and because Coach Haslett is such a straight shooter, I had a lot of respect for that opinion because I knew it wasn't a situation of a buddy trying to help a buddy get a job."

The opportunity to become a head coach in the outdoor game is one Gruden readily embraces, particularly because he carries the dual title of head coach and general manager. "One of things I really enjoyed about being a head coach in the Arena Football League was having the ability to make all the football-related decisions," Gruden said. "To have a similar opportunity in a high-level professional football league like the United Football League presents both an exciting and challenging opportunity."

Gruden's outdoor coaching background was not limited to his one season with the Tuskers. From 2002-08 he served as an offensive assistant for his brother Jon with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was that experience, combined with the one season as offensive coordinator with the Tuskers, that Gruden believes paved the way to his first head coach job in outdoor football.

"No question that I would have never been in this situation without the experience I gained working for my brother," Gruden said. "As soon as the Arena season ended, I went over to Tampa and started working fulltime with the Bucs. Jon has a great football mind and being able to experience how things were done at that level was a great experience and helped prepare me for this job."

And while Gruden has tasted life in the NFL, he does not necessarily see the United Football League as a stepping stone. "I think every player and every coach wants to compete in the highest level of football, but I'm in no hurry to coach in the NFL. I find this league and its potential intriguing on a lot of different levels. I'm loyal to this league and want to be a part of helping establish it."

To some extent, Gruden's loyalty to the UFL may be based from his own playing background. An undrafted free agent out of Louisville, Gruden received just a cursory look from the NFL, effectively ending his outdoor playing career. And although he excelled in arena game, he was always left to wonder what might have happened had there been a UFL around 20 years ago.

"There's a ton of good football players who have the talent to play at the top level. In many cases they just need a little more time to develop and a place to play," Gruden said. "The UFL gives those players a chance."

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United Football League Stories from July 21, 2010


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