The USFL is back this weekend Here are the head coaches and where you might know them from
Cork Gaines
- The USFL is back for its second season with eight teams from the original league, which existed in the 1980s.
- The USFL was the third of four spring leagues in recent years but was the first to complete a season since the original XFL in 2001.
- The league will play a 10-week regular season. With all games in their first season taking place in Birmingham, Alabama, this year they have added Detroit, Memphis, and Canton, Ohio. There will be a 4-team playoff and the championship will be held in Canton, Ohio.
- Unlike the original USFL, which poached star players from the NFL with big contracts, the most recognizable names might be the head coaches.
Birmingham Stallions — Skip Holtz
Holtz is in his second season as head coach of the Stallions, leading them to the championship in 2022.
College head coaching experience: 17 seasons at East Carolina, South Florida, and Louisiana Tech. He took his teams to 12 bowl games but never finished a season in the AP Top 25.
NFL head coaching experience: None
Best known for: The son of legendary college coach Lou Holtz.
Houston Gamblers — Curtis Johnson
Johnson is in his first season as head coach of the Gamblers, replacing Kevin Sumlin who resigned after one season.
College head coaching experience: Three seasons at Tulane (2013-15), going 13-24 and leading the Green Wave to one bowl game.
NFL head coaching experience: None
Best known for: As an assistant coach for wide receivers, he won a national title with Miami in 2001 under Larry Coker. Later, he won a Super Bowl as the receivers coach for the New Orleans Saints in 2009 under Sean Payton.
Michigan Panthers — Mike Nolan
Nolan is in his first season as the head coach for the Panthers, replacing Jeff Fisher.
College head coaching experience: None
NFL head coaching experience: Four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, going 18-37 and never reaching the playoffs. He was fired after seven games in 2008.
Best known for: Nolan was a long-time defensive coordinator in the NFL. He held the position for 18 seasons with eight different teams. His most recent coaching position was as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.
New Jersey Generals — Mike Riley
Riley is in his second season as head coach of the Generals, leading them to the North Division championship last year.
College head coaching experience: 17 seasons with Oregon State and Nebraska. He led his teams to 10 bowl games and four times finished in the AP Top 25.
NFL head coaching experience: 3 seasons with the San Diego Chargers.
Best known for: Riley went 14-34 with the Chargers, including 1-15 in 2000. After being fired, he rejected an offer to coach the University of Alabama and later returned to Oregon State.
New Orleans Breakers — John DeFilippo
DeFilippo is in his first season as the head coach of the Breakers, replacing Larry Fedora.
College head coaching experience: None
NFL head coaching experience: None
Best known for: DeFilippo is a long-time quarterbacks coach. He has been an offensive coordinator three times in the NFL with the Browns, Vikings, and Jaguars. He was most recently the QBs coach with the Chicago Bears in 2021.
Philadelphia Stars — Bart Andrus
Andrus is in his second season as the head coach of the Stars, leading them to the championship game in 2022.
College head coaching experience: 1 season at Rocky Mountain College (NAIA)
NFL head coaching experience: None
Best known for: He was a head coach in NFL Europe for eight seasons, winning the championship in 2005 with the Amsterdam Admirals. He has also been a head coach in the CFL, the UFL, and The Spring League. His most recent coaching job was as the QB coach for the University of Ottawa in Canada.
Pittsburgh Maulers — Ray Horton
Horton is in his first season as head coach of the Maulers, replacing Kirby Wilson.
College head coaching experience: None
NFL head coaching experience: None
Best known for: Horton is a long-time defensive assistant. He has been a defensive coordinator in the NFL for six seasons with the Cardinals, Titans, and Browns (twice).
Memphis Showboats — Todd Haley
Haley is in his second season with the franchise. The team played as the Tampa Bay Bandits in 2022.
College head coaching experience: None
NFL head coaching experience: 3 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, reaching the playoffs once. He was fired after Week 14 in 2011.
Best known for: Haley is a long-time NFL offensive coordinator, spending 10 seasons in the role with four teams.
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