2004 AFM Pro Coaches of the Year

by: Andy Jasner
© More from this issue

          
NFL: Marty Schottenheimer
San Diego Chargers

The National Football League is filled with outstanding coaches. There’s Bill Belichick in New England, Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh. All three of them could easily be named as this year’s AFM NFL Coach of the Year.

But to do that would be to ignore the coach who has done the most with the least, the coach who many prognosticators believed would not make it through the season. So, for our Coach of the Year, go West and take a peek at the job Marty Schottenheimer has done in San Diego.

The turnaround has been quite remarkable when you consider that Schottenheimer’s first two seasons with the Chargers produced 8-8 and 4-12 records, respectively. As they entered the 2004 season, the talent seemed depleted, the quarterback position was a mystery at best and the defense appeared sketchy.

Under Schottenheimer’s guidance, they have exceeded every goal. In fact, quarterback Drew Brees was on the trading block with first-round draft pick Philip Rivers expected to take over eventually. Additionally, the dominance of LaDainian Tomlinson and the emergence of Tight End Antonio Gates have excited a once dormant offense and taken the city of San Diego by storm. Similarly, Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips has solidified the defense.

Though Schottenheimer is in his 28th NFL season, his 19th as a head coach, this may be his finest job yet. And that’s saying something. Schottenheimer has won 174 regular season NFL games, which ranks first among active coaches. He is eighth all-time in career victories, having passed Paul Brown this season.

A trip to the playoffs this season would be the 12th, more than any active NFL coach. Since 1960, only Don Shula (19), Tom Landry (18), Chuck Noll (12) and Bud Grant (12) have made more playoff appearances.

The Chargers play an aggressive defensive style, which is something that was evident in head coaching stops with Cleveland, Kansas City and Washington. In ‘95 and ‘97, the Chiefs led the league in scoring defense.

Schottenheimer, 61, was also an assistant coach for many years with the Giants, Lions and Browns. Before that, he was an All-America linebacker at the University of Pittsburgh. He was picked in the fourth round of the 1965 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts and in the seventh round of the AFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He played four seasons for the Bills, two for the Boston Patriots, spent the 1971 training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was traded to the Colts and retired soon after.

Schottenheimer and his wife, Pat, have two children, Kristen and Brian, and one grandchild, Brandon. Brian serves as the team’s quarterbacks coach and looks as if he’s following in his father’s footsteps.

NFL Europe:
Rick Lantz, Berlin Thunder

Berlin coach Rick Lantz made the most of his 41st season in coaching.

Lantz led the Thunder to a 9-1 record in the regular season capped off by a thrilling 30-24 victory over the Frankfurt Galaxy in the World Bowl. The win over the Galaxy tied a record set by the London Monarchs in 1991 by winning nine regular season games and the World Bowl.

The Thunder managed to win their third championship in four seasons despite turning the ball over five times. Running back Eric McCoo rushed for a World Bowl-record 167 yards and was named Most Valuable Player. Lantz nearly finished with an undefeated season. The only blemish was a narrow 28-27 loss to the Cologne Centurions in week five.

Lantz was named coach of the Thunder on November 6, 2003 after spending the 2002 season as linebackers coach of the F.C. Barcelona Dragons. Lantz succeeded Peter Vaas as coach, and became just the third coach in the history of the franchise. Wes Chandler was coach in 1999.

A former sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, Lantz started his career in coaching at the high school level in 1963. He was an assistant twice at Boston University and also had stints at Rhode Island and the State University of New York at Buffalo before a seven-year tenure as defensive coordinator at Navy from 1970-76. Also mixed in was a brief head coaching stop at Bridgton Academy.

Lantz was defensive coordinator at the University of Miami from 1977-80 and then moved on to spend two years as linebackers coach for the New England Patriots and two years as defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech. From 1984-86, Lantz was the defensive line coach at Notre Dame. Then came a five-year run as defensive coordinator at the University of Louisville before heading for his linebackers coach position at the University of Virginia. During his seven years at Virginia, Lantz coached the likes of linebackers James Farrior and Jamie Sharper.

It all came together last summer in Berlins’ victory.

Arena League:
Darren Arbet
San Jose SaberCats

San Jose head coach Darren Arbet witnessed the highest scoring game in ArenaBowl history. In the end, the SaberCats scored more. As 17 individual or team records were being set in the SaberCats’ 69-62 victory over the Arizona Rattlers, Arbet was en route to winning the championship in ArenaBowl XVIII.

The SaberCats started the season 7-1, but lost three of their last four games, including the regular-season finale, 50-43, to the Rattlers. Clearly, Arbet refocused his team just as he has done since being named coach on January 13, 1999. With an 11-5 regular season, he improved his career record with the SaberCats to 64-24. He also won an ArenaBowl title with the SaberCats in 2002, ironically defeating the Rattlers 52-14.

Actually, Arbet joined the SaberCats in their inaugural season in 1995 as a defensive assistant and special teams coordinator. He was named the team’s player personnel director in 1996. Before going to the SaberCats, Arbet was an assistant coach for one season with the Albany Firebirds. His first head coaching experience came took place in 1993 when he led the semi-pro River City Gamblers to a league championship.

Arbet also took advantage of his 2003 off-season to work with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ coaches under the NFL’s Minority Internship Program. Arbet worked with head coach Bill Cowher and his staff for three weeks at training camp.

Arbet started his career in coaching in 1990 as an assistant coach at California State University, Sacramento. He was a four-year letter winner at Sacramento State, where he played defensive end from 1981-85, and graduated with a degree in criminal justice. He is the father of two sons, Lamarr and Dominick, and he resides in San Jose.Arena League 2:

Ben Bennett
Florida Firecats

Ben Bennett had lost six championship games in a row. He was not about to
let that happen for a seventh time.

The head coach of the af2 Florida Firecats finally got his title as the Firecats held off the Peoria Pirates 39-26 in the ArenaCup.

The Firecats completed the regular season with a 10-6 record before winning all four playoff games, including the ArenaCup. The playoff wins came against Memphis, Tennessee Valley, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Peoria in the ArenaCup.

Since the championship, Bennett has since left the Firecats and has been named head coach of the Manchester Wolves. Amazingly, he has become the fourth head coach of the Wolves in slightly more than one year, following Rik Richards, Ron Hill and Mark Stoute.

Bennett was a standout quarterback at Duke University under legendary head coach Steve Spurrier. Bennett broke seven NCAA records, established 15 Atlantic Coast Conference records and set 42 Duke records before graduating in 1984.
Bennett passed for 9,614 yards, 55 touchdowns and had nine 300-yard games. Duke recruited Bennett out of Peterson (CA) High School, where he had an outstanding high school career, setting 18 school records along with nine Santa Clara Valley Athletic League records.

Bennett also has played professionally in the NFL, USFL, WLAF and the AFL. In the AFL, he led three different teams to five ArenaBowls. Bennett was named the league‚s MVP in 1988 and first team All-Arena three times.

Bennett entered the AFL Hall of Fame in 2000.

CFL: Michael Clemons
Toronto Argonauts

There have been many football heroes in the rich 131 year tradition of the Toronto Argonauts. they include such legends as Lionel Conacher, Bill Symons, Dick Shatto, former Tennessee star Condredge Holloway, and Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie. None, however, would be considered more popular than Argonauts head coach Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons.

Michael “Pinball” Clemons won three Grey Cups while playing for the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts. In 2004, Clemons won his first Grey Cup as a head coach.

The Argonauts defeated the B.C. Lions 27-19 to capture the 92nd Grey Cup before a crowd of 51,242 at Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa. It was an impressive victory since the Argonauts did not even win their own division. The Montreal Alouettes had a 14-4-0 record, slightly better than the 10-7-1 Argonauts. In the Eastern Division final, Toronto ousted Montreal 26-18, and snapped a four-game losing streak against Montreal. Also, Toronto won its first playoff game at Montreal since 1946.The Argonauts had not won the Grey Cup since back-to-back victories in 1996 and 1997.

Clemons was officially named the franchise’s head coach for the second time on December 17, 2002. He took over for Gary Etcheverry on an interim basis for the second half of the season and went 4-2.

Clemons, who was raised in Florida, attended the College of William & Mary, where he was a Division I-AA All-American. In 1986, he was named Virginia Major College Offensive Player of the Year. During his years at William & Mary, Clemons rolled up 4,778 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns.

After college, Clemons was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs and played with the Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing with the Argonauts. Clemons compiled a record 25,396 all-purpose yards during his career with the Argonauts. On September 15, 2000, after 12 seasons in the CFL, he retired with 12 all-time records, including 682 career receptions.

While serving as head coach, Clemons is also a fixture in the community. Several organizations have recognized Clemons for his countless hours of work in the community. Clemons and his wife Diane live in Toronto with their daughters Rachel, Raven and Rylie.

NEW BOOK!

Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach