The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
McGee Announces Football Coaching Staff
1/12/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 12, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- New UAB head football coach Garrick McGeehas announced the hiring of his coaching staff as the Blazer program begins a new era under the former offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas.
"I am really excited about the staff that we've put together," said McGee. "I think this is the type of staff that has some big-time coaches that are respected around the country. These guys trusted me and trusted my plan and vision for this place. Then they walked on campus and said the same thing I said when I first walked on campus, `this place is nice.'
"This is a staff that can compete in any setting in the country when it comes to developing kids, teaching them football and then getting them out there in a position to perform at their best while making adjustments on game day to win games."
McGee unveiled the new staff at a press conference Thursday morning: Joe Gilbert, Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line; Reggie Johnson, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers; Anthony Blevins, Cornerbacks; Jeff Brohm, Quarterbacks; Tyson Helton, Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator; Richard Owens, Tight Ends; Brandon Sharp, Safeties; and Jimmy Williams, Defensive Line.
The only position coach not announced Thursday was wide receivers. McGee hopes to have that spot filled soon.
Gilbert, a 25-year coaching veteran, comes to UAB after spending the past three seasons as the offensive line coach at Illinois, including the final two with the title of assistant head coach. He spent a season at Houston before going to Illinois and also served two stints at the University of Toledo.
In between, Gilbert was the offensive line coach at UCF for three seasons. A native of Horseheads, N.Y., Gilbert is a 1983 graduate of Hamilton University, where he was a three-time all-conference lineman.
"Joe and I have worked together in the past at Toledo," said McGee. "I've always appreciated the way he went about coaching the offensive line. He really cares about the kids, is very organized and does an outstanding job coaching the details."
Johnson will take over coordinator duties on the defensive side for the Blazers and coach linebackers after spending four seasons as linebackers coach at Arkansas. He was also on Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino's staff at Louisville from 2003-06 and remained on the Cardinals' staff in 2007. Johnson coached defensive ends at UL in 2003 when Elvis Dumervil earned All-America honors and won the Nagurski and Hendricks Awards.
Johnson was a four-year letterman at Louisville from 1988-90 and helped the Cardinals in 1990 finish with a 10-1-1 record as they defeated Alabama, 34-7, in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl. He earned his bachelor's and masters' degrees from Louisville.
"Reggie and I are really good friends, our families are very close and our wives are really good friends," said McGee. "I think Reggie is a potential star in this business and can develop into one of the top defensive coordinators in the country. He is passionate and understands the wide vision of the game and how to motivate kids."
Blevins, a native of Birmingham, is a former letterwinner (1995-98) at UAB, where he played cornerback. He attended Pleasant Grove High School. Blevins returns to his alma mater after serving on the staff at Tennessee State where he was defensive backs coach since 2009. He spent one season at UT Martin as the cornerbacks coach. From 2005-07, Blevins served as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State while working with the Bulldogs' wide receivers and defensive backs.
"Anthony is a young man who grew up in the city of Birmingham and understands what this city needs," McGee said. "He will be able to connect our program with the former players, which is important to me. I like the way he goes about his business. He is very passionate about UAB."
Brohm, who played seven seasons as an NFL quarterback, joins the Blazers' staff after two seasons at Illinois. He spent the 2009 campaign as the quarterbacks coach at Florida Atlantic. Brohm was the quarterbacks coach at Louisville from 2004-06, assistant head coach and passing game coordinator in 2007, and the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2008.
Under Brohm's direction, the Cardinals' passing game put up some prolific numbers, including a record-breaking season in 2007 as Brohm's brother, Brian, threw for 4,024 yards and 30 touchdowns.
"He coached Bob Petrino's quarterbacks for four years before I coached Bob Petrino's quarterbacks for four years, so we speak the same language. We have the same philosophy about what it means to coach the position. The techniques we teach are the exact same and that position is important to me because it's my passion."
Helton will continue as a member of the UAB coaching staff after joining the staff in 2007. While a member of the Blazers' staff, Helton has served as quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator. He spent three seasons at the University of Memphis coaching special teams and tight ends. A graduate of the University of Houston, Helton also spent four years as a member of June Jones' staff at Hawai'i.
"Tyson thinks that UAB is a special place," said McGee. "The way Tyson thinks is broad enough that he will be a potential head coaching candidate. There is no doubt about it. He has really helped me with our recruiting over the last month. I can't say enough about Tyson."
Owens, who played collegiately at Louisville before a five-year NFL career, spent the past two years as a graduate assistant at Arkansas where he coached the Razorbacks' tight ends. In 2010 when Arkansas earned a BCS berth in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Owens tutored a group led by Mackey Award winner D.J. Williams. Owens played for the Minnesota Vikings (2004-07), St. Louis Rams (2007-08) and New York Jets (2009) in the NFL.
"At the University of Arkansas the graduate assistant is a full-time tight ends coach," said McGee "They go into meetings with the tight ends and they coach the tight ends. For me to get Richard to come here and coach our tight ends, it's almost like I am getting Arkansas' tight ends coach to come here and work with us. He played for Louisville (when Louisville was a Conference USA member) so he understands the conference and what the conference is all about."
Sharp also joins the UAB staff after serving on the staff at Arkansas. While with the Razorbacks the past year as a graduate assistant, Sharp coached the safeties. A former letterwinner at Louisville (2003-06), Sharp was part of the Bobby Petrino-coached team that beat Wake Forest, 24-13, in the 2007 Orange Bowl.
A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Sharp was signed by the Tennessee Titans following his career at Louisville and was signed later in the 2007 season to the Chicago Bears practice squad.
"I have been able to watch Brandon as a young coach the past couple years develop and grow," McGee said. "If you asked anyone in the building at Arkansas if Brandon Sharp was ready to be a position coach, they would say there is absolutely no doubt. The players and coaches would both say the same thing. He understands how to develop relationships with kids, he understands the game of football and how to go into a home and recruit parents to get them to really trust him."
Williams, a former Nebraska great who spent 12 seasons in the NFL, most recently served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Buffalo. Williams' college coaching coaching career also includes stints at Toledo, Grand Valley State and his alma mater. Williams was one of the top defensive players in Cornhuskers' history as a defensive end.
A product of Washington, D.C., Williams walked on at Nebraska and became a first-round selection in the 1982 NFL draft. He played nine seasons with the Detroit Lions, one with the Minnesota Vikings and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Jimmy Williams as the defensive line coach is a special guy," said McGee. "He was the defensive coordinator at Buffalo when they turned that program around and won the conference championship. He has a great ability to develop people and is about the right stuff. We are really fortunate to have him on the staff at UAB."
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