The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Dwayne Chandler Named To Strength & Conditioning Post
1/19/2012 12:00:00 AM | General
Jan. 19, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- Dwayne Chandler, who has experience at both the collegiate and professional levels as a strength and conditioning coach, has been named Assistant Athletic Director for Strength and Conditioning at UAB.
Chandler, a native of Aberdeen, Miss., will oversee UAB's entire strength and conditioning program and work directly with the Blazers' football team.
Chandler, 38, has spent the past 12 years working as a strength coach, most recently at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, where he served as an assistant on the staff since 2009.
He spent two years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Denver Broncos. During his two seasons (2007-08) with the Broncos, Chandler worked with such standout performers as Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and Champ Bailey.
Prior to joining the staff in Denver, Chandler was on the staff at the University of Minnesota, joining the Golden Gophers as a strength and conditioning assistant and speed coach in 2001 before being named co-head strength and conditioning coach in 2003. In 2004, Chandler was named the head strength and conditioning coach at Minnesota where he served until 2006.
During his time with the Gophers, Chandler instructed 12 players who were selected in the NFL Draft, including 2006 first-round draft choice Laurence Maroney and 2005 fourth-round selection Marion Barber III. His strength and conditioning efforts also helped the football program advance to bowl games in each of his last five seasons at Minnesota.
Before going to Minnesota, Chandler spent a season with the Dallas Cowboys, serving as a strength and conditioning intern.
Chandler was a four-year letterwinner as a fullback at Oklahoma from 1992-96 and met new Blazers' head football coach Garrick McGee when they were Sooners' teammates. Chandler led the Sooners in touchdowns (12) in 1993. He earned his bachelor's degree in communication/sociology from Oklahoma in 2000.
"I'm very excited to be here and to get started with this program," Chandler said. "I've always been in this business to help players reach their goals and to grow as young men and women."
In addition to Chandler being announced as Assistant AD for Strength and Conditioning, the Blazers also announced that Travis Taylor, Assistant Director of Football Operations at UAB the past three years, has been promoted to Director of Football Operations while Mack Ingram will remain on the football staff as Director of Player Development/Recruiting.
Bo Taliaferro also will join the staff as Assistant Director of Football Operations after three years as a graduate assistant at Arkansas working with the Razorbacks' offensive unit. Taliaferro, a native of Conway, Ark., earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Arkansas in 2009 and a Master's in sports management in 2011.
Taylor joined the UAB staff in 2009 from Valdosta State where he was a three-year starter for the Blazers at wide receiver. He was part of the 2007 NCAA Division II national champion team. He earned a bachelor's degree from Valdosta State in exercise physiology and then his Master's in higher education with an emphasis on educational leadership.
Ingram came to UAB a year ago from Auburn where he served as a student recruiter for two years. A native of Huntsville, Ala., Ingram played prep basketball at Huntsville High. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Auburn in 2010 and is working on his Master's degree.
