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Thunder |  |
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Bart Andrus Head Coach Bart Andrus begins his fifth year as head coach of the Admirals having led Amsterdam to their first non-losing season since 1998 by posting a 5-5 record in 2004. Under Andrus, the Admirals once again fielded a strong offensive team (2nd in NFLEL total offense), winning three of their last four games to occupy third place in the final rankings. Strong offensive teams have been common in Amsterdam under Andrus, as the 2002 and 2003 squads also boasted powerful attacks. In 2001, Andrus guided the Admirals to a 4-6 record in his first season as head coach, narrowly missing out on a berth in World Bowl IX, missing out with a loss in Week 10. Andrus spent the 2000 NFL Europe season as offensive coordinator for Rhein Fire, winning a World Bowl ring. The Fire offense topped the league in total yards gained and total points scored. Prior to his appointment with the Fire, Andrus spent three seasons in the NFL with Tennessee Titans/Oilers as an offensive assistant from 1997-98 and as the quarterbacks coach in 1999, tutoring NFL star Steve McNair. He was a member of the Titans coaching staff at Super Bowl XXXIV. Andrus has more than 10 years of coaching experience at collegiate level including one season as head coach at Rocky Mountain College. He received the 1996 NAIA Coach of the Year Award for his efforts in restructuring a struggling program that had not won a game in four years. At the helm of Rocky Mountain, Andrus ended the season at 6-4 with his offense ranking first in the nation. Prior to his stint at Rocky Mountain, Andrus held the role of offensive coordinator at three different schools: Southern Utah University ('93-'95), Montana State ('90-'91) and Humboldt State ('86-'89). Andrus served as graduate assistant at Brigham Young University in 1984 after a three-year position as head coach at St. Patrick High School in Vallejo, California. A graduate of the University of Montana, where he played quarterback for four years (1978-81), Andrus was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 30, 1958. Andrus and his wife Karen are the proud parents of a daughter, Brooke, and a son, Travis. JOHN ALLEN Offensive Coordinator John Allen returns for a second season as offensive coordinator of the Admirals and is in his third NFL Europe League campaign. Spent the 2003 campaign as wide receivers coach of the Berlin Thunder. His year with the Thunder was Allen's first on the professional level, having previously enjoyed successful tenures at Bucknell University (2002) and Lock Haven University, where he worked for six years, rising to the position of offensive coordinator. Allen played wide receiver at Madison University before embarking on a career in the coaching ranks. His influence on the Thunder was clear to see in 2003 as seven of his receivers caught 15 passes or more and Berlin scored 20 times on touchdown passes to rank second in the NFL Europe League. In 2004, he guided Amsterdam's offense to second in the league's offensive rankings, averaging 316.6 yards per game, and two of the top three positions in receiving yardage were occupied by Admirals. DARRYL SIMS Defensive Coordinator Darryl Sims will start his sixth year with the Admirals and 2005 marks his second campaign as the club's defensive coordinator. He spent the previous four years as Amsterdam's defensive line coach. Under Sims' leadership in 2004, the Admirals boasted NFL Europe's toughest red-zone defense, allowing opponents to score on just 50 percent of trips inside Amsterdam's 20-yard line. In 2001, his defensive line set a team-record in sacks (41) and Sims was responsible for the successes of defensive linemen such as Roshaun Matthews (NFLEL Defensive MVP in 2001) and Mike Sutton. Prior to joining the Admirals, Sims was defensive line coach at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Sims was a first round draft pick (21st overall) of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1985 NFL draft. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in 1987 before retiring in 1991. As a defensive end he played 32 games with the Steelers, recording 3 sacks, and 26 contests with the Browns. DON LAWRENCE Offensive Line Don Lawrence joins the Amsterdam Admirals coaching staff having spent the three previous seasons tutoring offensive linemen for the Frankfurt Galaxy, winning a World Bowl ring in 2003 and sending three starters to the NFL in 2002. Don has 18 years of NFL coaching experience. During his career he reached the Super Bowl four consecutive times (1990-1993) as offensive line coach of the Buffalo Bills, but never won a championship ring. The former lineman of the Washington Redskins (1959-61) started his coaching career at Notre Dame where he played his college football. Afterwards he coached at Kansas State, Cincinnati, Texas Christian, Missouri and Virginia, where Lawrence was the head coach from 1971 to 1973. He entered the professional ranks in 1978 when he coached the B.C. Lions of the CFL. In 1980 he was special teams coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and then coached the defensive line (1981-82). He coached for the Buffalo Bills for two years and after that he spent two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he worked with former Galaxy head coach Doug Graber. In 1987 he returned to the Kansas City Chiefs for two years as defensive line coach. For one season (1989) he coached offensive line for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, then from 1990-1997 he was a member of the Bills. He spent the 2000 NFL campaign as tight ends coach of the Arizona Cardinals. Don Lawrence was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1937. ROBERT HUNT Offensive Assistant Robert Hunt joins the Amsterdam Admirals coaching staff as a member of the NFL Europe Coaching Program - a joint venture between the NFL's Player Development department in New York and the NFL Players Association designed at giving retired NFL players a taste of life as a professional football coach. Hunt played guard in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in NFL Europe with the Frankfurt Galaxy (2000) and in the XFL with the San Francisco Demons and New York/New Jersey Hitmen in 2001. He has spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Menchville High School in Newport News, Virginia, and has also served as a teacher during that time. Enjoys speaking to elementary, middle and high school students and serving as a mentor for elementary school students in the Albermarle County Public Schools system in Virginia. REX NORRIS Defensive Line Rex Norris brings 40 years of coaching experience - including 12 in the NFL - to his position as defensive line coach of the Amsterdam Admirals. The 2005 campaign marks his second year in NFL Europe having replaced Darryl Sims as defensive line coach ahead of the 2004 season. The former linebacker has coached for the Detroit Lions (1985-1987), Denver Broncos (1994) and Tennessee Oilers (1995-1998), before landing a job with the Chicago Bears. Norris enjoyed a successful spell in the Windy City as his 2001 defensive line helped anchor a run defense that ranked second in the NFL and first in the NFC in rushing yards allowed per game, giving up just 82.1 yards per contest. The 2001 Bears only surrendered three runs of more than 20 yards all season and gave up just six rushing touchdowns - their fewest since 1998. Prior to his career in the NFL, Norris spent 11 seasons (1973-1983) as an assistant coach for Barry Switzer at Oklahoma, where he was the defensive coordinator for three years, coached the defensive line and was assistant head coach for his final three years. With the Sooners, he produced seven first team All Americans and helped them to eight Bowl appearances. Norris' coaching career also included stints at Texas A&M; (1972), Arizona State (1984), Florida (1988-1989), Tennessee (1990-91) and Texas (1992-1993). RICHARD KENT Defensive Backs The 2005 season marks the first year for Richard Kent with the Amsterdam Admirals and his sixth in NFL Europe. He worked for the Cologne Centurions in 2004, the Berlin Thunder in 2003 and the Scottish Claymores from 2000-2002. In the Claymores' World Bowl 2000 season, the defense led the NFLEL in scoring, total defense, pass defense, takeaways and interceptions. Prior to joining the Claymores, Kent enjoyed a successful 16-year stint in the collegiate ranks. Over the last 10 years of his college career Kent helped his teams achieve a won-loss record of 88-25-1. Kent has coached in four national collegiate playoff appearances, two each with Troy State and Catawba College. Kent has also coached at Texas Southern (1995), Troy State (1992-94) and Austin Peay State (1987). He is a Masters graduate of Clemson University (1987) and Bachelors graduate of Appalachian State (1984) where he played quarterback and wide receiver from 1979-1980. JOHN LEIJTEN National Coach/Linebackers John Leijten begins his fifth year as National coach of the Admirals and has been involved in football for 20 years. As player, Leijten was star linebacker for Tilburg Sting (1984-1986) and the Rotterdam Trojans (1988-1990), undefeated champions of the Netherlands. In 1990, an ankle injury forced him to quit playing football. As a coach Leijten made a name for himself with the Tilburg Steelers and Cologne Crocodiles. Under his guidance, Tilburg won Dutch national championships in 1991 and 1992 and made it to the playoff finals in 1994. In 2000, he led the Crocodiles to a Bundesliga championship. ANTONIO BANKS Defensive Assistant Former Admirals fan favorite Antonio Banks joins Amsterdam's staff for 2005 as part of the NFL Europe Coaching Program - a joint venture between the NFL's player development department in New York and the NFL Players' Association. Banks played safety for the Admirals in 1998 and then again in 2000 and 2001, compiling 67 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. He also broke up 11 passes during his NFLEL career. Played cornerback and safety in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings from 1997-2000 and the Oakland Raiders in 2002. Final action on the field came in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2003. Spent the summer of 2004 coaching during the Minnesota Vikings training camp as part of the NFL's Minority Internship Program and has also served as secondary coach at Averett University in North Carolina. JOSEPH BENES Strength and Conditioning Coach Joins the Admirals for his fifth season in NFL Europe and boasts vast experience in sports' strength and conditioning. Benes graduated from Buffalo State College (NY) in 1999 obtaining a Health and Wellness degree, earning a minor in nutrition and coaching. Benes has been the head strength and conditioning coach for the Eden Volleyball Club in Buffalo since 1999 and has worked with Rich Products Corporation in 2001 as a Corporate Fitness Trainer. Benes was the assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Buffalo Bills during the 2001 season. Joe is single and resides outside of Buffalo, New York. He is the son of Joseph and Christine Benes. BETH KATES Head Athletic Trainer Beth Kates returns for her third year with the Amsterdam Admirals after holding the Head Athletic Trainer position during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Prior to her appointment in NFL Europe, Kates worked at HealthSouth as the Head Athletic Trainer to Miles College in 2002. Formerly, Kates spent seven years working at the Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center, where she worked with high school and college athletes. She also spent five years as an assistant athletic trainer at Jackson State University after spending a year with Louisiana State University. In her free time, Kates enjoys gardening, remodeling her home, and hunting. CLAY WEILER Assistant Athletic Trainer Clay Weiler joins the Amsterdam Admirals for his first year as Assistant Athletic Trainer. He has spent the last two years working as a season intern with the Denver Broncos. Before that he was a student trainer in college, working part-time as an athletic trainer. He earned his Bachelor degree as Athletic Trainer at West Virginia University. In his free time Weiler - native of Connersville, Indiana - enjoys hiking, camping and photography. Grew |
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