The NFLPA announced the assistant coaches for the 2012 Astroturf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, to be held January 21, 2012 in Los Angeles. The head coaches, already announced previously, are Super Bowl-winning coaches Tom Flores and Dick Vermeil, and the assistants are a who’s who of former NFL players and coaches.
The assistants will include Martin Bayless, Isaac Bruce, John Bunting, Jeff Burris, Frank Gansz, Jr., Jim Hanifan, Carl Hairston, Matthew Hatchette, Eric Hicks, Vonnie Holliday, Priest Holmes, Billy Long, Rod Martin, Kevin Mawae, Steve Ortmayer, Tony Richardson, Greg Robinson, Terry Shea, Bob Saunders, Will Shields, Ted Tollner and Eric Warfield.
The event is designed to provide draft-eligible college players, both seniors and underclassman, the ability to interact with NFL players and coaches to better prepare them for the ranks of professional football.
Executive Director of the NFLPA DeMaurice Smith has said that this game “is a centerpiece of the NFLPA’s mission to prepare players to play in the NFL.”
The NFLPA is putting in a full court press, incorporating the NFLPA PULSE Awards in downtown Los Angeles on the eve of the game. The PULSE awards is an annual event that honors some of the biggest names in the NFL for their accomplishments on and off the field.
The game will kick off at 3 PM Pacific time at the Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. The Home Depot Center has hosted a variety of international competitions, and AstroTurf will unveil a new field surface. AEG and IMG will bring their management teams and event expertise to help ensure a smooth event for the inaugural game.
