Post by Banana Cat on Feb 15, 2011 17:33:59 GMT -5
From Oursportscentral:
Steel Name Rod Miller Head Football Coach
February 15, 2011
The Trenton Steel Indoor Football Club announced the appointment of Rod Miller as head coach.
Miller, 40, brings a wealth of Indoor Football coaching experience and succeeds Jeff Hoffman, who resigned due to philosophical differences with team ownership. He already has met with Steel players and takes control of the club immediately. Steel training camp opens March 5.
"Having to make a coaching switch this close to the season wasn't easy for any of us,'' said Steel general manager Rich Lisk. "We wish Jeff well.''
"In Rod, I really feel we got a good man who will make the Steel a contender in the Southern Indoor Football League. We all are impressed with what he already has done.''
A native of Omaha who graduated from Drake University, Miller comes to the Steel from the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League, with which he served as defensive coordinator. He was responsible for the weekly defensive game plan and the recruitment of players.
Miller's Gladiators defense led the AFL in percentage of stopping opponents' fourth-down plays and was eighth in pass defense.
He also served as head coach of the Omaha Beef of the Indoor Football League from 2006-07, and was an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League from 2007-09. All the teams Miller was associated with qualified for the playoffs in their respective leagues.
Miller also served as wide receivers coach at Simpson (Iowa) College in 2006 and as Special Teams Coordinator and Receivers coach with the Arena Football League's Kansas City Brigade in 2005-06, directing a unit that did not allow a kickoff or missed field-goal return for a touchdown.
He has additional prior coaching experience at Kentucky State and Tyler (Texas) Junior College.
"I am honored to have this opportunity with the Steel and a chance to be a head coach again,'' said Miller. "I am also excited to have a chance to direct a first-year team and to build something in Trenton, which I hear is a great sports area. "We will play entertaining and winning football.''
Miller has a simple defensive strategy for taking control of Indoor Football games.
"In this type of football, your opponent is going to score,'' said Miller. "My goal is to have our team make one stop per quarter. If you can make three stops in a game, you are usually in control.
"If you make two, it will be a tough game. Only one will really put you in trouble.''
He feels special teams are very important.
"I stress, even in the Indoor Football game, that special teams are one-third of the game,'' said Miller. "They can make a major difference.''
Miller will also stress discipline in practice.
"I'm a players' coach, but we have to be fundamentally sound in practice,'' he said. "I remind my guys that they are professionals, and, no matter what you are being paid, the goal is to be fundamentally sound.
"If a player wants to move to the next level, he has to show that he is better than the player the team at the higher level has.''
Given his experienced with Indoor Football, and his the work he has done on both sides of the ball, Miller seems well-equipped to match strategy in the Southern Indoor Football League.
"I'm anxious to get going,'' he said. "We'll be up to the task.''
February 15, 2011
The Trenton Steel Indoor Football Club announced the appointment of Rod Miller as head coach.
Miller, 40, brings a wealth of Indoor Football coaching experience and succeeds Jeff Hoffman, who resigned due to philosophical differences with team ownership. He already has met with Steel players and takes control of the club immediately. Steel training camp opens March 5.
"Having to make a coaching switch this close to the season wasn't easy for any of us,'' said Steel general manager Rich Lisk. "We wish Jeff well.''
"In Rod, I really feel we got a good man who will make the Steel a contender in the Southern Indoor Football League. We all are impressed with what he already has done.''
A native of Omaha who graduated from Drake University, Miller comes to the Steel from the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League, with which he served as defensive coordinator. He was responsible for the weekly defensive game plan and the recruitment of players.
Miller's Gladiators defense led the AFL in percentage of stopping opponents' fourth-down plays and was eighth in pass defense.
He also served as head coach of the Omaha Beef of the Indoor Football League from 2006-07, and was an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League from 2007-09. All the teams Miller was associated with qualified for the playoffs in their respective leagues.
Miller also served as wide receivers coach at Simpson (Iowa) College in 2006 and as Special Teams Coordinator and Receivers coach with the Arena Football League's Kansas City Brigade in 2005-06, directing a unit that did not allow a kickoff or missed field-goal return for a touchdown.
He has additional prior coaching experience at Kentucky State and Tyler (Texas) Junior College.
"I am honored to have this opportunity with the Steel and a chance to be a head coach again,'' said Miller. "I am also excited to have a chance to direct a first-year team and to build something in Trenton, which I hear is a great sports area. "We will play entertaining and winning football.''
Miller has a simple defensive strategy for taking control of Indoor Football games.
"In this type of football, your opponent is going to score,'' said Miller. "My goal is to have our team make one stop per quarter. If you can make three stops in a game, you are usually in control.
"If you make two, it will be a tough game. Only one will really put you in trouble.''
He feels special teams are very important.
"I stress, even in the Indoor Football game, that special teams are one-third of the game,'' said Miller. "They can make a major difference.''
Miller will also stress discipline in practice.
"I'm a players' coach, but we have to be fundamentally sound in practice,'' he said. "I remind my guys that they are professionals, and, no matter what you are being paid, the goal is to be fundamentally sound.
"If a player wants to move to the next level, he has to show that he is better than the player the team at the higher level has.''
Given his experienced with Indoor Football, and his the work he has done on both sides of the ball, Miller seems well-equipped to match strategy in the Southern Indoor Football League.
"I'm anxious to get going,'' he said. "We'll be up to the task.''