Team USA Announces Assistant Coaching Staff

VIENNA, VA. —USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck and Team USA Head Coach John Mackovic announced today the selection of Bob Berezowitz, Richard Cundiff, George Darlington, Adam Dorrel and Torey Hunter as assistant coaches for the United States national team that will compete in the 2007 World Championship of American Football.

The six-country tournament will be held July 7-15 in Kawasaki, Japan. This year’s event is the third staged by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The United States is competing in the tournament for the first time.

“Coach Mackovic has assembled a very experienced and talented coaching staff,” USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck said. “The combined football knowledge of these men is very impressive and we’re looking forward to watching them work with our National team.”

Mackovic and his staff are finalizing the 45 players who will make up the first U.S. national team ever assembled in the sport of football. College players who completed their eligibility in 2006 will make up the roster.

“Our coaching staff has a wonderful blend of quality experience with the youthful enthusiasm that any great team must have,” Team USA Head Coach John Mackovic said. “We are fortunate to have coaches from several divisions of college football who have distinguished themselves in their careers. With such a short time to put our team together, it was necessary to select people who could make things happen in a hurry, and these coaches can do it.”

Bob Berezowitz was the head coach at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater from 1985-2006. He led the Warhawks to a 158-73-5 (.680) record during his tenure at the school. Wisconsin-Whitewater reached the NCAA Division III championship game in 2005 and 2006 and posted a record of 28-2 during that stretch with two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. Berezowitz will coach the runningbacks and receivers for Team USA.

Richard Cundiff retired as the head coach at Texas A&M University-Kingsville following the 2006 season. In seven seasons at Kingsville, Cundiff compiled a career record of 52-28 (.650) and led the Javelinas to four Lone Star Conference titles and four NCAA Division II playoffs appearances. A 14-year assistant at the school before assuming the head coaching role, Cundiff’s defenses were among the top in the country in NCAA Division II. Cundiff will coach the defensive line for Team USA.

George Darlington won three national titles as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska from 1973-2002. Darlington coached 30 future NFL players and seven All-Americans during his stay in Lincoln and was a part of a staff that coached the famed “Blackshirt” defense that keyed the Cornhuskers’ national title runs in 1994, 1995 and 1997. Following his tenure at Nebraska, Darlington spent three seasons at Marshall University (2003-2005) and one season at Louisiana Tech University (2006). Darlington will serve as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Team USA.

Adam Dorrel is in his second season as the offensive line coach at Northwest Missouri State University. A 1998 graduate of the school, Dorrel was a three-year captain for the Bearcats as a player. From 2001-2003 Dorrel was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at William Jewell College, coaching an offensive unit that finished in the top 10 nationally in rushing in the NAIA in 2002 and 2003. Dorrel will coach the offensive line for Team USA.

Torey Hunter spent the last three seasons at Idaho State coaching the Bengals’ secondary. Hunter coached two All-Big Sky defensive backs in 2004 and 2005 and his 2004 squad recorded 33 pass break-ups, 11 interceptions and three forced fumbles. Hunter played college football at Washington State University and professionally with the Houston Oilers, Amsterdam Admirals, Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Eskimos before embarking on his coaching career. Hunter will coach the linebackers for Team USA.

USA Football’s 45-man national team will be made up of college football players who completed their eligibility at the end of the 2006 season. All levels of the NCAA and the NAIA will be represented on the roster. The players were selected, in part, based on nominations from college head coaches around the country.

USA Football will announce its 45-man roster on May 23.

USAFootball.com