The Coaching Staff
H ead C oach M ario C ristobal
The qualities that define Mario Cristobal are what
will ultimately drive FIU football to continued
success: passion, leadership, relentlessness,
focus, integrity, commitment, enthusiasm,
intelligence, fearlessness, vision, confidence,
competitiveness and ambition–all of which have
earned Cristobal a reputation as one of the
country’s best recruiters and the opportunity to
lead FIU.
Named the second head football coach in FIU
history on December 19, 2006, Cristobal has
implemented his philosophy of hard work and
dedication, which has already begun paying
quick dividends both on the field and in the
classroom.
Last fall, Cristobal’s vision for a championship
program came to life as the Panthers won their
first-ever Sun Belt Conference championship
and went on to defeat Toledo in the Little
Caesars Pizza Bowl. The bowl victory was the
final accomplishment in a season filled with firsts
for the Panthers. Earlier in the year, FIU went
to Troy and handed the Trojans a 52-35 victory,
marking the program’s first-ever win over Troy.
In beating the Trojans, FIU racked up a programrecord 668 yards of total offense.
The victory over Troy was the second in fourconsecutive victories that helped FIU clinch the
Sun Belt Conference title. The championship
was sealed with a thrilling 31-24 victory over
Arkansas State.
But Cristobal always realizes that success in the
fall doesn’t end with the final whistle in December.
The head coach personally logs thousands of
miles each off-season recruiting, attempting to
attract top high school and junior college talent
to South Florida. That effort apparently worked
with a February 2011 Signing Day that netterd,
arguably, FIU's best recruiting class ever and
what many consider the Sun Belt's top class of
2011.
But Cristobal expects more than just effort on
the field. He demands effort in the classroom,
as well. After just one year on the job, not only
did his Panthers record their highest grade
point average in the history of the program, but
they also saw 31-percent of the team achieve
academic honors of between a 3.0-4.0 GPA.
Cristobal embodies the culture, sophistication
and attitude of the City of Miami. Born in the
Magic City, Cristobal’s roots as a coach, player,
recruiter and person are embedded in arguably
the nation’s most talent-rich area for football.
Cristobal spent his prep career at Miami’s
Christopher Columbus High School, his college
days at the University of Miami and a coaching
career under mentors with Miami ties. He knows
the demands of the South Florida region and FIU
are great and he embraces them.
Progress and success are all that Cristobal has
known in his time as a player and coach. Cristobal
came to FIU after successful coaching tenures
at Miami and Rutgers, where he recruited and
coached some of the best talent in the country.
But Cristobal does not demand anything from
his student-athletes that he wouldn’t demand
of himself. Hours in the weight room are a
prerequisite to winning football games at this
level and Cristobal “walks the walk” in that regard.
In 2009, he was named No. 1 by ESPN The
Magazine’s Bruce Feldman on the list of college
football’s Workout Warriors: Coaches Edition.
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The Coach
Prior to accepting the head coaching job at FIU,
Cristobal coached at the University of Miami
for three years under former head coach Larry
Coker. The Hurricanes compiled a 24-12 record
in that time with appearances in the 2004 and
2005 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowls and the 2006
Micron PC Bowl. Cristobal coached Miami’s
tight ends in the 2004 and ‘05 seasons, tutoring
2005 Buffalo Bills’ third-round pick Kevin Everett,
2006 free agent signee Buck Ortega and 2007
Chicago Bears’ first round selection Greg Olsen.
In 2006 Cristobal took over a Miami offensive line
that featured four new starters, including a true
sophomore at left tackle and a true freshman at
right tackle. Despite coaching a unit wrought with
inexperience and riddled by injuries throughout
the season, the UM offense saw a 39 percent
decrease in sacks allowed from 36 to 22, only
seven of which Cristobal’s line was deemed
responsible. Following that season, junior guard
Derrick Morse was selected honorable mention
All-ACC and true freshman tackle Jason Fox
was named to the Rivals.com All-America
Second Team.
While coaching at Rutgers from 2001-03
Cristobal helped set the table for one of the
biggest success stories in the last 30 years of
college football. Cristobal worked under head
coach Greg Schiano, coaching the offensive
tackles and tight ends for two seasons before
shifting his focus solely to the offensive line in
2003.
He was a critical factor in Rutgers’ resurgence to
competitiveness and helped lay the foundation in
recruiting and coaching for a program that went
from obscurity to college football’s upper echelon
in a matter of five years. During Cristobal’s
tenure at Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights improved
from records of 2-9 and 1-11 to a 5-7 mark in
2003, the school’s best record since 1998. One
of Cristobal’s brightest pupils was tight end L.J.
Smith, the Philadelphia Eagles’ second-round
pick in the 2003 NFL Draft and current starter.
It was at Rutgers that Cristobal put the first
notches in his belt as a full-time coach and his
talent as a coach and recruiter were recognized.
“I knew early in my relationship with Mario that
someday he would be a head coach,” Schiano
said. “FIU landed a great man for the job.”
Cristobal began his coaching career in 1998,
when he joined the Miami Hurricanes staff as a
graduate assistant, working with the Hurricanes
for three seasons (1998-2000) under head
coach Butch Davis. He helped his alma mater to
a 29-8 record, three bowl wins and a pair of BIG
EAST Conference championships in that time.
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Head Coach Mario Cristobal,his wife, Jessica, and their sons, Mario Jr. & Rocco.
“Mario Cristobal is an exceptional man with a
great passion for football and people,” Davis
said. “He is an excellent recruiter and coach
who has been around great football programs
and I believe is an excellent choice for FIU.
Coach Cristobal will make a huge impact on the
program and will be dynamic in South Florida.”
The Recruiter
Cristobal made it known early that he and his
staff would not back away from a prospective
student-athlete just because college football’s
"big boys" were also knocking on the door. That
philosophy rang true not only in 2008, but also
in 2009 when the FIU staff went head-to-head
with BCS schools and signed coveted talent
like tight end Dudley LaPorte (Stratford, Conn.),
linebackers Larvez “Pooh Bear” Mars (Apopka,
Fla.) and Miami-Dade County Defensive Player
of the Year Kenneth Dillard (Northwestern
HS/Miami), wide receiver Wayne Times
(Northwestern HS/Miami), and running back
Darian Mallary (Gulliver Prep/Miami) to National
Letters of Intent. Those prospective studentathletes headlined what was considered the best
recruiting class in FIU history.
Others, like Willie Foster. Clark Harris. Eric
Foster. Jason Fox have one thing in common
beyond their successes on the gridiron: Mario
Cristobal recruited them and signed them.
Defensive tackle Eric Foster (Homestead HS/
Homestead, Fla.) joined Ray Rice in 2006 at
Rutgers in becoming the school’s first AP AllAmericans since 1995. Wide receiver Willie
Foster (Central HS/Miami) was the 2005 BIG
EAST Special Teams Player of the Year. Rutgers
tight end Clark Harris (Manahawkin, N.J.) was a
three-time First Team All BIG EAST selection.
A starting offensive tackle, Fox (North Crowley,
Texas), was Miami’s best lineman in 2006 and
was named a Freshman All-American by Rivals.
com.
They are some of the most-recent examples
of talented student-athletes who Cristobal has
recruited and who were willing to travel distances
far and wide to play with the programs with which
he was associated.
In The Community
The Miami native spent his first two years as
head football coach at FIU doing more than just
dedicating his time to his student-athletes on the
field. He has made a commitment to making the
city he grew up in all that it can be.
Cristobal has made dozens of appearances,
speaking to civic groups, professional and
youth organizations including the Latin Builders
Association, FIU Student Government, the Brian
Jenkins Camp, Big Brothers and Big Sisters and
the Night of Champions, among others. He will
also serve as the keynote speaker at the Baptist
Hospital’s South Miami Hospital Men’s Health
Day to promote healthy living to an audience of
more than 300.
His message is clear to the young men he
coaches and to the community: With everything
you do, work to become a better student, a better
athlete, a better father, a better son, a better
brother, and a better neighbor. Work to become
a better part of your community.
That message is part of the reason he was
honored as a mentor for the 5000 Role Models
of Excellence in November 2007. The project’s
mission is to intervene in the lives of at-risk boys,
in order to provide them with alternatives that will
lead them away from a life of crime and violence.
Based in Miami-Dade County, the 5000 Role
Models program serves 6,792 students in 89
schools, including 23 elementary, 33 middle and
33 senior high schools in Miami-Dade County
Public Schools.
His involvement in the community dates back to
his playing days, when he was a spokesperson
for D.A.R.E. and the University of Miami’s
“Join A Team, Not A Gang” initiative. He also
participated in the fifth Annual FIU Relay For Life
last March in support of the American Cancer
Society’s Relay For Life campaign.
The Player
A 1993 graduate of Miami (FL), Cristobal was
a four-year letterman and member of the UM
football team from 1988-92. He earned All-BIG
EAST honors as an offensive tackle during his
1992 senior season. Cristobal signed with the
Denver Broncos as an undrafted rookie in 1994
and played for the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL
Europe in 1995 and ‘96 before beginning his
coaching career.
Cristobal’s Coaching Career
2007-present:FIU, Head Coach
2006: University of Miami (FL)
Assistant Coach, offensive line
2004-05: University of Miami (FL)
Assistant Coach, tight ends
2001-03: Rutgers University
Assistant Coach, tight ends/
offensive line
1998-2000: University of Miami (FL)
Graduate Assistant
Bowl Games as a Coach (5)
2010
2005
2004
2001
2000
1998
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (FIU)
Peach Bowl (Miami)
Peach Bowl (Miami)
Sugar Bowl (Miami)
Gator Bowl (Miami)
Micron PC Bowl (Miami)
Prominent Players Coached
• Martin Bibla (Miami) – Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons
• Kevin Everett (Miami) – Buffalo Bills
• Joaquin Gonzalez (Miami) –
Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts
• Bryant McKinnie (Miami) – Minnesota Vikings
• Greg Olsen (Miami) – Chicago Bears
• Buck Ortega (Miami) – New Orleans Saints
• Brett Romberg (Miami) – Atlanta Falcons
• L.J. Smith (Rutgers) – Philadelphia Eagles
• Anthony Gaitor (FIU) – Tampa Bay Bucs
Player Highlights
• 1992 First-Team All-BIG EAST Conference
(offensive tackle)
• Offensive lineman with NFL Europe’s
Amsterdam Admirals (1995-96)
• Offensive lineman with NFL’s Denver
Broncos (1994 preseason camp)
Bowl Games as a Player (4)
1993
1992
1991
1990
Sugar Bowl
Orange Bowl
Cotton Bowl
Sugar Bowl
Personal Information
Full Name: Mario Manuel Cristobal
Born: September 24, 1970
Wife: Jessica, married in June 2006
Sons: Mario Cristobal Jr., born in Dec. 2009
Rocco Cristobal, born in July 2010
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Education:
B.A. in business administration University of Miami,
Coral Gables, Florida (1993)
M.A. in liberal arts,
University of Miami,
Coral Gables, Florida (2001)
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S cott
satterfield - O ffensive C oordinator /Q uarterbacks
Scott Satterfield enters his second
season as FIU's offensive coordinator. In
2010, Satterfield's offense broke nearly
every record in FIU history. Among the
many marks that fell were the singleseason record for points scored (374)
total offense (5,136), touchdowns (46),
rushing touchdowns (26), rushing yards
(2,438), and passing yards (2,698).
Prior to Toledo he spent both his playing
and coaching career at Appalachian
State. Satterfield was the Mountaineers’
starting quarterback for three seasons
from 1993-95, earning first-team AllSouthern Conference honors as senior
after leading the Mountaineers to a 12-1 record. He earned his bachelor’s
degree from ASU in 1996.
Satterfield began his coaching career at Appalachian State in 1998,
mentoring wide receivers for one season then moving to running backs
from 1999-2002. He was the quarterbacks coach for the past six seasons,
assuming many of the duties of an offense coordinator, including playcalling.
Satterfield coached the top two quarterbacks in Appalachian State’s history,
Richie Williams and Armanti Edwards, both of whom set school records for
passing, rushing yardage for quarterbacks and total offense on their way to
All-America honors. Edwards, a junior, was the 2008 Walter Payton Award
recipient, throwing for 2,902 yards and 30 touchdowns, and rushing for
1,169 yards and 11 TDs.
"Scott is a proven winner," said Toledo Head Coach Tim Beckman. "He
has coached for three national championship teams and has coached a
Walter Payton Award winner. I’ve known Scott for about eight years. When
I was at Bowling Green, our staff got together with the offensive staffs from
Appalachian State and Missouri during the spring to compare notes and
exchange ideas. They ran the same spread offense at Appalachian State
that we ran at Bowling Green and will be running here at Toledo. So as a
coach and as a person, Scott fits in very well with what we want for our
program."
Satterfield helped with the transition of Appalachian State’s offense from
a power-I to a spread offense in 2004. After a 6-5 season in 2004, the
Mountaineers’ high-powered offense was a key factor in Appalachian State
winning three straight national championships from 2005-07. In those three
championship seasons, the Mountaineers went 39-6, including a 34-32 win
over then-No. 5 Michigan in 2007, considered by some observers to be the
biggest upset in college football history.
ASU made the FCS playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2008, falling
to Richmond, 33-13, in the second round. The Mountaineers finished with
an 11-3 record.
Satterfield, a native of Hillsborough, N.C., is married to the former Beth
Burleson, a star on the ASU track team in the mid-90’s. They have a
daughter, Alli, and two sons, Bryce and Isaac.
P E R SO N A L I N F O R M AT I O N
Full Name: Hometown: Education:  
Scott Satterfield
Hillsborough, N.C.
B.S. Appalachian State, 1996
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FIU (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
Toledo (Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
Appalachian State (Quarterbacks)
Appalachian State (Running Backs)
Toledo (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks))
Appalachian
State
(Wide
Receivers)
S ATTER F I ELD 'S C O A C H I N G C A R E E R
2010-Present
2009
2003-09
1999-2002
1999
1998
C O A C H I N G A C C O M P L I SH M EN T S
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Led ASU to a 34-32 win over then No. 5-Michigan in 2007
Offensive Coordinator for ASU's three championship seasons.
Mentored All-America QB's Richie Williams and Armanti Edwards. Edwards was N
Molded Williams into the most prolific QB in App St. history. Williams holds every single-game, single-season and career passing records.
Transitioned Mountaineers from a traditional Power I offense to a no-huddle, spread offense.
Mentored 1,000-yard rusher Jimmy Watkins (2001) and 10th- leading rusher in school history, Jerry Beard (2000-02).
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Made 27 career starts at quarterback.
Named First-Team All-Southern Conference in 1995 after
leading the Mountaineers to a perfect 11-0 regular season and a 12-1 final record.
Was 124-for-215 and 1,461 yards his seinor year (1995).
Had 2,110 yards of total offense (649 rushing) his senior year.
Ranks sixth on ASU's all-time career completion percentage list .560 (275-of-491).
Ninth in school history with 3,504 career passing yards.
H O N O R S A S A P L AY E R
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
• Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State) - Carolina Panthers
• Richie Williams (Appalachian State) - Hamilton Tigercats (CFL)
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T odd O rlando - D efensive C oordinator
Todd Orlando comes to FIU after a 12year stint with the Huskies, including six
seasons as the defensive coordinator.
Orlando had coached UConn's inside
linebackers since the 1999 season and,
in 2005, he also assumed the role of
defensive coordinator. In 2010, Orlando's
defense helped the Huskies capture the
BIG EAST championship, and play in the
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
In his first year as defensive coordinator,
UConn led the BIG EAST in total defense
in 2006, ranking seventh in the nation.
The team's 297.1 yards per game average
for total defense was the program's best
since 1979. His second season, 2007, saw UConn claim the BIG EAST
Championship behind the nation's 10th-ranked passing efficiency defense
and the 14th best scoring defense at 19.0 points allowed per game.
In 2008, the UConn defense was ranked sixth in the country and among
the national leaders in most major categories - including ninth in passing
defense, 15th in interceptions and 22nd in scoring defense.
P E R SO N A L I N F O R M AT I O N
Full Name: Hometown: Education:  
Todd Michael Orlando
Pittsburgh, Pa.
B.S. agricultural economics, Wisconsin 1994
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FIU (Defensive Coordinator)
Connecticut (Defensive Coordinator/Inside LB)
Connecticut (Inside Linebackers)
Pennsylvania (Inside Linebackers)
S ATTER F I ELD 'S C O A C H I N G C A R E E R
2011-Present
2005-2010
1999-2004
1996-1998
C O A C H I N G A C C O M P L I SH M EN T S
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Led the BIG EAST in total defense in 2006
Won BIG EAST championship in '07 behind 10th ranked defense
UConn defense was ranked sixth in the country in 2008
Molded Alfred Fincher into first UConn player drafted in 11 years (New Orleans, 2005, third round)
H O N O R S A S A P L AY E R
• Four-Year Letterwinner at Wisconsin
• Member of the 1994 Big Ten Championship Team
• Helped the Badgers win the 1995 Rose Bowl against UCLA
Under Orlando's tutelage in 2000, linebacker Razul Wallace set a
UConn record for tackles for a loss in a season and was a consensus
national Division I-A All-Independent selection. The 2002 season saw fine
performances from the UConn linebacking corps as they helped the team
rank 19th in the nation in total defense with their versatile play against both
the rush and the pass. Orlando helped both Alfred Fincher and Maurice
Lloyd earn All-Independent status in 2003 and All-BIG EAST recognition
in 2004. Two of the top tacklers in school history, the pair anchored the
BIG EAST's leading defense in 2004 en route to a Motor City Bowl berth.
Fincher was chosen in the third round by the New Orleans Saints in 2005,
becoming the first Husky to be drafted in 11 years.
Orlando's work with middle linebacker Danny Lansanah in 2007 helped
earn the senior a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers and later
a spot on the Pack's active roster while weakside linebacker Lawrence
Wilson was named second-team Freshman All-America.
Prior to Connecticut, Orlando spent three seasons in Philadelphia as
the inside linebackers coach at the University of Pennsylvania. Orlando
began his coaching career by spending the 1994 and 1995 seasons as an
assistant coach at the high school level in his home state of Pennsylvania,
holding the position of defensive coordinator at Central Catholic High
School (1994) and Fox Chapel Area High School (1995) during that span.
Orlando was a three-year letterwinner at inside linebacker at Wisconsin and
a member of the 1994 Big Ten championship team that also defeated UCLA
in the Badgers' first Rose Bowl appearance since 1963. Well schooled in
Madison, Orlando played under head coach Barry Alvarez. Orlando earned
his bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Wisconsin in 1994.
44
A pollo W right - R unning B acks / S pecial T eams
Apollo Wright begins his fifth season on
the FIU staff as the Panthers special teams
coordinator, and second as the running
backs coach. Wright arrived at FIU after
several successful coaching tenures, most
recently at Villanova University.
from 1999-2000. Besides his duties as secondary coach, Wright was also
in charge of the kick and punt return schemes.
In 1999, he was a graduate assistant at Wagner College, drilling the
defensive backs and wide receivers. Wright began his coaching career
with his first stint at LaSalle as the assistant defensive backs coach in
1998.
In 2010, led by Darriet Perry's FIU-record
16 touchdowns, Wright's running backs set
an FIU record with 2,438 rushing yards and
26 touchdowns. Not to be outdone, under
Wright's tutelage kicker Jack Griffin set FIU
records for field goals (17) and extra points
(45/45).
Prior to his coaching career, Wright played football for four years at
Cheyney University, including two seasons as the starting quarterback,
before he graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in recreation and
leisure services in 1998. He earned his master’s degree in education from
Wagner in 2001.
That string of successes continued for
Wright’s special teams. In 2009, FIU special
teams ranked 18th overall and first among the Sun Belt Conference teams
in punt returns. The Panthers also ranked second in the SBC in kickoff
returns and third in net punting. His top pupil, Freshman All-American T.Y.
Hilton, led the Sun Belt and finished ninth nationally with an average of
14.78 yards per punt return and was also among the national leaders in
kickoff-return average. Wright’s punt team also ranked high, behind punter
Carlos Munera, who averaged among the top-third of all FBS punters at
41.09 yards per punt.
Wright served as a member of the Villanova staff for six seasons as
running backs coach and spent three years as the Wildcats’ special teams
coordinator. He played a major role in the performance and development
of current San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Brian Westbrook, who rushed for
1,603 yards and 22 touchdowns en route to earning the Walter Payton
Award as the I-AA National Player of the Year, the Atlantic 10 Conference
Offensive Player of the Year and the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year
in 2001.
Wright also mentored Wildcats running back Terry Butler, who accumulated
2,080 yards on 464 carries (4.5 avg.) and 17 touchdowns in his four-year
collegiate career before spending a brief career with the New York Jets.
Wright’s responsibilities at Villanova also included the breakdown of
opponent film, serving as the program’s pro liaison and recruiting the
states of Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.
Prior to Villanova, Wright was the secondary coach at La Salle University
45
P E R SO N A L I N F O R M AT I O N
Full Name: Hometown: Education: Apollo D. Wright
Philadelphia, Pa.
B.A. in recreation and leisure services, Cheyney University, Philadelphia, Pa. (1998)
M.A. in education,
Wagner College, Staten Island, N.Y. (2001)
WRIGHT’S COACHING CAREER
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2007-Present
2001-05 1999-2000
1999 1998 FIU (Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs)
Villanova University
(Running Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator)
LaSalle University (Defensive Secondary Coach)
Wagner College (Graduate Assistant)
La Salle University (Assistant Defensive Backs Coach)
P R O M I N EN T P L AY E R S C O A C H E D
• Brian Westbrook (Villanova) – Philadelphia Eagles
• Terry Butler (Villanova) – New York Jets­
C edric C alhoun - D
efensive L ine
Cedric Calhoun enters his second year
as FIU's defensive line coach. In his First
season, Calhoun's defensive line helped
set an FIU record with 33 sacks, led by
Jarvis Wilson's 9.5, which rank second alltime in a single season.
Calhoun came to FIU after spending four
seasons at Dartmouth as the linebackers
coach for the Big Green. Calhoun joined
the Big Green staff in 2006 after serving
as defensive line coach at Alabama A&M
University from 2002-05. He helped fashion
a unit that led the Southwestern Athletic
Conference (SWAC) in total defense and
sacks for four straight seasons. Eight of his players won All-SWAC honors,
contributing to a 32-15 record and a nine-win season in 2005.
Alabama A&M won the SWAC Eastern Division title in 2002 and 2005. The
Bulldogs were nationally ranked in Division 1-AA in total defense, finishing
second in 2002, third in 2003, fourth in 2004 and seventh in 2005.
Among the Bulldogs players coached by Calhoun is Robert Mathis, the
SWAC defensive Player-of-the-Year in 2002. A fifth-round draft pick in
2003, Mathis is now in his eighth season as a defensive end with the
Indianapolis Colts.
Calhoun was an all-conference defensive end at Grossmont Community
College in San Diego and then received his B.A. degree in health and
physical education from Morehouse College in 1995.
He began his coaching career at Idaho State University in 1997, serving as
the head strength and conditioning coach and also assisting the defensive
line coach.
He returned to Morehouse in 1998 and spent four seasons as defensive
line coach, including back-to-back eight-game winning seasons. One of his
players, Isaac Keys, signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings and
was a linebacker with the Arizona Cardinals in 2006.
During the summers of 2004 and 2005, Calhoun held a defensive line
internship with the San Diego Chargers through the NFL's Minority
Internship Program. In 2008, he was an intern with the Philadelphia
Eagles.
Cedric Calhoun
P E R SO N A L I N F O R M AT I O N
Full Name: Hometown: Education: Cedric Calhoun
San Diego, Calif.
B.A. health and physical education,
Morehouse College, Atlanta, Ga. (1995)
CALHOUN’S COACHING CAREER
 
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2010-Present
2006-09
2002-05
2004-05
1998-01
1997
FIU (Defensive Line)
Dartmouth (Linebackers)
Alabama A&M (defensive Line)
San Diego Chargers (Defensive Line Internship)
Morehouse College (Defensive Line)
Idaho State University
(Head Strength and Conditioning/Asst. Defensive Line)
C O A C H I N G A C C O M P L I SH M EN T S
 
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Defensive Line at Alabama A&M led the SWAC in total defense and sacks all four years he was with the university.
Six of his players won All-SWAC honors, contributed to a 32-15 record and a nine-win season in 2005.
Guided Alabama A&M to the SWAC Easter Division titles in 2002 and 2005.
Bulldogs were nationall ranked in Division 1-AA in total defense, finishing second in 2002, third in 2003, fourth in 2004 and seventh in 2005.
Coached SWAC defensive player of the year, Robert Mathis, in 2002.
Back-to-back eight-win seasons at Moorehouse College.
H O N O R S A S A P L AY E R
 
• All-Conference Defensive End at Grossmont Community College
P R O M I N EN T P L AY E R S C O A C H E D
• Robert Mathis (Alabama A&M) – Indianapolis Colts
• Isaac Keys (Moorehouse College) – Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardnials
Calhoun and his wife, Olushola, have two daughters, Olusade and Adejola.
46
J uan N avarro - A sst . L inebackers /D efensive L ine
Juan Navarro, Jr. begins his second
season as assistant linebackers and
defensive line coach. In 2010, Navarro
contributed to a defense that led the Sun
Belt in total defense, scoring defense, pass
efficiency defense and turnover margin;
all a remarkable accomplishment for a
group that finished 119th nationally in total
defense and 111th in scoring defense in
2009. The Panthers’ sack totals nearly
doubled, and the pass defense improved
from 108th nationally to 32nd in 2010.
During his playing days at Redlands, Navarro lettered all four years in
football as a defensive tackle and was a member of two conference
championship teams. Navarro also lettered all four years as a Bulldog
in track and field. He was recognized twice as an All-SCIAC honorable
mention (2000 and 2001), two-time Dean's List receiptant, and CoSIDA
Verizon Academic All-District Team member (2001). Navarro concluded his
collegiate career by winning the Frank Serrao Coaches Student-Athlete of
the Year Award.
A native of Arleta, CA who attended James Monroe High School (LA
City Section), Navarro earned his bachelor's degree in Communicative
Disorders in 2001 and his master’s degree in Communicative Disorders in
2004 from the University of Redlands, CA.
In addition, Navarro helped guide the
Panthers to a win over Toledo in the Little
Caesar’s Pizza Bowl, the first bowl victory in FIU history. The Panthers
won seven of their final nine games and improved dramatically from a 3-9
record. Also, linebackers Toronto Smith and Winston Fraser received 1st
and 2nd Team All Sun-Belt recognition respectively.
Prior to his appointment as a full-time assistant coach, Navarro served as
the Panthers Director of Football Operations in 2009-10 and 2008-09. In
this position his primary role was overseeing the day to day operations of
the football program. Those areas included; liaison for all campus entities,
daily and seasonal scheduling, recruiting visits, team travel, camps,
clinics, pro day, as well as the management of the programs’ million-dollar
budget. Coach Navarro also provided significant input in the planning and
development of its twenty-two thousand seat on-campus stadium, as well
as the Kirk Landon Fieldhouse. Amongst Coach Navarro’s most impactful
achievements in his two years as DFO, Coach Navarro was instrumental in
improving the teams’ Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Rate. With
this improvement the team was finally no longer subject to any scholarship
penalties due to academics and gained full scholarship allocation.
As a member of Mario Cristobals’ initial staff, Navarro served as the
Defensive-Graduate assistant during the 2007 season.
Prior to joining the FIU Panthers, Navarro spent a year-and-a-half at the
University of Miami (FL) as a volunteer assistant. While at Miami, he
worked with then assistant coach Mario Cristobal's offensive line, tightends, and various special-teams. As a Hurricane, Navarro assisted the
coaching staff in all aspects of meeting preparation, film review, practice
implementation, and helped guide the Hurricanes to a win over the
University of Nevada in the MPC Computer’s Bowl. Prominent players he
instructed included: Jason Fox (OL), and Orlando Franklin (OL).
Before his days at Miami, Navarro spent three years coaching the
defensive line and one season with the linebackers (2005) at the
University of the Redlands in Redlands, CA. From 2001-05, the NCAA
Division III program won two-conference championships (2002 and 2003),
made two NCAA-Playoff appearance berths (2002 and 2003), and boasted
defenses that ranked amongst the top three in their league. Navarro also
assisted in developing of seven Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (SCIAC) honorees including: Jake Helveston (DT), Dan
Werner (DE), Jared Hammond (DE), Aaron Shires (DE), Will Goff (DT),
Nick Steele (LB), and Gary LaRussa (LB). Will Goff was also named to the
2003 AFCA Division III All-American team, as well as, selected to play in
the 2003 Aztec Bowl in Cancun, Mexico.
In addition to coaching at his alma mater, Navarro also worked as an
NCAA administrative intern and assistant to the director of athletics
for student-athlete welfare, helping coordinate the Champs Life Skills
Program and serving as an advisor for the Student Athletic Advisory
Committee. This position was funded under the NCAA Division III Minority
Internship program.
47
Juan Navarro
P E R SO N A L I N F O R M AT I O N
 
Full Name:  
Hometown:
Education:  •
•
•
•
•
Juan Navarro
Arleta, Calif.
B.A. communicative disorders (2001)
M.A. communicative disorders (2004)
University of the Redlands, Redlands, Calif.
N AVA R R O ’ S C O A C H I N G C A R E E R
Present 2008-09 2007 2006 2001-06 FIU (Asst. Linebackers/Defensive Line Coach)
FIU (Director of Football Operations)
FIU (Graduate Assistant - Offense))
Miami (FL) (Volunteer Coach)
Redlands (Linebackers/Defensive Line)
C O A C H I N G A C C O M P L I SH M EN T S
 
• Helped lead Redlands to pair of SCIAC championships and NCAA Playoff berths in 2002 and 2003.
• Back-to-back eight-win seasons at Moorehouse College.
•
•
•
•
•
H O N O R S A S A P L AY E R
Lettered in track and field and football all four years at Redlands.
Two-time members of the Dean's list.
CoSIDA Verizon Academic All-District Team memner (2001).
All-SCIA honorable mention (2000-01).
Frank Serrao Coaches Senior Student-Athlete of the Year Award
G reg L affere - T ight E nds
Greg Laffere begins his fifth season at FIU
(second as tight ends coach) after two
years of measurable success at Football
Championship Subdivision power Illinois
State.
In 2010, under Laffere's tutelage, tight end
Jonathan Faucher had his most prolific
season, catching three touchdown passes.
Following his playing career, Laffere left football for over a year before
returning as the defensive line coach at Kilgore Junior College during the
2002-03 seasons. He then returned to UM as a graduate assistant in 2004,
coaching the offensive line until he moved on to Illinois State.
A native of Basehor, Kan., Laffere earned his bachelor’s of liberal arts and
sciences in 2001, from Miami, and is married to the former Stacy Stacks.
The couple has two kids, Selbe and Cole.
Laffere’s FIU offensive line, led by two-time
Rimington watch-list honoree Brad Serini
at center, showed marked improvement in
2008, helping the Panthers total offense
improve by nearly 50 yards per game
and protecting FIU quarterbacks to a passing efficiency of 125.82, which
ranked in the top half of FBS statistics.
At Illinois State, Laffere’s front five paved the way for Redbird All-American
running back Pierre Rembert in 2006. Rembert set the Illinois State program record for rushing yards in a season with 1,743 yards and scored 16
rushing touchdowns.
Laffere’s line was also a key component in helping Illinois State to its
second-highest finish ever, a No. 8 ranking in the final Division I-AA poll,
and a No. 8 ranking among I-AA offenses.
In 2005, Laffere guided two of the league’s top offensive linemen in
Stafford Davis and Mike Stegeman. Davis was a consensus All-American
and first team all-conference selection after moving to center from guard.
Stegeman earned second team all-league honors.
Laffere’s playing career included two years at the University of Miami
(Fla.), where he started 16 games on the offensive line and helped the
Hurricanes win a National Championship in 2001.  As a senior at Miami,
Laffere was part of an offensive line that only allowed eight sacks in 340
passing plays on the season. He also helped anchor an offense that
totaled a school-record 469 points, while averaging a BIG EAST-best
460.8 yards of total offense per game in 2000. Afterwards, he was named
the winner of Miami’s Unsung Hero Award presented annually by the
Hurricane coaching staff.
Laffere with his wife, Stacy, daughter, Selbe and son, Cole.
PER S O N A L I N FO R M ATI O N
Full Name: Hometown: Education:
Greg Laffere
Basehor, Kansas
B.A. in liberal arts and sciences,
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. (2001)
LA F F E R E’ S C O A C H I N G C A R EER
•
•
•
•
2007-Present
2005-06 2004 2002-03 FIU (Offensive Line/Tight Ends)
Illinois State University (Offensive Line)
University of Miami, Fla. (Graduate Assistant)
Kilgore Junior College (Defensive Line)
B O W L G A M E S A S A PLAYER
• 2001
• 2000
Sugar Bowl
Gator Bowl
H O N O R S A S A PLAYER
• Two-year letterman as an offensive lineman at University of Miami, Fla.
• UM’s Unsung Hero Award (2000)
48
A lex M irabal - A ssociate H ead C oach / O ffensive L ine
Long-time Miami-Dade high school football
coach Alex Mirabal begins his fifth season
on the Panthers staff and second as
offensive line coach after tutoring the tight
ends his previous three seasons.
in 2010, Mirabal's offensive line was one
of the best in the Sun Belt Conference,
allowing just 20 sacks. Behind the muchimproved offensive line, FIU broke its
single-season rushing record. After
FIU's performance against Troy where
the Panthers rushed for an FIU record
448 yards, the entire offensive line was
awarded a Helmet Sticker by ESPN.com
Mirabal taught and coached around South Florida since 1993 and, prior to
arriving at FIU, helped Miami Christopher Columbus High School to three
district championships in four years as the Explorers offensive line coach
and run game coordinator.
In 2008, Mirabal’s tight ends played an intragal role in the emergence
of the FIU offense. Not only did that corps’ blocking skills sure up an
improved passing game, but they also were on the receiving end of 17 total
passes, 14 of those by junior Eric Kirchenberg who ranked fourth on the
squad in that category and also contributed a pair of touchdowns.
During the winter of 2007, Mirabal was honored with inclusion on the
coaching staff of Team USA Football, a Miami-Dade and Broward
County high school all-star team that competed in and advanced to the
championship round of the NFL Global Junior Championship XI.
Mirabal began his coaching career at Christopher Columbus in 1993 by
taking on a variety of roles. He was the Explorers assistant track and field
coach and a volunteer varsity football offensive line coach for six years.
Mirabal was the school’s junior varsity head football coach in 1994-95
and then took on the program’s strength and conditioning coordinator
responsibilities from 1996 through 2001. During that time, he also
assumed the titles of varsity running backs coach in 1996-97 and then
varsity offensive line coach from 1997-2001.
Mirabal with his wife, Berta, and sons, Alejandro and Nicolas
Mirabal moved on to G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School from
2001-03 and worked as the Bulldogs offensive line coach and offensive
coordinator in 2001-02. Beginning in 2003, he returned to Columbus and
became an integral part of the Explorers’ football success.
A native Miamian, Mirabal graduated with an associate’s degree in general
studies from Miami Dade College in 1991 and two years later earned
his bachelor’s degree in social studies education while a member of the
Dean’s List at FIU.
He and his wife, Berta, have two sons, Alejandro (8) and three-year old
Nicolas.
P E R SO N A L I N F O R M AT I O N
Full Name: Hometown: Education: Alejandro Mirabal
Miami, Fla.
A.A. in general studies,
Miami Dade College, Miami, Fla. (1991)
B.S. in Social Studies Education,
FIU, Miami, Fla. (1993)
M I R A B A L’ S C O A C H I N G C A R E E R
49
•
•
•
•
2007-Present
2003-06 2001-03 1993-2001
FIU (Tight Ends/Offensive Line)
Christopher Columbus High School
(Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator)
G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School (Offensive Line Coach/Offensive Coordinator)
Christopher Columbus High School
(Offensive Line/Running Backs Coach)
F rank P once - W ide R eceivers
After an illustrious high school coaching
career throughout Miami-Dade County,
Frank Ponce brings his talents and
knowledge to FIU as the program’s fifthyear wide receivers coach. Ponce is one
of two FIU alumni on head coach Mario
Cristobal’s Panthers coaching staff, with
the other being offensive line coach Alex
Mirabal.
Ponce has developed one of the most
talented receiving corps in the Sun Belt
Conference. Led by Sun Belt Conference
Player of the Year T.Y. Hilton, nine different
receivers caught passes in 2010, and three
amassed over 300 receiving yards.
from 1989 to 1993, where he earned an associate’s degree in arts. He
was also the starting quarterback at Arizona Western in 1989 and 1990.
As a prep athlete, he enjoyed a decorated playing career at Miami Senior
H.S., earning his team’s Most Improved Offensive Player and MVP Award
in 1987. He was a Miami Herald All-Dade honorable mention quarterback
and was also a Hispanic Athlete of the Year Award Finalist in 1988.
Ponce is married and he and his wife, Claudia, have two children, Frankie
Jr. (10) and Isabel (8).
In high school, Ponce coached some of the best scholastic talent in the
country over a 14-year span, both as a head coach and an assistant. He
was a five-time selection as an assistant coach in the Miami-Dade and
Broward All-Star Game and was selected as an assistant on the USA
Team for the 2007 NFL Junior Global Football Tournament.
Prior to joining the staff at FIU, Ponce served as the head coach and
offensive coordinator at Miami Senior High School from 2004 through ‘06.
From 2002-03, he was the head coach at Coral Reef High School and
before that, was the offensive coordinator at Killian Senior High School
in 2001.
Ponce was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Miami
Central High School from 1999-2000 while also serving the dual role of
head baseball coach. As the quarterbacks coach for Miami Northwestern
High in 1998, Ponce helped lead the Bulls to their first undefeated season
in school history and a state championship.
From 1993-96, Ponce was the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at
Coral Gables High School, where he coached the school’s first 1,000-yard
passer, Jason Barkett, in 1993.
His coaching career began as the offensive coordinator and junior varsity
head coach at La Progresiva Presbyterian School in 1992.
Ponce earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education (K-12) from FIU
in 1997 after attending Miami Dade College and Arizona Western College
Ponce with his wife, Claudia, daughter, Isabel, and son, Frankie Jr.
PER S O N A L I N FO R M ATI O N
Full Name: Hometown: Education: Francisco J. Ponce
Miami, Fla.
A.A. in education,
Arizona Western College, Yuma, Ariz. (1990)
B.A. in physical education,
FIU, Miami, Fla. (1997)
PO N C E ’ S C O A C H I N G C A R E E R
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2007-Present
2004-06 2002-03 2001 1999-2000
1998 1993-96 1992
FIU (Wide Receivers)
Miami Senior High School
(Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator)
Miami Coral Reef High School (Head Coach)
Miami Killian High School (Offensive Coordinator)
Miami Central High School
(Offensive Coordinator/QB/Head Baseball Coach)
Miami Northwestern High School (Quarterbacks Coach)
Coral Gables High School
(Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers Coach)
La Progresiva Presbyterian School
(Offensive Coordinator/JV Head Coach)
50
J eff P opovich - S enior D efensive A ssistant / S econdary
Jeff Popovich begins his fifth season as
the FIU secondary coach after serving two
years as a defensive graduate assistant at
the University of Miami (Fla.).
Prior to his collegiate playing career, Popovich was a star quarterback
and defensive back at Sabino High School in Tucson, Ariz. An all-around
athlete, he set school records on the track team in the pole vault and as a
member of the 4x100-meter relay team.
In 2010, Popovich's secondary ranked
32nd in the country in passing defense,
led by First Team All-Sun Belt Conference
selection, and eventual NFL draftee,
Anthony Gaitor and Second Team All-Sun
Belt selection Jonathan Cyprien who led
the Panthers in tackles.
Popovich earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from
Miami in 2000 and a master’s degree in international finance from UM in
2006. He is married to the former Lara Hargreaves and resides in Miami.
But FIU’s quick turnaround is not surprising.
While working with the defensive backfield
as a graduate assistant at UM, the Hurricanes ranked first nationally in
defensive pass efficiency in 2005 and were ranked 25th in 2006. Miami’s
secondary included 2005 NFL draftees cornerback Kelly Jennings (Seattle
Seahawks, first round), cornerback Devin Hester (Chicago Bears, second
round), cornerback Marcus Maxey (Kansas City Chiefs, fifth round), as
well as All-America safety Brandon Meriweather (New England Patriots,
first round) and 2005 Freshman All-America safety Kenny Phillips.
A native of Tucson, Ariz., Popovich was a walk-on at the University of
Miami who turned into a major contributor on special teams and in nickel
packages on defense. After starting his college career as a wide receiver,
Popovich was converted into a defensive back and was a star on special
teams cover units and as a holder, lettering all four years at Miami.
Popovich saw action in all 46 games, starting 11 times. For his career,
he made 154 tackles, one interception, forced one fumble and recovered
three others. He was a three-time BIG EAST All-Academic team member
and a candidate for national Academic All-America honors.
After leaving UM, Popovich played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during
the 2000 preseason and for the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. In spring 2001, he
was a member of the Barcelona Dragons team in the NFL Europe League
that played in the World Bowl.
PER S O N A L I N FO R M ATI O N
 
Full Name: Hometown: Education: Jeffrey David Popovich
Tucson, Ariz.
B.A. in biomedical engineering,
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. (2000)
M.A. in international finance,
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. (2007)
PO P O VI C H ’ S C O A C H I N G C A R E E R
• 2007-Present FIU (Secondary)
• 2005-06 University of Miami (Graduate Assistant)
 
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH
• 2010
• 2006
• 2005
 
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (FIU)
Micron PC Bowl (Miami)
Peach Bowl (Miami)
 
• 2000
• 1998
• 1996
• Played for the Atlanta Falcons in 2001
• Played for the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe
• Four-year letterman as a defensive back at the University of Miami (FL)
B O W L G A M E S A S A PLAYER
Sugar Bowl
Micron PC Bowl
Carquest Bowl
H O N O R S A S A PLAYER
51
R oderick M oore - H ead F ootball S trength & C onditioning
Roderick Moore begins his fifth season
as FIU Football’s Head Strength and
Conditioning Coach.
Moore spent the previous 10 years at the
University of Tennessee in Knoxville, most of
that time as a key member of the Volunteers’
football strength and conditioning staff. For
three years, Moore served as the associate
head strength and conditioning coach for
the university’s football team coordinating
strength, speed and conditioning workouts,
assisting student-athletes in their preparation
for the NFL Combine and assisting with the
annual strength, speed and conditioning
clinic.
In May 2001, Moore earned his master’s degree in human performance
and sport studies with a concentration in sport psychology from UT. He
holds memberships and is certified through the Collegiate Strength and
Conditioning Coaches Association, is a USA Weightlifting Club Coach, and
a USA Track & Field Level One Speed Coach.
Moore and his wife, Kori, have two sons, Noah, age five, and Ian, age two.
Moore was also the primary strength coach for men’s basketball and
swimming and diving, in addition to assisting with the strength and
conditioning for seven other Olympic sports.
The Volunteers achieved unprecedented success in several sports during
Moore’s tenure at the university. On the gridiron, UT played in seven bowl
games and was crowned 2003 and ’04 SEC East Division Champions.
Moore also played an integral part in helping men’s basketball reach the
NCAA Tournament in 1998, ’99, 2000 and ’01.
He started working with the Tennessee strength and conditioning program
as a graduate assistant in 1999, assisting with the strength, speed and
conditioning of nine sports teams and working closely with UT’s legendary
former head strength coach, John Stucky. Moore was promoted to a fulltime assistant in 2001, beginning his work with football, men’s basketball
and men’s swimming and diving.
Prior to his stint at Tennessee, Moore served as an athletic trainer at the
1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Ga.
A 1997 graduate of Morehouse College, Moore earned four varsity letters
in football and three in track and field. Moore, who played offensive line and
earned Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic honors
from 1994-96, was an Arthur Ashe, Jr., Sports Scholar recipient, football team
captain his senior year and played in the Black College All-Star Game.
Moore his wife, Kori, with sons Noah and Ian
P E R SO N A L I N F O R M AT I O N
 
Full Name: Hometown: Education: Roderick Wendell Moore, Jr.
Nashville, Tenn.
B.S. in psychology,
Morehouse College, Atlanta, Ga.. (1997)
M.S. in human performance and sport studies,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn. (2001)
MOORE’S COACHING CAREER
• 2007-Present
• 2001-06 • 1999-2001
 
FIU (Strength & Conditioning)
University of Tennessee (Associate Strength & Conditioning)
University of Tennessee (Graduate Assistant)
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (FIU)
Outback Bowl (Tennessee)
Cotton Bowl (Tennessee)
Peach Bowl (Tennessee)
Peach Bowl (Tennessee)
Citrus Bowl (Tennessee)
Cotton Bowl (Tennessee)
Fiesta Bowl (Tennessee)
B O W L G A M ES A S A C O A C H
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2010
2007
2005
2004
2002
2002
2001
2000
H O N O R S A S A P L AY E R
•
•
•
•
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic
Arthur Ashe, Jr., Sports Scholar recipient
Black College All-Star Game participant
Four-year letterman as an offensive lineman at Morehouse College
52
P hil O ckinga - G raduate A sst .
ALL-TIME COACHES
(up to 2010)
Phil Ockinga enters his third season as FIU Football’s
defensive graduate assistant, where he mainly works with
the defensive backs. Before coming to FIU, Ockinga spent
four seasons as an assistant coach at Fort Hays
Barantovich, Joe................ 2002-06........ Assistant Offensive Line,
........................................................................ Graduate Assistant
University, where he earned a Masters of Science in
Health and Human Performance. In his first season at Fort
Hayes, Ockinga served as the defensive line coach and
video coordinator. The next two years, Ockinga coached
the wide receivers, while also serving as the passing
game coordinator, recruiting coordinator and academic
coordinator. In 2008, Ockinga coached the tight ends and
full backs while maintaining his other coordinator duties.
Brown, Hurlie..................... 2002-06.....................Defensive Backs
Prior to his stint at Fort Hayes, Ockinga worked as a
graduate assistant at Hastings College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in education.
At Hastings, Ockinga worked with the running backs and linebackers, while also serving
as the equipment coordinator for one year.
Collins, Geoff.......................... 2010...........Defensive Coordinator/
Ockinga is married to the former Kelsie Hiltner and they reside in Weston, Fla.
Briner, Greg....................... 2002-06............Offensive Coordinator,
............................................................................. Wide Receivers
Cassano, Mike................... 2007-09...................... Running Backs,
...................................................................Recruiting Coordinator
Clark, Bernard........2004-05, 07-08........... Defensive Coordinator, ......................................................... Linebackers, Defensive Line
Coley, James.......................... 2007............Offensive Coordinator/
................................................................................. Quarterbacks
Colzie III, James................ 2002-03..... Assistant Defensive Backs
Cristobal, Mario.........2007-Present............................Head Coach
Diaz, Renato........................... 2002....................... Running Backs
Fouquier, Kevin...................... 2006........... Defensive Coordinator,
...............................................................................Defensive Line
Galiano, Phil...................... 2007-08........... Defensive Coordinator, ................................................................................... Linebackers
Grosso, Carmen................ 2002-06....................Defensive Backs,
............................................... Tight Ends, Recruiting Coordinator
Hardy, Bruce...................... 2002-06...........Assistant Head Coach,
............................................................ Tight Ends, Special Teams
Hargreaves, Vernon............... 2006............................ Linebackers
Hill, Madre.............................. 2006....................... Running Backs
Hurtt, Clint.............................. 2005........................Defensive Line
Laferre, Greg............2007- Present................... Offensive Line/TE
Bill Legg............................. 2008-09............ Offensive Coordinator,
................................................................................. Quarterbacks
Mirabal, Alex..............2007-Present...... Tight Ends/Offensive Line
Nathan, Tony..................... 2003-05....................... Running Backs
Navarro, Juan............2007-Present................ Graduate Assistant/
Football Opps/Defensive Asst.
Ponce, Frank.............2007-Present...................... Wide Receivers
Popovich, Jeff............2007-Present.....................Defensive Backs
Searcy, Leon..................... 2004-06.........................Offensive Line
Siegle, Chris........................... 2008................. Graduate Assistant
Smith, Dennis............2008-Present................. Graduate Assistant
Smith, Steve...................... 2002-03.........................Offensive Line
Strock, Don........................ 2002-06............................Head Coach
Tabor, David........................... 2006................. Graduate Assistant
Taubert, Jim....................... 2002-04........................Defensive Line
Wilder, Marcus................... 2005-06................. Graduate Assistant
Wiles, Curt......................... 2002-04............Assistant Linebackers,
........................................................................ Graduate Assistant
Williams, Larry................... 2007-08................. Graduate Assistant
Wright, Apollo............2007-Present................ Special Teams/RBs
53
Andrew Green
DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS
Andrew Green is in his fourth year with FIU and enters his
first as the Director of Footbal Operations. Previously Green
served as the administrative assistant to head coach Mario
Cristobal, and the team's academic liaison.
Green graduated from Dickinson College in 2008, where
he earned his bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in
education. As an undergraduate, he competed intercollegiately as a member of the Red Devils’ football and track
and field teams.
As the director of football operations, Green has his hand
in nearly every aspect of the day-to-day workings of the
team.
Dennis Smith
DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL
Starting his fifth season as a member of the FIU Football
staff, and his first as director of player personnel.
Smith gained valuable overall football experience during
his undergraduate days at the University of Miami. In his
years there while earning double bachelor’s degrees in
marketing and management, Smith worked closely with
the football operations director, the equipment room and
in his final two seasons, was an assistant to the defensive
coordinator. After graduating in December 2005, Smith
worked as a football recruiting assistant for the Hurricanes.
During his first year at FIU, Smith immersed himself in
all aspects of the football program, with special emphasis in recruiting, as the assistant
director of operations. Last season, he moved into a graduate assistant position on the
offensive side of the football.
“Dennis is a relentless worker who has come up through the ranks and is well versed in
all areas from recruiting, to player development, to coaching on both the offensive and
defensive sides of the ball,” said Head Coach Mario Cristobal.
“This was the logical next step in Dennis’ development as he continues his progression
toward becoming a full-time football coach. His communication and leadership skills,
knowledge of the game and tireless work ethic will help him succeed at this next level.”
SPORTS MEDICINE
David Ahouse
HEAD FOOTBALL
ATHLETIC
TRAINER
David Ahouse returns
for his fifth season as
the head football athletic
trainer coming to FIU after
spending spring 2006
as an assistant athletic
trainer with NFL Europe’s
Hamburg Sea Devils.
Ahouse was a two-year graduate assistant trainer at
FIU working with the football and track programs while
earning a master’s degree in physical education with a
concentration in sports management in 2005.
As an undergraduate, Ahouse attended Cornell
University where he was a four-year football varsity
letterwinner and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
human services in 1998.
After that, he spent four years at Cornell as an
assistant athletic trainer, working mainly with the
women’s basketball team as its head athletic trainer.
Ahouse’s experiences also included international travel
with various teams, teaching a Principles of Weight
Lifting physical education class and also assisting the
strength and conditioning coaches at Cornell for several
semesters.
Ahouse is married to the former Emily Sheckels.
John Steele
ASSISTANT
FOOTBALL
ATHLETIC
TRAINER
John Steele joined the
FIU Sports Medicine
staff in March 2008, after
spending two years as
a graduate assistant at
Villanova University.
Steele graduated from
Lasell College in Boston,
Mass., in 2005 with his bachelor’s degree in sports
medicine. While completing his degree, he worked with
the Boston College football team for two seasons and
then with the New England Patriots as a seasonal intern
in 2005.
Steele spent 2006 as the assistant athletic trainer for
the Cologne Centurions of the NFL Europa league. The
following year, he completed a summer internship with
the Philadelphia Eagles.
A certified strength and conditioning specialist, Steele
oversees the graduate assistant athletic trainers assigned
to the FIU track and field program and is an approved
clinical instructor (ACI) for the university’s athletic training
education program.
54
Shawn Burns
Dan Hernandez
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF
FOOTBALL OPERATIONS
Shawn Burns enters his first season as
assistant director of football opperations,
and his second as a member of the FIU
Football staff. His current duties include
managing all football team travel and
campus game-day activities.
Prior to being named to his current role
on February of '09, Burns spent a year as
a recruiting and video assistnat for FIU
Football.
Before joining the Panthers' staff, Burns worked as a sales representative
for tne National Basketball Association's Miami Heat. Prior to his stint with
the Heat, Burns worked with the National Football League's Jacksonville
Jaguars for over five years. With the Jaguars, Burns was a service
executive, serving as a liaison between the team and the Jacksonville
community.
In 2002, Burns earned a bachelors of science in sociology with a minor
in psychology from Jacksonville University.
FOOTBALL OPERATIONS
ASSISTANT
Dan Hernandez enters his second
season as football opperations assistant
for FIU football. Hernandez duties include
assisting the director of football o perations
with day-to-day functions as well aiding
with opponent preparation, recruiting and
and many other duties within the team.
Hernandez earned his B.A. in criminology
from Upper Iowa University where he lettered
in football all four years. He was named to the Northern Sun Conference All-Academic Team and the Athletic Director's Honor
Roll all four years. A starter in 38 of 48 collegiate games, Hernandez was named
team captain his junior and senior seasons.
Hernandez is currently enrolled at FIU where he expects to earn his M.P.A. in
public administration by May 2011.
Mike Salemi
Winston Chen
EQUIPMENT MANAGER
Mike Salemi was promoted to the position
of head equipment manager in August
2008. Salemi oversees all aspects of the
equipment room, from ordering apparel and
maintaining the equipment, to managing
the budget. He is also responsible for
organizing game equipment –uniforms and
comunications equipment–for all home and
away contests.
The Cutler Bay, Fla., native attended
Florida State University but left during his
senior year to enlist in the U.S. Navy where he became a member of the
of the Navy’s Search and Rescue team. Afterwards, he enrolled at FIU
where he finished his requirements for a bachelor’s degree in criminal
justice and volunteered in the Football equipment room where he gained
valuable experience.
Video Coordinator
creating
Chen graduated with a degree in mass communication and journalism
from Fresno State University in 2010.
Mat Ratner
Iván Irizarry
MEDIA RELATIONS
COORDINATOR
ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC MEDIA
RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Iván Irizarry enters his third season
as the head media relations contact for
FIU Football, and his first as Associate
Athletic Media Relations Director.
Iván graduated from FIU in 2007 with
a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism after
spending a year as an intern with the
FIU Athletic Media Relations Department.
After his graduation, Iván was hired as
Media Relations Coordinator at FIU, a
position he held from August 2008 until October 2009, when he was
promoted to Associate Media Relations Coordinator.
55
team
Winston Chen is in his first year as FIU's
football video coordinator. Chen began
work at FIU in July 2011. He arrived from
New Mexico State University, where he
served as the football video coordinator
from 2009-11. Chen currently oversees
the video needs of the football program.
He also supervises a staff of assistants
in filming and editing games and practices. His job responsibilities currently
include coordinating video exchanges and
highlights
for
the
football
team.
Championship.
Mat Ratner is in his second full year at FIU
after spending the 2008 season as a Media
Relations Assistant with the Miami Dolphins,
where he coordinated player interviews,
served as sideline liaison for road games and
assisted in the production of media notes and
production guides. While with the Dolphins,
Ratner also worked with the NFL Media
Staff during Super Bowl XLIII as well as the
Orange Bowl Committee and BCS National
Ratner owns a Bachelors of Arts in communications with a minor in leadership
studies from USF in Tampa, Fla.