When new Bulls boss Doug Baxter took the reins, he made it clear his priority was in filling out his coaching staff with "teachers of the game and molders of men" who would also serve as play-callers on their respective sides of the ball. The comings/goings at One Bullevard has included a slew of existing RFL assistant + positional coaches, but perhaps more notably, a few of Coach Baxter's former division rivals in the NAFL.
All 3 NAFL Atlantic coaches were reported to have met with the team at their facility in Park Slope. Could there be frenemies in the making? Here's our take on each candidate.
Backyard Baller? Emmanuel Bolden could swap purple for blue
Hello, Neighbor. The NAFL's only NYC franchise, the Brooklyn Beats, was a constant threat to Baxter's Flyers, in large part to their Head Coach and offensive guru, Emmanuel Bolden. Bolden's up-tempo, exotic offensive packages kept them overachieving during his 3-year stint as coach, and his pedigree as a college QB gave him the respect of his cocky young signal caller, Russell Beane.
While their teams were always at eachother's throats, Baxter + Bolden were always effusive in their praise for one-another. Could Bolden see an OC position as a foot in the door with the RFL for future head coaching vacancies? If he doesn't bolt for his alma matter, perhaps a boatload of relobucks could entice him to play second-fiddle to a former rival.
Brian Rice's Air-Raid offense had Toronto on the turnaround
Flying High While the Toronto Mounties had become an oft-forgotten punchline in the now-defunct NAFL ('Careful or they'll trade you to Toronto!'), their last year showed a sudden surge in offensive momentum, thanks in full to beleaguered young offensive coordinator, Brian Rice.
Rice was hired as the new QB's coach under Coach Lon Bruden who had to resign suddenly before the preseason in the wake of an email scandal. Unphased, Rice took the opportunity to completely overhaul the Mounties offense, transforming the traditional ground + pound team into an Air-Raid nightmare for opposing defenses.
While he only had a season calling plays, the eye-popping statistics he squeezed out of a perennial bottom-dweller must have done enough to draw Doug Baxter's attention, as their interview reportedly went late into the evening and long after its scheduled pre-dinner ending time.
NAFL Coaching Legend Toby Jarrett spent all 13 years in Columbus
Boulder meets Bull? No one expected this one. With 2 NAFL titles, 4 Atlantic Conference Wins and a record 6 "Coach of the Year" awards, Columbus Caps legendary coach Toby Jarrett is an institution in Ohio.
So why would this innovator of special teams play + adopted son of Columbus consider un-retiring to support a former NAFL rival? Or would he?
While their meeting was "in an official capacity" according to sources, it was the only remote interview on the list, leading some to believe it was simply a sign of respect from coach Baxter, not wanting to bring in NAFL candidates without at least paying homage to the man that helped keep the league going up until the very end.
Could any of these former Flyers foes become Frenemies for the Bulls?
While the Bulls front office is being tight-lipped about these upcoming coaching hires, it does seem that they are making moves for the second wave of interviews, narrowing down a crowded field to find the next few alpha Bulls to help lead the charge.
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