A few days after Bruce Gradkowski left the St. Louis Battlehawks for a job with the Detroit Lions, the San Antonio Brahmas also found themselves in need of a new assistant coach. Andre Gurode, who had been the offensive line coach under Wade Phillips for two seasons, first with the Houston Roughnecks and then with the Brahmas, moved on to join the University of Colorado for the same position.
Replacing any coach at this stage of the game is no easy task. Getting to coach under a legend like Phillips will make the job more attractive than it otherwise would be. It’s a lot more difficult coming up with names that should be considered for position coach rather than coordinator because the pool of potential candidates is so much bigger. Nevertheless, here are some names that should/could be considered, based on a number of factors including availability, connections with current Brahmas staff, experience coaching in this offensive system, and more.
Mike Tice
A longtime NFL offensive assistant and former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Tice has been out of that league since 2017 but has kept his toes in the coaching waters since then. Tice has been an assistant for college all-star games and was one of the key coaches at the NFL Alumni Academy, which had a partnership with the XFL in 2023. A respected offensive line coach, Tice would bring significant experience to the role in helping prepare Brahmas players for the next level. For someone of his age and stature, the question is, would he be interested in a position coach role in a spring football league?
Andy Townsend
In building his Memphis staff, head coach Ken Whisenhunt dipped into the USFL coaching ranks to bring folks back to spring football. The Brahmas could look to do something similar to fill this area of need. As offensive line coach of the Houston Gamblers in 2023, Townsend helped the team finish second in the league in rushing guards per game. Currently the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at East Texas A&M, Townsend is one of several former XFL or USFL offensive line coaches who could be candidates here. Dennis McKnight (Sea Dragons) and Steven Smith (Generals) are two others; though, like Townsend, they’d have to leave their current jobs to take this one – and for a few, they’d be accepting a demotion in title. Townsend’s ties to Texas certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Rich Seubert
Andre Gurode was a first-time coach at the college or pro level when he was hired to work with Wade Phillips in Houston in 2023. It’s possible his replacement is similarly someone whose playing days are only recently behind them. Seubert fits that mold. A Super Bowl Champion with the New York GIants, Seubert played in the NFL for nearly a decade. He offered his services as an assistant at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in 2023, one of the many post-season college all-star games. He has been a high school coach in New Jersey for about ten years. It’s possible Seubert wouldn’t have to give up that job to coach in the UFL. It’s also possible he may want to rise up the coaching ranks and take on a new challenge with the Brahmas.
Sean Kugler
When the D.C. Defenders needed an offensive line coach in a pinch midway through last season, UFL Vice President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston used his extensive Rolodex to call upon Kugler to fill the void. A veteran OL coach in both college and the NFL, Kugler made immediate changes to the Defenders’ personnel along the line, which paid dividends as the season progressed. D.C. head coach Reggie Barlow brought back Cody Crills, who coached with Barlow and the Defenders in 2023, to lead the offensive line in 2025. Whether that was a Barlow choice or because Kugler chose not to return is unknown at this time.
Marcus Johnson
One aspect to take into consideration when assessing the coaching possibilities here is the particular scheme San Antonio runs on offense. The Air Raid stands out among the majority of other schemes and requires more specific skillsets from its players than others. Therefore, it helps to have someone versed in that offense to teach the finer points to the players. It’s not a requirement – Gurode didn’t play or coach in that system before – but it certainly would be a plus. Enter Johnson, who has coached offensive line at several major college programs. Most recently, he was at Purdue, which ran the Air Raid under famed Texas Tech gunslinger Graham Harrell. Johnson was not retained after the Boilermakers fired head coach Ryan Walters after the season, making him a coaching free agent.
