Bills Hire DB and LB coaches

[muestafa1]

From VCoach:

Bills have hired George Catavolos as their defensive backs coach and Johnny Hulland as linebackers coach

[deathadder]

http://www.detroitlions.com/bio.cfm?bio_id=211

http://www.detroitlions.com/photos/athletes/Catavolos_Header.jpg

George Catavolos enters his second season with the Lions and his 21st coaching in the NFL. With CB Dré Bly’s invitation to the Pro Bowl in 2004, Catavolos has had a defensive back reach the annual NFL All-Star game in three consecutive seasons (Bly, 2004; Redskins CB Champ Bailey 2002-03). He joined the Lions before the 2004 season after spending the previous two (2002-03) in Washington. Catavolos’ coaching career includes 17 years on the college level and 20 years in the NFL.
Prior to working in Washington, Catavolos spent four seasons as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for the Indianapolis Colts. In his last two years in Indianapolis, the Colts’ defensive backs garnered 31 interceptions, including 15 in 2001. From 1995-97, he served as the Carolina Panthers defensive backs coach and helped cornerback Eric Davis reach the Pro Bowl in 1996, a season in which the Panthers reached the NFC Championship game in only their second year in the NFL.

Catavolos’ NFL coaching career started in 1984 when he was hired as the Colts’ defensive backs coach, a position he held through the 1993 season. Catavolos also has 17 years of coaching experience on the collegiate level, including stops at Tennessee (1982-83), Kentucky (1977-81), Louisville (1970), Middle Tennessee State (1969) and twice at his alma mater, Purdue (1967-68, 1971-76).

A four-year letter winner at Purdue as a defensive back, Catavolos was the Boilermakers’ co-captain during the team’s 1967 Rose Bowl Championship season.

Catavolos received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Purdue in 1967, and was the recipient of the Nobel E. Kizer award for excellence in academics during his senior year. He went on to earn his master’s degree in education and administration in 1969. Catavolos and his wife, Tona, have two daughters, Lindsay and Stephanie.

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http://www.detroitlions.com/bio.cfm?bio_id=116

http://www.detroitlions.com/photos/athletes/Johnny_Holland.jpg

Johnny Holland was promoted to linebackers coach after serving as a defensive assistant the previous two seasons. He will supervise a youthful corps of linebackers that includes four young and talented players entering their second or third season (Boss Bailey, James Davis, Teddy Lehman and Alex Lewis). All four are expected to solidify the middle of the defense for seasons to come.
This season marks Holland’s third year with the Lions and 11th in the NFL. Overall, Holland’s pro experience includes seven years (1987-93) as a player and 10 years (1995-04) as a coach.

Holland began his coaching career as the Green Bay Packers’ defensive quality control coach in 1995 and held that post through the 1997 season. He spent the 1998 season as the special teams coach and the 1999 season as the Packers’ linebackers coach. After five seasons with the Packers, including back-to-back Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowl XXXI in 1996 and Super Bowl XXXII in 1997), Holland was hired as the Seattle Seahawks’ assistant special teams/assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2000. During the 2001-02 seasons, Holland reverted back to his post as the linebackers coach with the Seahawks.

Holland was originally a second-round draft choice out of Texas A&M in 1987 by the Packers. He posted six consecutive seasons with at least 100 tackles before retiring in 1994. In 1993, after recovering from a neck injury suffered in 1992, Holland led the Packers in tackles with 145 and helped guide the team into the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Holland was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in July 2001.

As a collegian at Texas A&M, he was a three-year starter and a four-year letterman, where he led the Aggies in tackles each of his last three years. As a prep at Hempstead High in Texas, he won 12 letters.

In 1993, Holland was enshrined in the Texas A&M Hall of Fame, and in 2000 he was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.

Holland and his wife, Faith, have a son, Jordan, and daughter, Joli.

[Gunzlingr]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=640 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=center colSpan=4>http://www.detroitlions.com/photos/athletes/Johnny_Holland.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD class=body2 bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=3>Johnny Holland was promoted to linebackers coach after serving as a defensive assistant the previous two seasons. He will supervise a youthful corps of linebackers that includes four young and talented players entering their second or third season (Boss Bailey, James Davis, Teddy Lehman and Alex Lewis). All four are expected to solidify the middle of the defense for seasons to come.
This season marks Holland’s third year with the Lions and 11th in the NFL. Overall, Holland’s pro experience includes seven years (1987-93) as a player and 10 years (1995-04) as a coach.
Holland began his coaching career as the Green Bay Packers’ defensive quality control coach in 1995 and held that post through the 1997 season. He spent the 1998 season as the special teams coach and the 1999 season as the Packers’ linebackers coach. After five seasons with the Packers, including back-to-back Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowl XXXI in 1996 and Super Bowl XXXII in 1997), Holland was hired as the Seattle Seahawks’ assistant special teams/assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2000. During the 2001-02 seasons, Holland reverted back to his post as the linebackers coach with the Seahawks.
Holland was originally a second-round draft choice out of Texas A&M in 1987 by the Packers. He posted six consecutive seasons with at least 100 tackles before retiring in 1994. In 1993, after recovering from a neck injury suffered in 1992, Holland led the Packers in tackles with 145 and helped guide the team into the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Holland was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in July 2001.
As a collegian at Texas A&M, he was a three-year starter and a four-year letterman, where he led the Aggies in tackles each of his last three years. As a prep at Hempstead High in Texas, he won 12 letters.
In 1993, Holland was enshrined in the Texas A&M Hall of Fame, and in 2000 he was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Holland and his wife, Faith, have a son, Jordan, and daughter, Joli.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Gunzlingr]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=640 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=center colSpan=4>http://www.detroitlions.com/photos/athletes/Catavolos_Header.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD class=body2 bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=3>George Catavolos enters his second season with the Lions and his 21st coaching in the NFL. With CB Dr&#233; Bly’s invitation to the Pro Bowl in 2004, Catavolos has had a defensive back reach the annual NFL All-Star game in three consecutive seasons (Bly, 2004; Redskins CB Champ Bailey 2002-03). He joined the Lions before the 2004 season after spending the previous two (2002-03) in Washington. Catavolos’ coaching career includes 17 years on the college level and 20 years in the NFL.
Prior to working in Washington, Catavolos spent four seasons as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for the Indianapolis Colts. In his last two years in Indianapolis, the Colts’ defensive backs garnered 31 interceptions, including 15 in 2001. From 1995-97, he served as the Carolina Panthers defensive backs coach and helped cornerback Eric Davis reach the Pro Bowl in 1996, a season in which the Panthers reached the NFC Championship game in only their second year in the NFL.
Catavolos’ NFL coaching career started in 1984 when he was hired as the Colts’ defensive backs coach, a position he held through the 1993 season. Catavolos also has 17 years of coaching experience on the collegiate level, including stops at Tennessee (1982-83), Kentucky (1977-81), Louisville (1970), Middle Tennessee State (1969) and twice at his alma mater, Purdue (1967-68, 1971-76).
A four-year letter winner at Purdue as a defensive back, Catavolos was the Boilermakers’ co-captain during the team’s 1967 Rose Bowl Championship season. Catavolos received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Purdue in 1967, and was the recipient of the Nobel E. Kizer award for excellence in academics during his senior year. He went on to earn his master’s degree in education and administration in 1969. Catavolos and his wife, Tona, have two daughters, Lindsay and Stephanie.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Michael82]

FINALLY! We got our Detroit connection. It's about time. :rofl:

[muestafa1]

Are we all set at the coaching/coordinator positions now?

[Michael82]

Are we all set at the coaching/coordinator positions now?
I think we still have a bit more. Quality Control coach, TE coach, QB coach, and maybe a couple more assistants.

[muestafa1]

I think we still have a bit more. Quality Control coach, TE coach, QB coach, and maybe a couple more assistants.

Doh! Forgot about the TE and QB coaches.... Defintely need good coaches at each position.... TE has to be a bigger part of our offense... I'm eager to see what a good TE coach can do with a healthy Kevin Everett

[Gunzlingr]

More like the Jauron connection, Ex-Lions and Bears, oh my!

[patmoran2006]

Lion assistants?
Marv and Dick better know what they are doing!

[LtBillsFan66]

FINALLY! We got our Detroit connection. It's about time. :rofl:
:rofl:

I think we're all in for torture.

[FirstDownBills]

Lion assistants?
Marv and Dick better know what they are doing!

They didn't hire Matt Millen.

[don137]

Not a big fan of these guys...What did they do other than be part of the "good ol' boy network" to deserve a position with us?

[Dont drink the water]

The head coach saw them on a day-to-day basis, how they prepared, what they were good at and what they needed help with. Like Gray and Blackmon were for GW, every coach needs assistants who understand his system and can anticipate his orders.

[Bert102176]

they are jokes

[TigerJ]

Anyone notice that Catavolos is is a Nobel prize winner. as a college senior he won the Nobel E. Kizer award for excellence in academics. LOL

[Earthquake Enyart]

Johnny Holland was a decent player. Don't know about coaching skill.

[AndreReed83]

I like the Lions LB's...

I also think the DB play for the Lions was pretty good considering the players they have.