HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana first-year head football coach Frank Scelfo officially announced his coaching staff for the upcoming 2018 season on Thursday.
All hires are pending approval from the University of Louisiana System’s Board of Supervisors. Scelfo’s staff features three holdovers from former head coach Ron Roberts’ staff. Returning for 2018 are Greg Stevens (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Brandon Lacy (assistant head coach/defensive line/run game coordinator) and Travis Mikel (offensive guards/centers).
Stevens will oversee an offensive staff that includes Mikel, Garret Chachere (running backs/pass game coordinator), Michael Spurlock (wide receivers/special teams coordinator) and A.J. Hopp (tight ends/offensive tackles).
Coming in to run the defense is new defensive coordinator Louie Cioffi. Cioffi’s staff on the defensive side includes Lacy, Tarence Calais (defensive backs/recruiting coordinator) and Chris Lachney (linebackers).
Scelfo is excited about what his new staff brings to the table.
“We have a really good mix of youth and experience with our 2018 coaching staff,” Scelfo said. “We have two experienced successful coordinators in Coach Stevens and Coach Cioffi who I have a lot of confidence in. They’ve done a great job getting us organized and heading in the right direction on both sides of the ball.”
During his transition into the Lions’ head coaching position, Scelfo was impressed with Stevens, Lacy and Mikel and wanted them to remain in Hammond as part of his first staff.
“The period between when I was hired and signing day was a great opportunity for me to evaluate the staff,” Scelfo said. “Coach Stevens, Coach Mikel and Coach Lacy stood out for the way they interacted with the student-athletes and their recruiting ability. I really got a sense of what great people they were and I’m excited to have all three of them part of our new staff.”
Quality of character was number one on Scelfo’s list when filling out his meeting rooms.
“Great people make great coaches,” Scelfo said. “We have a staff full of great people who are husbands and fathers that are able to relate to our student-athletes and help them make the transition from boyhood to manhood. Because of the quality of coaches and student-athletes we have here, we’re seeing those bonds already form and the trust on both sides being solidified more each day. It’s been really cool to see those coach-player relationships mesh during these first two weeks of spring practice.”
Stevens returned to Hammond in January for his second stint as offensive coordinator, after spending the previous four seasons at Eastern Illinois. Stevens was at SLU for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, mentoring 2013 Southland Conference Player of the Year Bryan Bennett and overseeing the most prolific offense in school history which helped the Lions to their first-ever FCS playoff appearance.
Cioffi comes to Hammond with over two decades of experience as a NFL assistant coach. Cioffi spent time on the defensive staffs of the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets. Among the players he’s coached are Pro Bowlers Patrick Peterson, Joe Haden, Adrian Wilson and T.J. Ward.
Lacy will enter his 10th season on the Southeastern coaching staff and his third as assistant head coach. He has mentored 11 All-Southland Conference performers during his tenure in Hammond.
Calais comes to Hammond after a stint as the defensive coordinator at East Texas Baptist University. The Patterson, Louisiana native played collegiately at Louisiana Tech and went on to play for both the Calgary Stampede (CFL) and Pittsburgh Power (AFL).
Chachere, a New Orleans native, comes to Hammond with nearly three decades of collegiate coaching experience. Most recently the offensive coordinator at New Mexico Highlands, Chachere’s career include stops at California, Southern Miss, Arizona, Tulane, UL Monroe and Tulane, among others.
Mikel will move into his sixth season as a member of the Southeastern Louisiana coaching staff. During his time in Hammond, he’s coached 10 All-Southland performers, including All-Americans Maea Teuhema and Taylor Gadbois.
Spurlock comes to Hammond after spending the 2017 season on the staff with Scelfo at UTSA. An eight-year NFL veteran, Spurlock was an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss and was a wide receiver and return specialist for the Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears.
A 2003 SLU graduate, Lachney was most recently the head coach at Riverside Academy in Reserve before returning to his alma mater. The Slidell, Louisiana native has also had coaching stops at Brother Martin High School and Pope John Paul II High School, where he also coached his high school alma mater to eight state powerlifting championships.
Hopp comes to Hammond after spending time on the staffs at Houston, Mississippi State and Florida Atlantic. The Akron, Ohio native was a Division II Academic All-American offensive tackle at Slippery Rock.
Southeastern will continue week two of spring practice with a 4 p.m. practice on Thursday. The Lions will open their 2018 season at in-state FBS foe ULM on Sept. 1.
2018 Southeastern Louisiana Football Spring Schedule
All practices at Strawberry Stadium
Thursday, March 22 – 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 24 – 10 a.m.
Tuesday, March 27 – 4 p.m.
Thursday, March 29 – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, April 10 – 4 p.m.
Thursday, April 12 – 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 14 – 10 a.m.
Tuesday, April 17 – 4 p.m.
Thursday, April 19 – 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 21 – 2 p.m. (Spring Game)
2018 Southeastern Louisiana Football Coaching Staff
Greg Stevens (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
Hometown: Ephraim, Utah
Education: Eastern Oregon, 1992
Coaching Timeline
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2014-17 – Eastern Illinois – Offensive Coordinator
2012-13 – Southeastern Louisiana – Offensive Coordinator
2010-11 – Delta State – Offensive Coordinator
2006-09 – Utah State – Wide Receivers Coach
2002-04 – Stephen F. Austin – Offensive Coordinator
1999-01 – Arkansas-Monticello – Offensive Coordinator
1998 – Snow Junior College – Assistant Coach
1995-97 – Eastern Arizona – Assistant Coach
1992-94 – Mesa State – Assistant Coach
Playing Career
Eastern Oregon, QB
Snow JC, QB
Louie Cioffi, Defensive Coordinator
Hometown: Queens, N.Y.
Education: SUNY-Stony Brook, 1995
Coaching Timeline
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Defensive Coordinator
2016 – Cleveland Browns – Defensive Backs
2014-15 – Tennessee Titans – Defensive Backs
2013 – Cleveland Browns – Defensive Backs
2011-12 – Arizona Cardinals – Defensive Backs
2003-10 – Cincinnati Bengals – Defensive Backs
1997-02 – Cincinnati Bengals – Defensive Assistant
1995-96 – C.W. Post – Wide Receivers
1993-94 – New York Jets – Coaching Assistant
Brandon Lacy, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line/Run Game Coordinator
Hometown: Edmond, Okla.
Education: Kansas, 2003
Coaching Timeline
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line/Run Game Coordinator
2016-17 – Southeastern Louisiana – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator
2012-15 – Southeastern Louisiana – Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator
2009-11 – Southeastern Louisiana – Defensive Line
2008 – Angelo State – Co-Defensive Coordinator
2006-07 – Rice – Defensive Line
2005 – UT Martin – Running Backs
2003-04 – Appalachian State – Assistant Coach
Playing Career
Kansas, DL
UT Martin, DL
Tarence Calais, Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Hometown: Patterson, La.
Education: Louisiana Tech, 2011
Coaching Timeline
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2017 – East Texas Baptist University – Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach
2017 – Washington Redskins – NFL Minority Internship (Training Camp)
2016 – East Texas Baptist University – Defensive Backs
2015 – UT Permian Basin – Defensive Backs
2015 – Patterson High School – Linebackers (Spring)
2014 – Morgan City High School – Defensive Backs
Playing Career
Pittsburgh Power (AFL), DB
Calgary Stampede (CFL), DB
Louisiana Tech, DB
Garret Chachere, Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Education: Tulane, 1992
Coaching Timeline
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2017 – New Mexico Highlands – Offensive Coordinator
2016 – California – Running Backs
2014-15 – California – Linebackers
2013 – California – Defensive Line
2012 – Southern Miss – Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
2011 – Arizona – Running Backs
2009-11 – Arizona – Wide Receivers
2007-08 – Memphis – Special Teams Coordinator
2004-06 – Tulane – Linebackers
1999-03 – Tulane – Linebackers/Punt Return Coordinator
1998 – ULM – Tight Ends/Wide Receivers
1995-97 – Nicholls – Linebackers
1994 – Bucknell – Defensive Backs/Special Teams Coordinator
1993 – Bloomsburg – Defensive Backs
1992 – Cheyney – Defensive Backs/Running Backs
Playing Career
Tulane
Travis Mikel, Offensive Guards/Centers
Hometown: Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.
Education: Delta State, 2007
Coaching Timeline
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Offensive Line
2017 – Southeastern Louisiana – Offensive Line/Director of Football Operations
2016 – Hammond High School – Assistant Coach
2012-15 – Southeastern Louisiana – Offensive Line
2010-11 – Delta State – Offensive Line
2009 – Delta State – Offensive Assistant (OL)
2008 – Delta State – Offensive Assistant (WR)
Playing Career
Delta State, OL
Michael Spurlock, WR/Special Teams
Hometown: Indianola, Miss.
Education: Ole Miss, 2005 (undergraduate); University of Phoenix, 2015 (graduate)
Coaching Career
2017 – UTSA – Special Teams Quality Control/Linebackers Assistant
2016 – Dallas Cowboys – Special Teams Assistant/Defensive Backs Assistant
2016 – Coahoma Community College – Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator (Spring)
2015 – Philadelphia High School – Assistant Football Coach
Playing Career
NFL, WR/KR/PR, 2006-14 (Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears)
Ole Miss, QB/RB
Chris Lachney, Linebackers
Hometown: Slidell, La.
Education: Southeastern Louisiana, 2003
Coaching Career
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Linebackers
2017 – Riverside Academy – Head Football Coach
2012-16 – Riverside Academy – Defensive Coordinator
2008-11 – Brother Martin HS – Defensive Coordinator/Strength and Conditioning Coach
2003-07 – Pope John Paul II HS – Head Football Coach/Head Powerlifting Coach
1998-02 – Pope John Paul II HS – Assistant Football Coach
A.J. Hopp, Tight Ends/Offensive TacklesHometown: Akron, Ohio
Education: Slippery Rock, 2011 (undergraduate); Florida Atlantic, 2015 (graduate); Mississippi State, 2016 (graduate)
Coaching Career
2018 – Southeastern Louisiana – Tight Ends/Offensive Tackles
2017 – Houston – Offensive Graduate Assistant
2015-16 – Mississippi State – Offensive Graduate Assistant
2013-14 – Florida Atlantic – Offensive Graduate Assistant/Assistant OL
Playing Career
Slippery Rock, OL
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