In today’s football world, quality control coaches are a staple of every pro staff. That wasn’t the case in 1990 when a young up-and-comer named Jon Gruden was tasked with transferring the San Francisco 49ers playbook onto a computer for then-offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren. He was paid $500 per month, often slept at the office and was considered the games first true example of a quality control coach.
Gruden would later credit the process to helping him learn and understand offensive schemes. 13 years after the 49ers experience, he won a Super Bowl as head coach in Tampa Bay.
Mike Lionello was hired as BC Lions quality control coach on March 8th. The 25-year old University of Victoria Grad is already well on his way to having the staff prepared for every game in 2016.
“I’ve already broken down twelve defensive games from last season. It is tons to learn, that’s the biggest thing,” Lionello says.
For example, the Lions open their regular season June 25th against Calgary. Three of those defensive breakdowns were from games against the Stampeders last season. Every game and opponent will eventually be studied in order for the staff to be ready to prepare for each week of the season.
“Mike has hit the ground running and is a valuable member of our staff,” says offensive coordinator Khari Jones. “He has a great work ethic along with an excellent knowledge of the game. Quality control coaches have to be prepared and he has brought that and much more while he helps us get ready for camp and the regular season.”
Other than game film, what else is a quality control coach responsible for? In the computer and digital world, the role has become more prominent in football and Lionello admits it involves a little bit of everything, not just only viewing endless amounts of film.
“They kind of do all the little things, the behind the scenes stuff. You’re a jack-of-all trades really,” adds Lionello.
There is some statistical analysis involved. Quality control coaches are often tasked with running the “scout team” in practice. Those players go up against the starters and mimic anticipated schemes of the upcoming opponent. In Gruden’s day, the occasional coffee run and airport pick up were not uncommon.
Bill Belichick is considered one of the greatest coaches of all-time. His Cleveland staff in the early nineties included future head coaches Eric Mangini and Jim Schwartz, as well as Thomas Dimitroff, Phil Savage and Scott Pioli who would become high-level NFL executives. They were known as “the slappies” and started in football doing similar roles to Lionello. Dimitroff – who once worked as a scout with the Saskatchewan Roughriders – has been GM of the Atlanta Falcons since 2008.
The Buffalo Bills recently made history by making Kathryn Smith the first full-time female coach in pro football. She will serve as special teams quality control coach. South of the border, it is common to have quality control coaches for all three facets.
Lionello also represents the breed of coaches who have their foot in the door, despite not picking the game up until a later age.
“I played my senior year in high school at South Delta, other than that not very much,” Lionello admits. “We made the provincial final and that changed things for me, really brought me into the sport.”
After realizing a playing future was not in the cards, Lionello figured coaching was the next best option to pursue a career in pro football. “I sent a random email to Dave Johnson, who at the time was head coach at SFU, and offered to help anywhere they needed. He welcomed me in.”
During his two and a half year tenure at Burnaby Mountain, Lionello’s roles varied from video coordinator to running backs coach and also director of football operations. In addition to Johnson, he also got to learn the ropes from former BC Lions offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine and Grey Cup champion Kelly Bates. Joe Paopao, Bryan Wyllie and current St. Mary’s head coach James Colzie III also served as great mentors with the Clan.
Lionello feels fortunate to have parlayed the SFU experience to a coaching role in the pros and now has aspirations to be a head coach and General Manager north or south of the border.
“First you have to get noticed, then you have to volunteer and then you have to work hard. The more you do that, the farther you’re going to go.”
In just three years, it is safe to say Lionello’s passion and determination have already paid dividends.
Matt Baker: mbaker@bclions.com