MOBILE, ALA. • On a day when the Rams formally announced the hiring of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, head coach Jeff Fisher landed another key piece to his coaching staff.
Former Tennessee Titans assistant coach Dave McGinnis, who has a long history coaching with Fisher, is re-joining Fisher in St. Louis. According to league sources, McGinnis will have the role of assistant head coach.
McGinnis, a native of Independence, Kan., spent seven seasons with Fisher in Tennessee, serving as linebackers coach in 2004 and assistant head coach/linebackers from 2005-10. Following Fisher's departure, McGinnis stayed on with the Titans in 2011 as a senior assistant under new Titans head coach Mike Munchak. His duties as senior assistant coach included work with the Tennessee defense as well as personnel and administrative duties.
McGinnis has a quarter-century of NFL coaching experience, but the start of his coaching career included three seasons as an assistant at the University of Missouri.
The addition of McGinnis gives the Rams three members of their coaching staff with NFL head-coaching experience.
Fisher spent 16-plus seasons as head coach of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans. Williams was head coach in Buffalo from 2001 to 2003. McGinnis was head coach of the Arizona Cardinals for 3½ seasons, from 2000 to 2003.
Fisher commented Monday only on the additions of Williams and Schottenheimer because their hirings are official.
"I have worked with and known Gregg for a lot of years, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a defensive coordinator and value his past experience as a head coach," Fisher said in a statement. "He brings an aggressive approach that I'm sure will benefit our defense and he has a wealth of knowledge that will aid our entire team."
As for Schottenheimer, Fisher said: "He is a well-respected coach in this league who has had success for many years at a high level as an offensive coordinator. We share the same philosophies on the offensive side of the ball and I think he is a tremendous addition to our staff."
Like McGinnis, several other staff additions appear to be in the works but have not been made official, including Paul Boudreau as offensive line coach, Mike Waufle as defensive line coach, Rob Boras as tight ends coach and Tim Walton for what could be a job as assistant defensive coordinator/passing game.
Remembering Paterno
The Senior Bowl's North squad includes three Penn State players: defensive back Lynn D'Anton, offensive lineman Johnnie Troutman and defensive lineman Jack Crawford.
All are here just one day after the passing of Penn State coaching legend Joe Paterno.
"Seeing what's going on over there at Penn State, I wish I could be there with the whole family," Crawford said. "But this is an important event for me. This is an important time to understand what it's like to work with NFL teams, be around some of the best players in the country. This is what I want to do for a living.
"But it's tough. He's always in my heart; always in the back of my mind. I know he's looking over me."
Local line
Besides Missouri tight end Michael Egnew, the Senior Bowl roster includes offensive lineman Jeff Allen of Illinois and wide receiver Marvin McNutt of Iowa and Hazelwood Central High School. Egnew and McNutt are on the North squad. Allen is on the South squad.
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