SaberCats announce coaching hires

Feb. 17, 2011SABERCATS PAGE

SAN JOSEThe SaberCats today announced Hall of Fame and ArenaCup champion coach Skip Foster, former SaberCats DefensiveSpecial Teams Coordinator Jeff Jarnigan, former SaberCat Tyrone Peace and Jasper Harvey will be joining San Joses coaching staff. Skip has been one of the greatest offensive minds since he joined Arena Football, said OwnerHead Coach Darren Arbet. He has a wealth of experience in football along with Jeff Jarnigan who has been a large reason for our success since 2007 and we couldnt be more excited that they are going to help lead our franchise heading into 2011 along with Tyrone and Jasper.OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR SKIP FOSTER
Overall, Foster has 27 years of coaching experience and eight years in Arena Football. He joins the SaberCats after serving as offensive coordinator with the Arizona Rattlers (2008) and the Columbus Destroyers (2007), who he helped lead to ArenaBowl XXI against San Jose.Prior to his time with the Destroyers, Foster was the head coach of the expansion Austin Wranglers. He led the Wranglers to a 24-24 record in his three seasons, including a 10-6 mark during his final year in 2006. Foster served as the head coach of the Tulsa Talons in af2 from 2001-03. He finished with a record of 44-10, an average of almost 15 wins a season, leading the Talons to victory in the 2003 ArenaCup. Foster made history when he became the only af2 coach to go undefeated at home with 26 consecutive victories over three seasons. In the collegiate ranks, Foster compiled an 82-39-2 record as head coach of Coffeyville Community College in Kansas before shifting to Arena Football. He coached the Red Ravens to six conference championships during his 12 seasons (1989-2000) as head coach. In 1990, Foster led Coffeyville to a National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship and an undefeated season. He was selected Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Coach of the Year in both 1990 and 1991. Foster took over head coaching duties from his father Dick, who won a national championship with Coffeyville in 1983. They are the only father and son pair in the NJCAA to win a national championship at the same school. Foster was inducted into the Coffeyville Hall of Fame in 2001. A graduate of Missouri Western State College, Foster played for his father at Coffeyville from 1979-80.DEFENSIVESPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR JEFF JARNIGAN
Jarnigan rejoins the SaberCats where he served in the same capacity from 2007-08, helping the team to their third ArenaBowl Championship in franchise history in his first season with the team. Jarnigan has 19 years of football coaching experience with eight coming in arenaindoor football.Prior to joining San Jose, Jarnigan served as head coach of the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz from 2005-06. Before joining the Yard Dawgz, he was defensive coordinator for the Austin Wranglers during their inaugural season in 2004. In Austin, Jarnigan led a unit that held opposing teams to fewer than 40 points in a game five times and ranked third in sacks.Jarnigan joined the Tulsa Talons in 2001 where he served as defensive coordinatordefensive backs coach for three seasons, helping them to an ArenaCup in 2003, after spending a year with the Minnesota Purple Rage of the Indoor Football League in 2000. He spent 11 years as a coach in the college football ranks prior to joining arenaindoor football. An all-conference offensive lineman and three-year starter at Southwestern College, he helped the team finish ranked third in the nation in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH TYRONE PEACE
Peace joins the SaberCats after spending three seasons in the same capacity for Foothill College. A former SaberCat, he played five seasons in the AFL, playing wide receiver and defensive back for San Jose from 1997-99. Peace totaled 52 receptions for 550 yards and seven touchdowns to along with 56 tackles, 12 passes defensed and three interceptions during his AFL career.A native of Richmond, CA, Peace played collegiately at Foothill College before transferring to Chico State where he was a defensive back and returner. OFFENSIVE LINE COACH JASPER HARVEY
Harvey joins the SaberCats for his first coaching stint in the AFL. A two-year starter at guard and center for San Diego State, Harvey served stints with the Washington Redskins (2006), Philadelphia Eagles (2006-07), Orlando Predators (2008) of the AFL, Arizona Cardinals (2008) and Hartford Colonials (2009) of the UFL.A native of New Orleans, LA, Harvey played at Archbishop Shaw (LA) High School where he was a two-year starter at left tackle. He earned all-district and honorable mention All-New Orleans metro as a senior.
Courtesy SaberCats Media relations