PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
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exeCutives & CoaChing<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Media.<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Buffaloes became one of the top<br />
defensive units in the LSC and led the conference in scoring defense.<br />
Under Kocurek’s guidance, Brandon Swain became one of the top<br />
defensive players at the Division II level and was a 2007 First-Team<br />
Daktronics, AFCA and AP Little All-American and conference defensive<br />
lineman of the year after recording 24.5 tackles for losses and 14 sacks.<br />
Kocurek served as the defensive line coach at Texas A&M-<br />
Commerce in 2006 and helped guide the <strong>Lions</strong>’ top-ranked defensive<br />
unit which finished with No. 1 in total and scoring defense.<br />
For two seasons (2004-05) Kocurek served as a graduate assistant<br />
at Texas A&M-Kingsville and coached the Havelina’s defensive line<br />
where he was active in the development of Wilbert Martin, who was<br />
twice selected as first team All-LSC and was a free agent signee of<br />
the Baltimore Ravens.<br />
Kocurek began his coaching career in 2003 as a student assistant<br />
at Texas Tech. While in Lubbock, he assisted with the defensive<br />
linemen and helped coach the Red Raiders to a 2003 Houston Bowl<br />
win over Navy.<br />
Prior to coaching, Kocurek spent two years in the NFL with the<br />
Tennessee Titans (2002) and the Seattle Seahawks (2001) after<br />
being selected in the seventh round (237th overall) of the 2001 NFL<br />
Draft by Seattle.<br />
Kocurek played collegiate football at Texas Tech and was a threetime<br />
All-Big 12 selection. As a senior, he was selected as team captain<br />
and named defensive player of the year.<br />
kocurEk' s Background<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong> .......................................................................... 2009-<br />
Defensive Line ..............................................................................................2010-<br />
Assistant Defensive Line .............................................................................2009<br />
Stephen F. Austin State ............................................................2008<br />
Defensive Line ................................................................................................2008<br />
West Texas A&M ......................................................................2007<br />
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line .....................................................2007<br />
Texas A&M-Commerce .............................................................2006<br />
Defensive Line ................................................................................................2006<br />
Texas A&M-Kingsville ........................................................ 2004-05<br />
Graduate Assistant. ......................................................................................2004<br />
Texas Tech ...............................................................................2003<br />
Graduate Assistant. ......................................................................................2003<br />
tim<br />
laPPano<br />
Tight Ends<br />
Years with <strong>Lions</strong>: 4<br />
Years in NFL: 7<br />
Tim Lappano returns for a fourth season coaching the <strong>Lions</strong>’ tight<br />
ends. Before coming to <strong>Detroit</strong>, Lappano served four seasons (2005-<br />
08) as the offensive coordinator at the University of Washington. He<br />
is entering his 30th season as a coach and his seventh in the NFL.<br />
lions coaching highlights<br />
The <strong>Lions</strong>’ tight ends continue to be big contributors to the offense<br />
under Lappano’s direction.<br />
‣ TE Brandon Pettigrew had 83 receptions in 2011 (third in the NFL<br />
among tight ends), establishing a new team single-season record<br />
for receptions by a tight end. He is the first tight end in <strong>Lions</strong>’<br />
history to record 70 receptions in two different seasons and the<br />
first tight end with 80 catches.<br />
‣ With 5 touchdown catches last season by Pettigrew combined<br />
with TE Tony Scheffler’s career-high 6 touchdown receptions,<br />
Pettigrew and Scheffler were the second pair of <strong>Lions</strong> tight ends<br />
in team history to each register 5 touchdown catches each in a<br />
season. In 1976, Hall of Fame TE Charlie Sanders and TE David<br />
Hill each recorded 5 touchdown receptions.<br />
‣ In 2010, Pettigrew had one of the best seasons ever for a <strong>Lions</strong>’<br />
tight end in 2010 while returning from a knee injury sustained<br />
late in his rookie year. He started all 16 games and was second<br />
on the team with 71 receptions for 722 yards – both of which were<br />
the most by a tight end in team history – and four touchdowns.<br />
Pettigrew had the third most receptions (71) and was seventh in<br />
receiving yards (722) among all NFL tight ends.<br />
‣ TE Tony Scheffler finished with 45 receptions (378 yards) in 2010<br />
and the <strong>Lions</strong> were the only team in the NFL to have two tight<br />
ends with 45 or more receptions. Pettigrew and Scheffler combined<br />
for 116 catches, the second most by a tight end pair in the NFL.<br />
‣ In 2009, Pettigrew led all rookie tight ends in receptions (30) and<br />
yards (346) despite being forced out of the lineup after 11 games<br />
with a season-ending knee injury.<br />
‣ Veteran tight end Will Heller also flourished in 2009, setting<br />
career-highs with 29 receptions, 296 yards and three touchdowns.<br />
Lappano’s last pro coaching opportunity was with San Francisco<br />
where he was the running backs coach. In his first season with the<br />
49ers, their running game was third in the NFC with 2,279 yards as FB<br />
Fred Beasley made his first Pro Bowl appearance and RB Kevan Barlow<br />
rushed for a career-high 1,024 yards despite starting only four games.<br />
In 1998, Lappano made his NFL coaching debut as the running<br />
backs coach for the Seahawks. There, he helped Ricky Watters rush<br />
for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns, earning team Offensive Player<br />
of the Year honors.<br />
In between, Lappano was the offensive coordinator at Oregon<br />
State (2000-02) and contributed heavily to the resurgence of the<br />
Beavers program. OSU led the Pac-10 in rushing yards (1,933) and in<br />
rushing offense, averaging 148.7 yards per game in 2002. Current St.<br />
Louis Rams RB Stephen Jackson led the conference with 1,690 yards<br />
while earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors.<br />
Lappano began his coaching career as the running backs coach<br />
at the University of Idaho where he was a four-year letterman<br />
after finishing his collegiate career as the school’s second all-time<br />
leading rusher with 2,196 yards. In 1985, he helped the Vandals to<br />
a Big Sky Conference championship before leaving to coach running<br />
backs for Wyoming (1986). He then served as running backs coach<br />
at Washington State (1987-88) before being promoted to offensive<br />
coordinator in 1989. In his first season as offensive coordinator, he led<br />
the Cougars to a top-10 finish with former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback<br />
Drew Bledsoe and Pac-10 Offensive Player-of-the-Year, running back<br />
Steve Broussard.<br />
Lappano moved on to the University of California in 1992 as<br />
assistant head coach and running backs coach. While in Berkeley,<br />
Lappano coached Heisman Trophy candidate Russell White and helped<br />
lead Cal to an Alamo Bowl victory over Iowa in 1993. He returned to<br />
Wyoming in 1996 as receivers coach, helping the Cowboys to an WAC<br />
Championship while coaching All-American Marcus Harris to the Fred<br />
Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver.<br />
In 1997, Lappano joined the Purdue coaching staff as co-offensive<br />
coordinator and receivers coach. The Boilermakers led the Big Ten in<br />
offense that season and ranked seventh in the nation.<br />
Lappano earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies at Idaho in<br />
1983. He played high school football at Gonzaga Preparatory School<br />
in his native Spokane, WA and earned All-State honors as a senior.<br />
Lappano and his wife, Sandi, have two sons, Taylor and Kyle.<br />
laPPano' s Background<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong> .......................................................................... 2009-<br />
Tight Ends .....................................................................................................2009-<br />
Washington ........................................................................2005-08<br />
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks ................................................. 2005-08<br />
San Francisco 49ers ........................................................... 2003-04<br />
Running Backs ........................................................................................ 2003-04<br />
Oregon State ...................................................................... 1999-02<br />
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks ................................................. 1999-02<br />
Seattle Seahawks ...................................................................1998<br />
Running Backs ...............................................................................................1998<br />
Purdue ....................................................................................1997<br />
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers ..............................................1997<br />
Wyoming .................................................................................1996<br />
Wide Receivers ..............................................................................................1996<br />
California ........................................................................... 1992-95<br />
Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs .............................................. 1992-95<br />
Washington State................................................................1987-91<br />
Offensive Coordinator ............................................................................ 1989-91<br />
Running Backs ....................................................................................... 1987-88<br />
Wyoming .................................................................................1986<br />
Running Backs ..............................................................................................1986<br />
Idaho .................................................................................1982-85<br />
Running Backs ....................................................................................... 1982-85
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