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Blitz cleans house
In wake of player arrests, 5-9 record, af2 team fires coaches
| Tuesday, Jul 17 2007 11:20 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Jul 17 2007 11:23 PM
The Bakersfield Blitz made it to the second round of the af2 playoffs last season and the goal this season was for a better year.
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But after a 3-0 start, the Blitz collapsed. Last Saturday's 49-46 loss to Everett (Wash.) dropped Bakersfield to 5-9 and was the team's seventh loss in eight games.
On Tuesday, the Blitz announced that head coach Gary Compton and two assistants had been fired.
The lone returnee from Compton's staff, offensive and defensive line coach Mike Cooper, has been named interim head coach for the season's final two games.
"This is a special opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Cooper said Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the team announced Compton's dismissal. "I never expected to assume this role. It's not a role I coveted.
"But due to whatever happened, this was presented to me, and I'm honored to coach the Blitz. I am excited about the opportunity."
Cooper said he will install fan favorite and longtime Blitz wide receiver Eric Mahanke as the offensive coordinator and former af2 WR-defensive back Kenny Haslip as defensive coordinator.
Mahanke is second on the Blitz with 57 receptions this season but has not played in recent games because of a broken rib. Cooper said Mahanke has retired, which is a necessity. Andrew Watkins, Blitz team president and general manager, said af2 rules prohibit active players from coaching.
He would not confirm the coaching spots for Mahanke and Haslip, saying neither had signed coaching contracts as of Tuesday afternoon.
"We will be making an announcement, probably (today), Watkins said. "At the end of the day, the fans will be happy with the staff we bring on."
In addition to Compton, the Blitz fired Rick Frazier, the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator; and Eric Coleman, the assistant offensive and defensive line coach. Jay Durant, the special teams and quarterback coach, chose to resign after the coaching changes were announced, Watkins said.
"It was a decision the ownership group has been thinking about for awhile," Watkins said. "It was not a knee-jerk reaction. It was something we put a lot of thought into."
Watkins added: "We're not happy with the on-field performance. We think we can do better. We had aspirations of making the playoffs and doing well once we got there.
"At the end of the day, our on-field performance speaks for itself."
The arrests of defensive lineman Maurice Troutman and wide receiver Rennard Reynolds following a 47-16 loss at Boise on July 7 also played a role in the decision, Watkins said.
Troutman has been charged with rape and Reynolds faces felony burglary charges. They remain jailed in Boise and have been suspended by the Blitz.
"Boise is a factor, but not the sole factor," Watkins said. "We hold ourselves to a high standard off the field and on the field. Those events were embarrassing, out-of-character for the guys we have on this team.
"But at the end of the day, it was a football decision. Being 5-9 is not good enough. Our fans deserve better and the city of Bakersfield deserves better."
Compton led the Blitz to a 9-7 record last season, including the first playoff win in the franchise's history. His final Blitz won-lost record is 15-17. Messages left on Compton's cell phone were not returned.
Watkins said ownership met with Compton following Saturday's game and informed him of the coaching change.
"He was obviously disappointed," Watkins said, adding that Compton did not attempt to talk ownership out of its decision.
"He handled it as a consummate professional. He understands this is a business. It's nothing personal."
Watkins added: "We parted with no animosity or hard feelings. But we simply needed to go in a different direction and we've begun to take positive steps in order to do that."
The Blitz plays its final home game on Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Stockton Lightning (6-8) at Rabobank Arena. Bakersfield travels to Fresno to face the Central Valley Coyotes (9-5) in its season finale on Saturday, July 28.
"Making this move at this time allows us to see what Mike Cooper can do for the last two games of the year," Watkins said. "We can evaluate Mike Cooper from a coaching perspective and it gives us a jump on next year, which is why we're making this move now."
Cooper, 39, is a history teacher at Ridgeview High School. A former running back at Northern Arizona University, where he concluded his playing career in 1988, Cooper has coached for nearly 20 years, including stops at several Kern County high schools since 1994.
"I still think we have a lot to play for," Cooper said. "I'm looking forward to a chance to end the season on a positive note for the Bakersfield Blitz."