Football team welcomes former NFL player to coaching staff
Shafiq Islam
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: Sports
As a new member to the Samford community, recently-hired Bulldog cornerbacks coach Sam Shade attended the faculty orientation Monday. At this meeting, the new staff is familiarized with the university and many things are explained to them, such as the campus layout and the ethics on campus. While this generation of students at Samford is meeting Shade for the first time, he is not so new to some people.
Head coach Pat Sullivan said he has been trying to work with Shade since he was a football player in high school in 1990. At the time, Sullivan was Auburn's offensive coordinator, and he almost successfully recruited Shade until he declared that he would sign to play at Alabama.
"In 2004, once (Sullivan) was coaching at UAB and my NFL career was over, I moved back to Birmingham," Shade said. "We would see each other at different events around town, whether it was a charity event or a function like the Alabama sports hall of fame banquet.
"We've seen each other over the past few years volunteering at local schools. I was coaching at Briarwood, and he had a chance to see me then. He told me that he was interested in seeing me possibly coaching at the college level," Shade said.
Shade brings his professional experience with him to Samford. He played for Alabama for four years and was on the 1992 national championship team. He was also named permanent captain as a senior in 1994. After his senior year, Shade went into the NFL draft and was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round.
He stayed on the team until 1999, after which he signed with the Washington Redskins. He has played under coaches and coordinators such as Dick Lebeau, Marty Schottenheimer, Marvin Lewis, Ron Meeks and Steve Spurrier.
As for his coaching career, Shade assisted the Briarwood football team in earning the 2008 5A runner-up spot in a season in which they seemed unstoppable and finished with a record of 13-1. He has already worked with a few Bulldog players, freshmen undelared majors Will Tumlin and Jonathan Sillers. He said he's excited to work with the rest of the group.
Head coach Pat Sullivan said he has been trying to work with Shade since he was a football player in high school in 1990. At the time, Sullivan was Auburn's offensive coordinator, and he almost successfully recruited Shade until he declared that he would sign to play at Alabama.
"In 2004, once (Sullivan) was coaching at UAB and my NFL career was over, I moved back to Birmingham," Shade said. "We would see each other at different events around town, whether it was a charity event or a function like the Alabama sports hall of fame banquet.
"We've seen each other over the past few years volunteering at local schools. I was coaching at Briarwood, and he had a chance to see me then. He told me that he was interested in seeing me possibly coaching at the college level," Shade said.
Shade brings his professional experience with him to Samford. He played for Alabama for four years and was on the 1992 national championship team. He was also named permanent captain as a senior in 1994. After his senior year, Shade went into the NFL draft and was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round.
He stayed on the team until 1999, after which he signed with the Washington Redskins. He has played under coaches and coordinators such as Dick Lebeau, Marty Schottenheimer, Marvin Lewis, Ron Meeks and Steve Spurrier.
As for his coaching career, Shade assisted the Briarwood football team in earning the 2008 5A runner-up spot in a season in which they seemed unstoppable and finished with a record of 13-1. He has already worked with a few Bulldog players, freshmen undelared majors Will Tumlin and Jonathan Sillers. He said he's excited to work with the rest of the group.
Be the first to comment on this story