The Buffalo Bills have a trio of assistant coaches that are learning more about their profession at the highest level of the game. Jamaal Fobbs, Ernest Jones, and William Inge have been named the team's 2011 Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship participants and have been assisting the Bills' coaching staff during training camp at St. John Fisher.
Fobbs has been assisting with the running backs in this camp. He is entering his second season at the University of Tennessee- Chattanooga as running backs coach. An Oklahoma State alumnus, Fobbs, who played running back for the Cowboys from 1997-2000 is hoping this internship at the NFL level allows him to make a return as a full-time assistant.
"The experience is big for me and my career because ultimately this is the kind of level of coaching that I want to get to," he said. "Just being around NFL coaches and players helps me see how things work and how they operate on a day-to-day basis."
Jones has been helping veteran secondary coach George Catavolos with the cornerbacks. Jones is entering his second season as University at Buffalo's Associate Head Coach as well as the Bulls' cornerbacks coach. He also serves as the recruiting coordinator for the Bulls and oversees the "Bulls in the Community" program.
Jones had the opportunity, albeit brief, to coach his former UB cornerback Domonic Cook, who joined the Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent.
"To have a kid that I coached, in college, out there in this group and working with all the guys is very rewarding," said Jones.
Unfortunately Cook suffered a knee injury the first week in camp and is on injured reserve.
Another member of the University at Buffalo coaching staff, Inge has aided Dave Wannstedt with the inside linebackers. Inge serves as UB's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Before becoming a member of UB's staff, Inge spent two seasons at Cincinnati as the linebackers coach.
"You can't say enough about Coach Gailey for being able to afford us with this opportunity," said Inge about coaching with the Bills during training camp. "It's been a wonderful experience. All of the coaches have been very receptive with regard to teaching us and allowing us to learn from them and with them."
Bills current Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Curtis Modkins and Defensive Quality Control Coach Adrian White each participated in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship. Modkins worked with the Philadelphia Eagles (1997), Dallas Cowboys (1998) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (2005) while White spent two training camps with the Bills (2006-07). White also had internships with the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions.
The Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship is designed to expose talented minority college coaches to the methods and philosophies of summer NFL training camps. The idea was introduced to the league by Walsh in 1987 when he brought in a group of such coaches into his San Francisco 49ers training camp.
The Buffalo Bills have participated in the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship program since 1989.
