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By JOE PETRUCCI jpetrucci@leader.net
Wednesday, March 05, 2003 Page: 1B
Although he abruptly left the team to take a job as an assistant in the
Arena Football League, recently departed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers head
coach Lary Kuharich helped the team find his replacement.
The Pioneers announced Tuesday that Dean Cokinos, whom Kuharich brought in
as a defensive coordinator and director of pro scouting, will take over the
head coaching job just two weeks before training camp begins.
Cokinos, the third coach in the team’s 19-month arenafootball2 history,
will be formally introduced to the media and community at 1:30 p.m. today at
the Waterfront Bar and Grill in Plains.
“This is clearly a chance he’s been working at for the last eight years of
his life,” said Pioneers owner/operator Greg Smith. “I’m very excited about
this season because of the attitude he brings.”
Kuharich resigned on Feb. 24 to take an assistant job with the AFL’s New
York Dragons, who earlier that day fired their entire coaching staff after an
0-4 start. The 34-year coaching veteran at virtually every level of football,
including the NFL, was hired in November to replace Terry Karg, who decided
not to re-sign with the team.
Cokinos previously served as a head coach in the German Football League for
the Munich Cowboys and the Berlin Eagles. He has only one year of official
arena football experience – as an advance scout with the Nashville Kats in
1998.
That did not dissuade Smith from choosing Cokinos. Smith said he had a
brief discussion about arena-specific football strategy and was comfortable
with Cokinos’ philosophies. Moreover, Smith was impressed with Cokinos’
organizational skills, preparedness and enthusiasm and a five-page document
Cokinos immediately sent to Smith outlining his philosophy and plans.
“It’s exciting how he puts together a coaching staff and players,” Smith
said.
Cokinos did not immediately return a message left on his cell phone.
Smith said he was in contact with about 10 other candidates and had serious
talks with two or three other than Cokinos, but was overwhelmed with the
number of people who called on Cokinos’ behalf. One was Pat Sperduto, the
former head coach of the two-time Arena Bowl runner-up Nashville Kats and who
is heading up Nashville’s return to the AFL for Tennessee Titans owner Bud
Adams.
Smith indicated that Cokinos will likely bring in at least one assistant
coach of his own, but possibly more. There will likely be talks with Pioneers
line coach and director of college scouting Joe DeMelfi and offensive
assistant Mark Arcure, both of whom were with the team during last year’s
inaugural af2 season as assistants under Karg. Teams in af2 are allotted
$25,000 to spend on assistant coaches.
At least one Pioneer is excited about Cokinos’ hiring. Smith said that
quarterback Chris Boden, signed by the Pioneers in December after spending
last year with New Haven, will drive to the area for today’s press conference.
It will be his first appearance in the area since becoming a Pioneer.
“He said `I’m driving in from Connecticut to be there for Dean,’ ” Smith
said.
The Pioneers have 20 players signed as candidates for training camp, which
begins on March 19. The team can bring 35 players to camp and 21 will make the
opening day roster. The teams open the 2003 season at Greensboro on April 5.