INDIANAPOLIS--- The NCAA has invited 28 football coaches to its 2008 NCAA Expert Coaches Academy, which takes place June 5-7 in Dallas, Texas.

The Expert Coaches Academy is an NCAA program that addresses the critical shortage of ethnic minorities in head coaching positions in the sport of college football, primarily at the Division I level.    Though the NCAA National Office does not have hiring authority over its member colleges and universities, the office is able to provide programming that better prepares coaches for many of the issues they will experience at the head coaching level through program sessions and networking opportunities with current head coaches.   

Programming covers:

•         Communications - media, booster relations, interviewing skills, and building a portfolio.

•         Fiscal Responsibilities - fundraising, budgeting and development.

•         Building a Successful Program - managing coaching staffs, building a portfolio (game strategy), maintaining relationships with university/college presidents, athletic directors, alumni, student-athletes, faculty and members of the community. 

•         Compliance Considerations - gambling issues, NCAA rules and regulations/infractions, agents, choices/consequences, and integrity.

•         Academic Issues - academic support, academic fraud, retention, NCAA rules and regulations, academic success.

Of the current 119 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) head football coaches, six are African-American, one is Asian/ Pacific Islander, and one is Latino.  Three percent of head football coaches in all NCAA divisions are ethnic minorities, excluding the historically black coaches and universities.  The participants represent Division I, II and III colleges and universities.

The following are the football coaches invited to the 2008 Expert Coaches Academy:

John Allen, Jr., wide receivers coach, University of Albany 

Brian Baker-Watson, offensive coordinator, Benedictine University

Timothy Banks, defensive coordinator, Central Michigan University

George Barlow, assistant head coach/defensive coordinator, James Madison University

Denauld Brown, assistant coach, Columbia University

Steven Brown, defensive coordinator, University of Kentucky

Isaac Collins, defensive coordinator, The Citadel

Dino Dawson, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Alcorn State University

Andrew Faison, head football coach, Virginia State University

Mike Fanoga, associate head coach, New Mexico State University

O’Neill Gilbert, Jr., defensive coordinator, Tulane University