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Jeff Fisher, Larry Fedora join USFL head-coaching ranks

Oct 20, 2018; Syracuse, NY, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora reacts to a play against the Syracuse Orange during the second quarter at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Former NFL coach Jeff Fisher and ex-college coach Larry Fedora will assume head-coaching responsibilities in the reborn USFL this spring.

Fisher will lead the Michigan Panthers, with Fedora taking the helm of the New Orleans Breakers.

These were the final two head-coaching vacancies to be filled in the eight-team league, which is scheduled to begin play April 16.

Fisher, 63, spent 30 years on NFL sidelines. He was named head coach of the Houston Oilers in the midst of the 1994 season and stayed with the franchise through its transition to the Tennessee Titans.

In 17 seasons, he led the Oilers/Titans to six playoff appearances, two AFC championship games and Super Bowl XXXIV — a 23-16 loss to the then-St. Louis Rams.

The Titans bought out his contract following the 2010 season, and he finished with a 142-120 record.

He went on to coach the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams from 2012-16 but didn’t achieve the same success. He was fired near the end of the 2016 season with a 31-45-1 overall record and no playoff appearances.

Fedora has 32 years of coaching experience, including 11 as a head coach at Southern Mississippi (2008-11) and North Carolina (2012-18). His overall record is 79-62, including 3-5 in bowl games.

Most recently, Fedora, 59, spent the past two seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Baylor.

Each USFL team will play a 10-game schedule, with all games in Birmingham, Ala., during the first season of play.

Other coaches in the league are Skip Holtz, Birmingham Stallions; Kirby Wilson, Pittsburgh Maulers; Mike Riley, New Jersey Generals; Todd Haley, Tampa Bay Bandits; Kevin Sumlin, Houston Gamblers; and Bart Andrus, Philadelphia Stars.

–Field Level Media

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