Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin has hired Tony Sparano as the team's tight ends coach. Sparano replaces Fred Hoaglin, who retired earlier this month after spending 35 years in the NFL.
"Tony Sparano is a good, young coach who has gained NFL experience working with offensive linemen as well as tight ends, in addition to having been a head coach at the college level," Coughlin said. "He will be a good addition to our staff."
Sparano has spent the last three seasons in the NFL after coaching 15 years in college football. He was the tight ends coach for the Washington Redskins last year. Sparano spent the previous two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, working under coach Chris Palmer. He was the Browns' offensive quality control coach in 1999 and the offensive line coach in 2000.
From 1994-98, Sparano was the head coach at the University of New Haven, where his teams averaged 32.2 points per game and made two trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs, finishing second in '97. He was named the New York Metropolitan Football Writers Division II coach of the year and the New England Football Writers Division II/III coach of the year after the '95 and '97 seasons.
Sparano began his coaching career at New Haven in '84, spending four seasons as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. He was the offensive line coach, strength and conditioning coach, recruiting coordinator and academic coordinator at Boston University in '88. From '89-'93 he was BU's offensive coordinator, helping the Terriers to an 11-0 mark in '93.
