The coaching carousel has been spinning faster and faster in the UFL as of late. With head coaching changes in both Memphis and San Antonio, additions had to be made. The Memphis Showboats have brought in Noel Mazzone to serve as OC, while the San Antonio Brahmas added Jack Welch as an Assistant to the tight end’s and special teams units.
Noel Mazzone | Memphis Showboats
Interestingly enough, Mazzone was already a part of Memphis’ coaching staff, though unannounced. He was listed on the flip cards the last couple of weeks as their quarterbacks coach. Noel will now continue his role working with the QB’s, while also stepping up as Offensive Coordinator for the remainder of the season.
With Ken Whisenhunt no longer in the building, Noel has some big shoes to fill. Luckily for Memphis, Mazzone is a guy who’s got plenty of experience as a professional.
From the official press release, Mazzone has “experience as an offensive coordinator and position coach in numerous college football programs, including Arizona, Texas A&M, UCLA, Arizona State, Ole Miss, North Carolina State, Oregon State and Auburn”. He also was with the New York Jets as their WR’s coach from 2006-2008.
Most notably for spring football fans, Noel was the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Breakers in 2022, under Larry Fedora. Mazzone worked with QB Kyle Sloter that year, leading the Breakers to a 6-4 record and a playoff appearance.
New interim HC Jim Turner had this to say about the addition of Mazzone:
“I brought Noel in because of his wealth of knowledge and experience…he has coached at every level, including the NFL and major college football for more than 40 years. That is the type of experience we needed to point our offense in the right direction.”
Jack Welch | San Antonio Brahmas
#UFL News: The San Antonio Brahmas have added Jack Welch as TE's Coach/Assistant Special Teams Coordinator, per interim HC Payton Pardee.
Welch has a plethora of coaching experience, most recently at Texas A&M Commerce.
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) April 16, 2025
On the other side, the Brahmas have brought in Jack Welch to help strengthen their coaching staff that has taken some blows. A couple of weeks ago, offensive coordinator A.J. Smith stepped down. Now, HC Wade Phillips has taken a leave of absence, and Payton Pardee has stepped into a new role as interim HC.
Welch is a big get for this team from a stability standpoint. He’s been coaching for over four decades, and has so much quality experience that will greatly impact this team in a positive way.
He’s been a head coach for plenty of years, but most notably held that role at Copperas Cove High School from 1994-2017. Welch was at Texas A&M Commerce serving as their Special Teams Coordinator, and the team’s Chief of Staff from 2019-2024.
Most recently, Jack was acquired by the IFA’s San Antonio franchise to be their Assistant Head Coach. He has now decided to switch paths, joining Pardee’s staff in the UFL. The two had worked together for some time at Texas A&M Commerce, back in 2021.
Final Thoughts
It has been an absolutely crazy week for the UFL as a whole. To be honest, the entire season has been far from ideal when it comes to maintaining coaches in the league. That said, they have navigated these tough waters impressively so far, and now will look to turn the page – and hope that the rest of the year can go on without a hitch.
Both Memphis and San Antonio are reeling with 0-3 records – and now will hope that they can get back on track with interim head coaches that have zero experience at any level at the position.
What are your thoughts on Noel Mazzone joining Memphis? Will Jack Welch help San Antonio? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
