It’s been a rough week for the DC Defenders and their fan base as we head into week one of the 2025 UFL season. Head coach Reggie Barlow accepted the head coaching job for Tennessee State University earlier this week, and it now sounds like Barlow will be bringing “most” of the Defenders coaching staff with him following the 2025 UFL Season, including interim HC Shannon Harris, OC Fred Kaiss, and DC Gregg Williams.
NEWS: Former @XFLDefenders HC Reggie Barlow is preparing to bring along current Defenders Interim HC Shannon Harris and OC Fred Kaiss to Tennessee State, per @MikeOrganWriter.
— Christian Paolantonio (@CPaolantonio_) March 25, 2025
Unclear on the timing of when the hires will occur, but it appears Harris/Kaiss are joining Barlow.… pic.twitter.com/7a6vzK4VZs
Barlow is also reportedly bringing in Defenders OL coach, Russ Ehrenfeld, to TSU as a part of his new regime in Nashville.
The news comes at an inopportune time for the UFL, but it’s clear that the league supports Barlow’s move and is excited about the opportunity with Shannon Harris, who turns 45 this year. A comparatively young age for head coaches in the spring football environment.
UFL Executive VP Daryl Johnston had this to say about Harris moving to head coach, “Coach Harris has the respect of the coaches and players throughout the entire UFL, as well as every coach that he worked with for two decades at the collegiate level,” said Johnston. “When Coach Barlow informed us that he was becoming head coach at Tennessee State, we knew that Coach Harris would be the right person to step in and continue the culture that Reggie Barlow built with the Defenders.”
UPDATE: Tennessee State HC Reggie Barlow confirms any @XFLDefenders staff members joining TSU will be added “as soon as this deal is over with DC.”#UFL https://t.co/sT8QIQDobu pic.twitter.com/sJfHSTcEZ1
— Christian Paolantonio (@CPaolantonio_) March 26, 2025
Harris will be paired with QB Jordan Ta’amu for the third straight season, which will undoubtedly be an upper-hand when up against inexperienced UFL defenses.
If we were to speculate on which other DC coaches may join Barlow at TSU, linebackers coach Deion Harris and defensive backs coach Vernon Dean stand out as potential candidates.
The Defenders will kick off their 2025 UFL season by hosting the defending UFL Champion Birmingham Stallions at Audi Field on Sunday, March 30 at 3:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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